world war two songs

[historian]

Im doing a research paper on the "british spirit" whatever that is. Anyway im trying find some satirical world war two songs, glorifying the brits which heaping ridicule on Hitler or other foreigners in general. Its a paper about how songs reflect the brits attitude in different times - for example the Animals and We gotta get out of this place is a good portrait of the appalling living conditions in the early 60's. The songs must be by brits.
Ta so much and cheers

[LeftishBrit]

1. I posted a few on your thread on GD; here are a couple more

To the tune of "Whistle While You Work":

Whistle while you work
Hitler is a twerp
He is barmy
So's his army
Whistle while you work!


And this is a children's rhyme from the time (which oddly enough has since morphed into: "When the war was over/Josephine was dead...")

When the war is over
Hitler will be dead.
He hopes to go to Heaven
With a crown upon his head.
But the Lord said "No!
You'll have to go below!
There's only room for Churchill
So cheery cheery oh!


Unusually for a British song, the following is about the Japanese, not the Germans. It is from the point of view of (and probably originally composed by) prisoners of war:


There's a song in old Formosa that the Nips they loudly sing,

In the billets every evening you should hear the music ring,

Now they sing to British soldiers who have travelled from afar,

To fight for king and country, now they´re prisoners of war,

But they know they'll see their homeland in the future once again,

Listen, while I sing to you the Nipponese refrain.



Chorus:

Down the mine bonnie laddies down the mine you'll go,

Though your feet are lacerated you dare not answer no,

Though the rice is insufficient and we treat you all like swine,

Down the mine bonnie taddies down the mine.



Now the boys were fairly happy till one cold and cloudy day,

When the 'Bunsho dono' he came out and he to them did say,

Now cxpcct you all are wondering why you're out on this parade,

The reason is, you must be taught, the Taiwan serenade.



Chorus:

Down the mine bonnie laddies down the mine you'll go,

Though your feet are lacerated you dare not answer no,

Though the rice is insufficient and we treat you all like swine,

Down the mine bonnie taddies down the mine.



You should see us work with 'chunkles' and we work with baskets too

Though the method is old-fashioned to the boys its something new,

And we'll work away with patience till the dawn of freedom's day,

But until then the Nippon men will all be heard to say.



Chorus:

Down the mine bonnie laddies down the mine you'll go,

Though your feet are lacerated you dare not answer no,

Though the rice is insufficient and we treat you all like swine,

Down the mine bonnie laddies down the mine.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Your name is also going on the list ...

:evilgrin:

[moggie]

4. Don't tell him, Pike!

[non sociopath skin]

3. The best WW2 songs anthology ...

... was Martin Page's "Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major," published in the late 70s/ early 80s with an introduction by Spike Milligan.

If you're feeling affluent, there are a couple of second-hand copies available through Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Me-Goodnight-Sergeant-Major/dp/0246107480

Noel Coward’s two extremely funny (and rather camp) wartime songs “Could You Please Oblige Us With A Bren Gun” and “Don’t Let’s Be Beastly To The Germans” are available as MP3 downloads from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Could-You-Please-Oblige-Bren/dp/B001H9ITW4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Lets-Be-Beastly-Germans/dp/B001H9GQZQ/ref=sr_f2_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1236445627&sr=102-1

The lyrics are here:
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/c/couldyoupleaseobligeuswithabrengun.shtml
http://www.leoslyrics.com/listlyrics.php?hid=C2Z1KhKvGl4%3D

Hope this helps
The Skin