A War Song

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”A Soldier's Song” is a poem written by G. Flavell Hayward. It was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1884, and published in Magazine of Music in the same year. It was his first published song, and was dedicated to F. G. Pedley.

Its first performance was by the Worcester Glee Club on 17 March 1884.

In 1903 it was re-published with the name "A War Song", as Elgar's Op. 5.

[edit] Lyrics

Hear the whiz of the shot as it flies,

Hear the rush of the shell in the skies,

Hear the bayonet’s clash, ringing bright,

See the flash of the steel as they fight,

Hear the conqueror’s shout !

As the foe’s put to rout !

Hear the cry of despair

That is rending the air –

Now the neigh of a horse, now the bugle’s loud blast,

See! anger and pain, passion and shame,

A struggle forl life, a thirst for fame.

Ah !

Glory or death, for true hearts and brave,

Honour in life, or rest in a grave.

Now the warfare is o’er, life is past,

Now in peace lie the dead, still at last ;

Bronzed and brown, wan and pale, side by side,

Side by side, as they fought, fell and died ;

There they lie, rank and pride,

Rags and wealth, proved and tried.

Youth and age, fear and trust,

Scarred and scorched, in the dust ;

Gone for ever their pain, anger, passion, and shame,

Gone! tumult and smoke, conflict and din,

Gone, anguish and trouble, sorrow and sin, -

Ah !

Glory or death, for true hearts and brave,

Honour in life, or rest in a grave.

[edit] References

• Kennedy, Michael, Portrait of Elgar (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0193154145
• Moore, Jerrold N. “Edward Elgar: a creative life” (Oxford University Press, 1984) ISBN 0193154471