[NukeNet] "The Christmas Truce" & "Christmas In The Trenches" Lyrics

[Bill Smirnow]

   THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE
On Christmas Day, 1914, in the first year of World War I, German, British,
and French soldiers disobeyed their superiors and fraternized with "the
enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front. German troops held Christmas
trees up out of the trenches with signs, "Merry Christmas." "You no shoot,
we no shoot." Thousands of troops streamed across a no-man's land strewn
with rotting corpses. They sang Christmas carols, exchanged photographs of
loved ones back home, shared rations, played football, even roasted some
pigs. Soldiers embraced men they had been trying to kill a few short hours
before. They agreed to warn each other if the top brass forced them to fire
their weapons, and to aim high.
A shudder ran through the high command on either side. Here was disaster in
the making: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and
refusing to fight. Generals on both sides declared this spontaneous
peacemaking to be treasonous and subject to court martial. By March, 1915
the fraternization movement had been eradicated and the killing machine put
back in full operation. By the time of the armistice in 1918, fifteen
million would be slaughtered.
Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce.
Military leaders have not gone out of their way to publicize it. On
Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston Globe mentioned that a local FM
radio host played "Christmas in the Trenches," a ballad about the Christmas
Truce, several times and was startled by the effect. The song became the
most requested recording during the holidays in Boston on several FM
stations. "Even more startling than the number of requests I get is the
reaction to the ballad afterward by callers who hadn't heard it before,"
said the radio host. "They telephone me deeply moved, sometimes in tears,
asking, 'What the hell did I just hear?'"
I think I know why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes
against most of what we have been taught about people. It gives us a glimpse
of the world as we wish it could be and says, "This really happened once."
It reminds us of those thoughts we keep hidden away, out of range of the TV
and newspaper stories that tell us how trivial and mean human life is. It is
like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really could
be different.

Excerpted from David G. Stratman, We CAN Change the World: The Real Meaning
of Everyday Life (New Democracy      Books, 1991). Available for $3.00 from
New Democracy Books, P.O. Box 427, Boston, MA 02130.

   THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE

         On Christmas Day, 1914, in the first
     year of World War I, German,
     British, and French soldiers disobeyed
     their superiors and fraternized
     with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the
     Western Front. German troops
     held Christmas trees up out of the
     trenches with signs, "Merry Christmas."
     "You no shoot, we no shoot." Thousands of
     troops streamed across a
     no-man's land strewn with rotting corpses.
     They sang Christmas carols,
     exchanged photographs of loved ones back
     home, shared rations, played football,
     even roasted some pigs. Soldiers embraced
     men they had been trying to
     kill a few short hours before. They agreed
     to warn each other if the top brass
     forced them to fire their weapons, and to
     aim high.
         A shudder ran through the high command
     on either side. Here was
     disaster in the making: soldiers declaring
     their brotherhood with each
     other and refusing to fight. Generals on
     both sides declared this
     spontaneous peacemaking to be treasonous
     and subject to court martial. By March,
     1915 the fraternization movement had been
     eradicated and the killing
     machine put back in full operation. By the
     time of the armistice in
     1918, fifteen million would be
     slaughtered.
         Not many people have heard the story
     of the Christmas Truce.
     Military leaders have not gone out of
     their way to publicize it. On
     Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston
     Globe mentioned that a local FM radio
     host played "Christmas in the Trenches," a
     ballad about the Christmas Truce,
     several times and was startled by the
     effect. The song became the most
     requested recording during the holidays in
     Boston on several FM
     stations. "Even more startling than the
     number of requests I get is the
     reaction to the ballad afterward by
     callers who hadn't heard it before,"
     said the
     radiohost. "They telephone me deeply
     moved, sometimes in tears, asking,
     `What the hell did I just hear?'"
         I think I know why the callers were in
     tears. The Christmas Truce
     story goes against most of what we have
     been taught about people. It
     gives us a glimpse of the world as we wish
     it could be and says, "This really
     happened once." It reminds us of those
     thoughts we keep hidden away, out
     of range of the TV and newspaper stories
     that tell us how trivial and
     mean human life is.
     It is like hearing that our deepest wishes
     really are true: the world
     really could be different.

     Excerpted from David G. Stratman, We CAN
     Change the World: The Real
     Meaning of Everyday Life (New Democracy
     Books, 1991). Available for
     $3.00 from
     New Democracy Books, P.O. Box 427, Boston,
     MA 02130.




Bill...Here are the lyrics by John McCutcheon...he performs it on two of his
albums that I know of..."Live at Wolftrap" and "Water from another
Time"...in peace, Stephen


   http://www.worldwar1.com/sfcitt.htm
Christmas in the Trenches
words & music by John McCutcheon

Inspired by a back-stage conversation with an old woman in Birmingham, AL,
this song tells a story that is not only true, but well-known throughout
Europe.

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.
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields 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 lying with my messmate 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 singing 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 clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished and 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
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure coming from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And 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?"
'Twas 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 been crumbled and were gone for evermore.

My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I I've learned its 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.

©1984 John McCutcheon/Appalsongs (ASCAP)