more from
Whippet Records
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Somewhere at the Front, Somewhere

from Reflections on War by Gary Miller

/
  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a gorgeous digipak with a highly attractive 16-page full colour booklet including lyrics to all songs, beautiful individual full-colour track artwork (original paintings, drawings and sketches) and photos courtesy of York Museums Trust, individual track descriptions, CD liner notes by Gary Miller and Gaby Lees (York Art Gallery), photographs from the recording sessions featuring each individual session artist, photographs from the York Art Gallery workshop sessions, credits, etc.

    Includes FREE Postage for a limited time.

    IMPORTANT MESSAGE for non-UK buyers:
    Please be aware that if you are ordering from outside the UK, due to reasons beyond our control, you may be liable for additional charges, e.g. customs tax. Please note: we will NOT refund payment for any items refused or returned to us due to non-payment of these charges at point of delivery.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Reflections on War via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ... more
    ships out within 7 days

      £6.99 GBP

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £0.69 GBP

     

about

Inspired by ‘Somewhere at the Front (Links with the Past)’ 1916, a notepad filled with cartoon sketches of trench life made during the First World War by A. Richards of the 10th Hussars, from York Museums Trust collections.

lyrics

SOMEWHERE AT THE FRONT, SOMEWHERE

Somewhere at the front, somewhere
A soldier sits with pad and ink
Lampooning all the things that he sees there
It might cause a bit of a stink
For if the CO learns of it, quicker than a blink
He’ll have him cleaning the latrines or even in the clink
For it wouldn’t do for Tommy to question or to think
Somewhere at the front somewhere

Now Tommy has a lot of gripes
So to comment on army life
He draws cartoons that take almighty swipes
Whilst making fun of all his troubles and his strife
He’ll grouse about the billets swarming everywhere with rats
But it’s far worse in the trenches where they’re as big as cats
They’ll empty out your mess tin then fill up your tin hats
Somewhere at the front, somewhere

There are bits of onion floating in your tea
To wash down bully beef or plum and apple jam
While the generals sit in chateaux sipping brandy
To wash down all their lovely eggs and ham
Now two teaspoons of rum just doesn’t seem quite fair
To give Tommy the courage he needs for trench warfare
What can he do but raise a shrug and shout “C’est la Guerre!”
Somewhere at the front, somewhere

Exhausted you’re made to stand in line
For medical inspections and parades
Bellybuttons touching backbones, every one
Like skeletons, what specimens we make!
The MO walks along the line and grabs you by the balls
And squeezes them until you cough, it makes you feel so small
We’ll use his balls for marbles so he has no balls at all
Somewhere at the front, somewhere

Tommy’s work encapsulates the human spirit
Over the cruel inhumanity of war
It’s got comedy, cynicism, and satire
Parody, anger, wistfulness and more
You won’t see it in Punch or hear it proclaimed as art
But it speaks for every Tommy whoever played his part
In every grim fiasco that tore his life apart
Somewhere at the front, somewhere

(Gary Miller)

credits

from Reflections on War, released January 1, 2010
Gary Miller - vocals
Iain Petrie - electric guitar, bass, drums

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Gary Miller Durham, UK

Gary Miller first rose to international prominence with folk-punk/rock pioneers The Whisky Priests (1985-2002), founded with his twin brother Glenn - “the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music". He now performs as a solo artist and with his new band 'Gary Miller's Big Picture' whose debut album is coming soon. ... more

contact / help

Contact Gary Miller

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

Gary Miller recommends:

If you like Gary Miller, you may also like: