A folk song celebrating the Christmas Truce 1914 during WW1, where soldiers from both sides voluntarily put down their arms for Christmas night.
The Christmas truce was a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front around Christmas 1914. In the week leading up to the holiday, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In some areas, men from both sides ventured into no man's land on Christmas Eve, to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. Several meetings ended in carol-singing.
lyrics
“Christmas in the Trenches”
Comp. John McCutcheon Appalsong (ASCAP)
As performed by Nuala Kennedy, December 2014
My name is Francis Tolliver. I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here,
I fought for King and country I love dear.
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen field of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lyin' with my mess-mates on the cold and rocky ground
when across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.
Says I "Now listen up me boys", each soldier strained to hear
as one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singin' bloody well you know", my partner says to me.
Soon one by one each German voice joined in, in harmony.
The cannons rested silent. The gas cloud rolled no more.
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.
As soon as they were finished a reverent pause was spent.
'God rest ye merry, gentlemen' struck up some lads from Kent.
The next they sang was 'Stille Nacht". "Tis 'Silent Night'" says I,
As in two tongues one song filled up the sky.
"There's someone coming towards us" the front-line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode, unarmed, into the night.
Then one by one on either side walked into no-mans-land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
In a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men.
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had crumbled and were gone for ever more.
My name is Francis Tolliver. In Liverpool I dwell.
Each Christmas come since World War One I've learned it's lessons well.
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.
No the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame-
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.
Www.nualakennedy.com
credits
from Christmas in the Trenches,
released December 15, 2014
Written by John McCutcheon (Appalsongs, ASCAP)
Performed by Nuala Kennedy (PRS/MCPS) Www.nualakennedy.com
Produced by Nuala Kennedy and Adam Berg, December 2014.
From Cork, Ireland, Lewis Barfoot writes mystic, majestic songs derived from regional folk, with an ambient music aura. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 11, 2023
The latest LP from Brigid Mae Power is gorgeous and ghostly, setting Power’s voice against soft brushes of guitar, piano, & shuffling drums. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 17, 2018
supported by 4 fans who also own “Christmas in the Trenches”
Three musicians doing what they do best, melding into one whole that's even greater than the sum of its astonishingly good parts. More, please! jenniem