Thread: Keep the home fires burning

Before becoming a dazzling star of the silent screen, Ivor was first and foremost a composer. Ivor received musical training at the Magdalen College Choir School, Oxford, where he began to write songs under the name Ivor Novello. Soon after Ivor had left school he and his parents moved to London, and in 1914 he composed the most popular song of World War I, Keep the Home Fires Burning, which made him famous overnight. After entertaining the troops in war-torn France, in 1916 Ivor became a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service and survived two crash landings. In 1919 Ivor embarked on his career as a film actor when French director Louis Mercanton was in London looking for a leading man for his new film, Call of the Blood. The film, a tale of adultery and revenge, set in Sicily, was a success, largely due to Ivor's sympathetic portrayal of the erring husband. Critics of the day called the film romantic and thrilling while accurately predicted stardom for young Ivor.

This song was written in 1914 with music by Ivor Novello (below) and lyrics by Lena Ford. It quickly became popular in England. Its sentimentality was better suited to the Home Front than the Western Front.

Ivor Novello

They were summoned from the hillside, they were called in from the glen,
And the country found them ready at the stirring call for men.
Let no tears add to their hardships, as the soldiers pass along,
And although your heart is breaking, make it sing this cheery song:

Keep the Home Fires Burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away they dream of home.
There's a silver lining, through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out, 'til the boys come home.

Overseas there came a pleading,
"Help a nation in distress."
And we gave our glorious laddies, honor bade us do no less,
For no gallant son of freedom to a tyrant's yoke should bend,
And a noble heart must answer to the sacred call of "Friend."

Keep the Home Fires Burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away they dream of home.
There's a silver lining, through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out 'til the boys come home.

Listen to the Song Here

Well I never !

I knew his name, from the "award", but I didn't know it was his song and I have never listened closely to it before. It's easy to see why it was a hit, the way he makes "sense" of it all in a 3 minute pop song. Genius.
And hope springs :

There's a silver lining, through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out 'til the boys come home.

Yeah right

Great find Jim. I didnt know about his service record. What a genius!

I have to agree with you on this one. It was a great song and did not appear to be silly as some others appear to be. A lot of great thought was put into this no wonder it won an award.

I listened to this song many times and never made the connection. The award was greatly deserved!