Songs That Won the War (possible VHS-only re-issue with updated RBL logo)

~ Release by Dame Vera Lynn presents (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Annotation

VHS feature presented by Dame Vera Lynn in support of The Royal British Legion. This 65 minute feature covers a wide selection of British wartime hits.

The songs are presented in their printed order (with one exception), but not always in full and are interspersed with clips that feature no "music" but are instead clips of various films related to the content at hand. For the music tracks, the video content can sometimes be archival clips of live performances (possibly post-war), but some are archival clips of era-appropriate scenes (like ballroom dancing) with the music dubbed in over the top. See individual recording pages for further detail.

"Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major" is listed but doesn't appear, it insteads skips to an instrumental version of "Knees Up Mother Brown".

The film entries that split up this release appear between these tracks, they've been omitted as the content in these areas does not fit with the general goals of MusicBrainz and simply muddy the database with unhelpful data.

Between track 1 and 2, a current day (so likely 1993/1994) spoken word introduction is performed by Dame Vera Lynn at the Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill Gate introducing the feature. (all future interruptions made by Dame Vera Lynn are filmed at this location)
Between track 8 and 9 is an edited version of the 1939 Pathé film "National Service" featuring Sir John Anderson.
Between track 11 and 12 is an edited film of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother addressing the nation to encourage and compliment those who have evacuated their children in light of the on-going war conflict.
Between 12 and 13 we then cut back to Dame Vera Lynn who does a piece to camera about the situation with France's surrender.
Between 15 and 16 we again cut back to Dame Vera Lynn who does a piece to camera continuing to explain the war situation and introduces the upcoming music track.
Between 18 and 19 we again cut back to Dame Vera Lynn who does a piece to camera explaining about the efforts of the home front during the war period.
Between 20 and 21 is an archive clip of women working in a factory for various homefront efforts, with them singing an unidentified song - however the audio is extremely poor.
Between 21 and 22 we once again cut back to Dame Vera Lynn who does a piece to camera about allied efforts.
Between 25 and 26 back to Dame Vera Lynn providing an anecdote about performing for "the troops".
Between 30 and 31 back to Dame Vera Lynn doing another piece to camera contiuning the story of the war.
Between 33 and 34 back to Dame Vera Lynn with another piece to camera continuing the story of the war.
Between 36 and 37 back to Dame Vera Lynn with the final piece to camera regarding VE day. This is then followed by a piece of archive footage of Sir Winston Churchill addressing the nation.

Public is used to denote the tracks that appear within the film that are not sung by any individual of note, but are what you may refer to as almost "field recordings" of various members of the public, singing groups or choirs singing the song.

Although I have digitised the video content in the hopes of retrieving durations, they are difficult to calculate due to the way the entire feature is edited.

Tracklist

1VHS
#TitleArtistLength
1We’ll Meet AgainVera Lynn?:??
2The Umbrella Song
live partial recording of:
The Umbrella Man (aka The Umbrella Song)
writer:
Kay Kyser
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 25669)
Flanagan & Allen?:??
3Roll Out the Barrel
partial recording of:
Beer Barrel Polka
composer:
Jaromír Vejvoda (in 1927)
arranger:
Eduard Ingriš (from 1927 until 1934)
translator:
Lew Brown (in 1939) and Wladimir A. Timm (in 1939)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 25648)
translated version of:
Škoda lásky (Wasted Love, see also "Rosamunde" and "Beer Barrel Polka")
Public?:??
4Bless Them All
partial recording of:
Bless ’em All (1917 song)
writer:
Fred Godfrey
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 8402)
Public?:??
5Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried LinePublic?:??
6The Lambeth Walk
partial recording of:
The Lambeth Walk
lyricist:
Douglas Furber (in 1937) and L. Arthur Rose (in 1937)
composer:
Noel Gay (in 1937)
publisher:
Cinephonic Music Co., Ltd. and Richard Armitage Ltd
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 25672)
Public?:??
7Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major
partial recording of:
Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major
writer:
Art Noel and Don Pelosi
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 16962)
Public?:??
8Knees Up Mother Brown
partial instrumental recording of:
Knees Up Mother Brown
lyricist:
Harris Weston
composer:
Bert Lee
Public?:??
9Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner
live partial recording of:
Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner
lyricist and composer:
Hubert Gregg
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 32458)
Flanagan & Allen?:??
10Guarding the Home Guards HomeGeorge Formby?:??
11Run Rabbit RunFlanagan & Allen?:??
12Wish Me Luck as You Wave Goodbye
live partial recording of:
Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye
lyricist:
Phil Park
composer:
Harry Parr-Davies
publisher:
Chappell & Co Ltd.
Gracie Fields?:??
13The Last Time I Saw ParisDinah Shore?:??
14I’m a Little on the Lonely SideGracie Fields?:??
15We’re Altogether Now
Gracie Fields?:??
16A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareAnne Shelton?:??
17The White Cliffs of DoverVera Lynn?:??
18The Londoner and the HunFlotsam and Jetsam?:??
19Much Binding in the MarshKenneth Horne, Richard Murdoch?:??
20I’ll Walk Alone
recording of:
I’ll Walk Alone (from “Follow the Boys”)
lyricist:
Sammy Cahn
composer:
Jule Styne
part of:
The 17th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 2)
Dinah Shore?:??
21Paper Doll
partial recording of:
Paper Doll
lyricist and composer:
Johnny S. Black (in 1915)
publisher:
Edward B. Marks Music Co.
The Mills Brothers?:??
22String of Pearls
partial recording of:
A String of Pearls
lyricist:
Eddie DeLange
composer:
Jerry Gray
publisher:
Chappell & Co. and Scarsdale Music
The Glenn Miller Orchestra?:??
23Boogie Woogie Bugle BoyThe Andrews Sisters?:??
24As Time Goes By
recording of:
As Time Goes By (the song from “Casablanca”)
lyricist and composer:
Herman Hupfeld
publisher:
WB Music Corp. (ended), Chappell, Redwood Music, Redwood Music Ltd., Warner Bros., Inc. (Warner Bros. Music Division) and Warner Bros., Inc. (in 1931)
sub-publisher:
香港商華納音樂出版有限公司台灣分公司
part of:
Casablanca (original soundtrack of the 1942 American film)
Dooley Wilson?:??
25Don’t Sit Under the Apple TreeThe Andrews Sisters?:??
26Sally
live partial recording of:
Sally (Sally In Our Alley)
writer:
Will E. Haines, Harry Leon and Leo Towers
Gracie Fields?:??
27The Maginot LineGeorge Formby?:??
28Round the Back of the ArchesFlanagan & Allen?:??
29San Fernando Valley
live recording of:
San Fernando Valley
lyricist and composer:
Gordon Jenkins
Bing Crosby?:??
30I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen
live recording of:
I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen
lyricist and composer:
Irving Berlin
Frank Parker?:??
31Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer
live recording of:
Comin’ In on a Wing and a Prayer
lyricist:
Harold Adamson
composer:
Jimmy McHugh
publisher:
Robbins Music Corp. (in 1943)
Eddie Cantor?:??
32Yours
live recording of:
Yours (1931 version of "Quiéreme mucho")
lyricist and translator:
Albert Gamse and Jack Sherr
composer:
Gonzalo Roig
publisher:
Edward B. Marks Music Co. and Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd.
is based on:
Quiéreme mucho
Vera Lynn?:??
33All Over the Place
recording of:
All Over the Place (from “Sailors Three”)
lyricist:
Frank Eyton and Noel Gay
composer:
Noel Gay
part of:
Sailors Three (1940)
Tommy Trinder?:??
34When the Lights Go on Again
recording of:
When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)
writer:
Bennie Benjamin (in 1942), Sol Marcus (in 1942) and Eddie Seiler (in 1942)
Penny Lee?:??
35Over the RainbowJudy Garland?:??
36Thanks for the MemoryBob Hope?:??
37Land of Hope and Glory
partial recording of:
Land of Hope and Glory
anthem of:
England, United Kingdom (ended)
lyricist:
Arthur Christopher Benson
composer:
Edward Elgar (in 1902)
is based on:
Coronation Ode, op. 44: VI. Finale: “Land of Hope and Glory” (contralto soloist, with chorus)
Public?:??
38There’ll Always Be an EnglandMaster Glynn Davies?:??

Credits

Release group

included in:Songs That Won the War by Various Artists