In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore one of the most famous morale-boosting anthems of the First World War: Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile. They uncover the remarkable story of its creators - Welsh brothers George and Felix Powell -whose music hall careers and contrasting wartime paths tell a poignant tale of fame, conscience, and tragedy. While George became a pacifist and conscientious objector, Felix served on the front lines, later suffering a breakdown that echoed through the rest of his life Lili and Tom also discuss the song's meteoric rise to popularity, its role as a marching anthem, and its legacy in both WWI and WWII. Along the way, they dive into early recordings, forgotten verses, and the tragic irony of the song's enduring cheerfulness against the backdrop of real personal suffering. This episode is a deep look at how even the brightest tunes can hide the darkest stories - and how music helped millions face the horrors of war with a smile. SPOTIFY PLAYLIST You can listen to ALL of the songs that Tom and Lili talk about in the episode on their Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN?si=b777dc33a703408a REFERENCES River Walk Music Festival, Tonbridge https://www.riverwalkmusic.live/ The Grand Order of Water Rats https://www.gowr.co.uk/ Johnny Victory http://johnnyvictory.com/ International Bomber Command https://internationalbcc.co.uk/ Glenn Miller's version of Over There https://youtu.be/Fs6mxSJiz9A?si=DA3lXrhPJKh4BVhd Conscientious Objectors in WW1 https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-conscientious-objection Peacehaven, Sussex - History https://www.thepostmagazine.co.uk/brightonhistory/peacehaven-beyond-rural-idyll Lureland Dance Hall, Peacehaven (now a Mosque) https://g.co/kgs/1zKJr7X https://media.onthemarket.com/properties/6234650/909834491/document-0.pdf Pavillion, Peacehaven https://www.brightonhistory.org.uk/film/cinemas/Pavilion_Peacehaven.html Sheet Music Cover (Just Text) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C214266 Art Nouveau Sheet Music Cover https://www.loc.gov/item/2016776938/ Gracie Field's Final Performance https://youtu.be/BoaHT3JMu4k?si=z733Y43sn_f6NR-p&t=58 Lucifer Matches https://www.wwiisoldier.com/a-history-of-matches-prior-to-wwi/ Phossy Jaw and the Match Girls Strike https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/what-was-the-significance-of-the-match-girls-strike-in-1888/ Pack ALL Your Trouble - Edward Hamilton 1916 https://youtu.be/lVgbv8Hxk9o?si=SDJzP05qgvqGzQpp Talbot House (can you spot Tom) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coqTDDyRQx0 Talbot House Living History Weekend (and Concert) https://www.talbothouse.be/en/events/living-history-weekend https://www.talbothouse.be/en/events/the-talbot-house-concert-party CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:51 Catch Up 03:49 An Update on Last Week 04:47 P = Pack Up Your Troubles 05:50 Felix Powell and George Asaf 08:42 The Origins of the Song 11:04 Concientious Objectors in WW1 15:14 The Brother's Life After the War 19:05 Felix's Tragic End 20:15 Discussing the Sheet Music 21:54 When Did We First Hear It? 26:40 Discussing the Lyrics 31:18 Discussing the Music 33:25 Discussing Recordings 36:04 Other Recommendations 43:39 Mentioned in Dispatches 44:45 Teaser for Next Week 45:26 Outro SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS You can follow the podcast on social media: http://instagram.com/warsongspod https://www.facebook.com/warsongspod Find more information about Lili Redman here: https://liliredman.com/https://www.instagram.com/lili__redman/ https://www.facebook.com/ScalaLil Or Tom Carradine here: https://www.tomcarradine.com/https://www.instagram.com/tomcarradine https://www.facebook.com/mrtomcarradine CONTACT THE PODCAST If there's a wartime song that you think they should discuss, or if you have a personal or family story connected to one, drop them a line at [email protected] to be "Mentioned in Dispatches". LISTENING LINKS Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ktQ4nyudmPRLcCNyNxEfv?si=ac9e1babe6834f2b Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-a-to-z-of-wartime-song/id1806037318 If you've enjoyed this episode Lili and Tom would be grateful if you'd leave a review and make sure you've subscribed and turned on notifications so you'll never miss an episode.