Music Part 1 - Listen to the fields
Music resources linking to World War 1. This programme has a medley of contemporary songs to learn - including 'It's a long way to Tipperary' - and also an original song which explores the mood in the summer of 1914 and provides a curtain-raiser for the school play 'Archie Dobson's War'.
Before the programme
Discuss how the main context for the programme is the hot summer of 1914 before the outbreak of war, the enthusiastic recruitment songs at the beginning of the war and the sense of foreboding about what might follow.
What we will be doing
Introduction
The children are asked to remember their early experiences, then imagine to when their parents were young, then their grandparents, great-grandparents and even great-great-grandparents, linking to the situation in 1914…
'Recruitment medley’ A
The children tap their knees in time, while following the words of a patriotic song ‘Your King and country want you.’
'Recruitment medley’ B
Listen to two lines at a time of the chorus to ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’, then copy the words and tune.
‘Recruitment medley’ C
Perform the tune of the chorus to ‘Pack up your troubles’, ‘doo’-ing, then humming, then whistling, then singing to ‘la’. Repeat, making the sounds flow.
Drills sequence
Imitate four short military drum-rhythms by clapping, and learning that these worked like a ‘code’ to convey orders. Listen to bugle-calls for ‘advance’, ‘cease-fire’ and ‘wake-up!’
Listen to the fields, verse 1
Learn the song in sections. In the first part (lines 1-5) the tune rises and falls in ‘phrases’ with melodic ‘leaps’, with references to birdsong and quiet church-bells. The second part (lines 6-12) is faster and busier (four beats in a bar), with step-wise ups and downs, to reflect the stream and river, the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the town and the sunset.
Listen to the fields, verse 2
Here the words need to flow naturally. The children ‘linger’ on quiet notes at the end, slowing down to hold the last note, as the thunder rumbles in the distance…
‘Recruitment medley’ performance
Make your voices bright and positive for ‘Your King and country want you’, ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ and the tune of ‘Pack up your troubles
Listen to the fields, whole song
Perform the whole song, returning to the slow, thoughtful mood, reflecting the summer of 1914 and the serious times ahead. Try to blend all voices together for a smooth, thoughtful sound(as if one voice).
Clips
Medley: 'Off to the Front!' (vocal)
Your King and country need you!
Oh we don't want to lose you
But we think you ought to go
For your King and your country
Both need you so.
We shall want you and miss you
But with all our might and main
We shall cheer you, thank you, kiss you
When you come home again!
It's a long way to Tipperary
It's a long way to Tipperary
It's a long way to go
It's a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know.
Goodbye Piccadilly!
Farewell Leicester Square!
It's a long, long way to Tipperary
But my heart's right there!
Pack up your troubles
(Humming the melody)
Medley: 'Off to the Front!' (backing track)
Your King and country need you!
Oh we don't want to lose you
But we think you ought to go
For your King and your country
Both need you so.
We shall want you and miss you
But with all our might and main
We shall cheer you, thank you, kiss you
When you come home again!
It's a long way to Tipperary
It's a long way to Tipperary
It's a long way to go
It's a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know.
Goodbye Piccadilly!
Farewell Leicester Square!
It's a long, long way to Tipperary
But my heart's right there!
Pack up your troubles
(Humming the melody)
'Listen to the fields' (vocal)
Listen to the fields of wheat
Rustle in the summer sun,
Hear the skylark singing out
Hear the church bells ringing In the distance…
In the distance…
In the distance…
And the stream flows
Through the meadow
And the fish swims
To the river
And the river
Pushes onwards
Past the village
To the town
All the people
And the factory
And the hustle
And the bustle
And the home life
And the voices
And the sunset
Tumbles down…
Listen to the fields of wheat
See the clouds roll past the moon,
Hear the wind of change, it blows
Hear the thunder rumble
In the distance…
In the distance…
In the distance…
'Listen to the fields' (backing track)
Listen to the fields of wheat
Rustle in the summer sun,
Hear the skylark singing out
Hear the church bells ringing In the distance…
In the distance…
In the distance…
And the stream flows
Through the meadow
And the fish swims
To the river
And the river
Pushes onwards
Past the village
To the town
All the people
And the factory
And the hustle
And the bustle
And the home life
And the voices
And the sunset
Tumbles down…
Listen to the fields of wheat
See the clouds roll past the moon,
Hear the wind of change, it blows
Hear the thunder rumble
In the distance…
In the distance…
In the distance…
Resources
Teachers' notes document
Complete guidance notes for the WW1 Performance Pack music, dance and drama programmes
Archie Dobson's War - The Playscript. document
The script of 'Archie Dobson's War' to read online, print or download.
Music cues and SFX. audio
Download all the music cues and sound effects for the play as a zip file (52 MB)
- Transcript of 'Archie Dobson's War' - Music part 1
- Download (mp3) the backing track for 'Listen to the fields'
- Download / print (pdf) the song sheet for 'Listen to the fields'
- Download / print (pdf) the music for 'Listen to the fields'
- Download (mp3) the backing track for the 'WW1 Medley mix 1 - Recruitment'
- Download / print (pdf) the song sheet for the 'WW1 Medley mix 1 - Recruitment'
- Download / print (pdf) the music for the 'WW1 Medley mix 1 - Recruitment'
More from this series
Music - Part 2: Stuck, stuck in the middle. audio
The second programme of music resources linking to World War 1
Music - Part 3: Can you, can you remember? audio
The third programme of music resources linking to World War 1
Dance - Part 1: Countdown to war. audio
Dance resources linking to World War 1. The dance activities in this programme contrast 'town' and 'country' in the summer of 1914 and build towards parade ground drills.
