VARIOUS ARTISTS
Far, Far From Ypres
Greentrax 1418

North Americans travelers are often surprised by the vividness with which the memory of World War I is kept alive in Europe. That’s ironic given that it is death and slaughter that’s being commemorated. A recent Greentrax recording captures this paradox through mostly Scottish eyes. It is true to its subtitle, “Songs Poems and Music of World War I,” and the project has the feel of classic BBC radio shows that folks such as Ewan MacColl and Hamish Henderson once hosted. But there’s also a modern twist. Disc one is historians’ source material—songs, spoken word material, and old recordings mined from or just after the war. It includes trench songs, music hall recordings, pipe laments, parting songs, and last-words-before-dying reflections. Famed songs such as “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” and “Mademoiselle from Armentieres” show up as do numerous sad songs. But there are also lots of comic relief songs complaining about bad food, stupid officers, and why no one in his right mind would want to be a solider. Disc two puts recent a recent spin on things with talent such as The Corries, Jim Malcolm, Dick Gaughan, and Robin Laing performing reworked or original musings on the war. And, of course, Eric Bogle is included as he is the nonpareil composer of new songs about that old conflict. This is powerful stuff indeed; though he’s not on the collection I couldn’t help but hear Pete Seeger singing “When will they ever learn….”