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Over There – The Yanks Are Coming: WW1, George M Cohan and a Song to Stir a Nation

The A to Z of Wartime Song

Release Date: 07/19/2025

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More Episodes

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine delve into the rousing WWI anthem “Over There”, written in 1917 by Broadway legend George M. Cohan.

They explore the song’s role as a call to arms for newly enlisted American soldiers and examine Cohan’s remarkable life as a performer, playwright, composer and the man who “owned Broadway”. From the showbiz roots of The Four Cohans to a Presidential Gold Medal from FDR, his story is one of theatrical brilliance and patriotic flair.

The episode also shines a light on the trailblazing performer Nora Bayes, who debuted the song and lived a life as bold as her voice - from vaudeville stardom to five marriages and fashion statements that shocked society.

Lili and Tom also dig into early recordings by Enrico Caruso, Billy Murray and the Peerless Quartet, discuss lyrical nods to “Yankee Doodle” and other flag-waving favourites and reflect on the musical propaganda that helped shape wartime morale on both sides of the Atlantic.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

You can listen to ALL of the songs that Tom and Lili talk about in the episode on their Spotify playlister here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN?si=b777dc33a703408a

REFERENCES

Lincoln 1940s Festival
https://www.lincolnbig.co.uk/news-events/events/1940s-festival/

Players’ Theatre
https://www.playerstheatre.co.uk/

Wilton’s Music Hall
https://wiltons.org.uk/

Tom’s Portable Harmonium
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Btn7e3pgK/

Go Compare Advert (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHUNPR_PHpQ

George M Cohan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Cohan

Ralph Reader
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Reader

Ralph Reader and the RAF Gang Shows
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsehistory/2019/08/15/ralph-reader-and-the-raf-gang-shows/

Over There
https://www.loc.gov/collections/patriotic-melodies/articles-and-essays/over-there/

Nora Bayes
https://ragpiano.com/perform/nbayes.shtml

Levy Sheet Music Collection
https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/

Ball State University Sheet Music Collection
https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/collection/ShtMus/search

Connecticut College Sheet Music Collection
https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/sheetmusic/

Yanks Film (1979)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080157/

Yanks Weekend (Saddleworth)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/416876551672249/?locale=en_GB

Patricia Hammond - Songs of the Great War
https://patriciahammond.com/cd-songs-of-the-great-war/

Patricia Hammond - Over There
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94BuiFuj9DE

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo Advert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV7DFrLxeUg

Johnny Get Your Gun (1886)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PC9klhZf0A

Yankee Doodle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Doodle

Macaroni Wig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroni_(fashion)

I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy (James Cagney 1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKeYS1P9j1c

Arthur Sullivan - The Lost Chord (1888)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9L-L6X4xBY

Phoebe Teaches Joey French - Friends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaEiEFarU4

Stars and Stripes For Ever (Piccolo Feature!)
https://youtu.be/i9o6412lwGA?si=x01A9stb1LlSj54W&t=115

You’re a Grand Old Flag (James Cagey 1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56qQYwOmkXw

Over There - Glenn Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs6mxSJiz9A

EastEnders Sing-a-long (Part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAfknFpWbng

EastEnders Sing-a-long (Part 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbh0Eqz0bU8

EastEnders Sing-a-long (Part 3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ6kpt5sl1w

EastEnders Sing-a-long (Part 4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9_msS7xjuc

Max Bygraves and the Eastenders Cast on The Royal Variety Performance (1986)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML0Q3AhaQJg

Stay Down Here Where You Belong (Tom and Patricia Hammond)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoGc3O07WPM&t=5s

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:53 Catch Up
03:09 O = Over There
04:16 George M Cohan
09:02 Cohan's Legacy and Influence on Musical Theatre
12:50 Cohan's Death
13:11 The Origins of the Song
15:06 Nora Bayes
21:55 Discussing the Sheet Music
25:43 When Did We First Hear It?
27:24 Discussing the Lyrics
31:34 Discussing the Music
33:18 Discussing Recordings: Nora Bayes
36:00 Enrico Carouso
38:13 Billy Murray
39:50 The Peerless Quartet
44:06 Which Is Our Favourite?
45:14 Other Recommendations
50:54 Mentioned in Dispatches
51:21 Teaser for Next Week

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

You can follow the podcast on social media:
http://instagram.com/warsongspod
https://www.facebook.com/warsongspod

Find more information about Lili Redman here:
https://liliredman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lili__redman/
https://www.facebook.com/ScalaLil

Or Tom Carradine here:
https://www.tomcarradine.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tomcarradine
https://www.facebook.com/mrtomcarradine

CONTACT THE PODCAST

If there's a wartime song that you think they should discuss, or if you have a personal or family story connected to one, drop them a line at warsongspod@gmail.com  to be "Mentioned in Dispatches".

LISTENING LINKS

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ktQ4nyudmPRLcCNyNxEfv?si=ac9e1babe6834f2b

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-a-to-z-of-wartime-song/id1806037318

If you’ve enjoyed this episode Lili and Tom would be grateful if you’d leave a review and make sure you’ve subscribed and turned on notifications so you’ll never miss an episode.