"Bless 'Em All", also known as "The Long and the Short and the Tall" and "Fuck 'Em All", is a

war song A war song is a musical composition that relates to war, or a society's attitudes towards war. They may be pro-war, anti-war, or simply a description of everyday life during war times. It is possible to classify these songs by historical confl ...

. The words have been credited to

Fred Godfrey Fred Godfrey (17 September 1880 – 22 February 1953) was the pen name of Llewellyn Williams, a World War I songwriter. He is best known for the songs " Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" (1916) and " Bless 'Em All" (1917), a 1940s hit reco ...

in 1917 set to music composed by Robert Kewley, however, early versions of the song may have existed amongst British military personnel in the 1880s in India. It was first recorded by

George Formby, Jr. George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

in 1940, and it has been covered by a number of other artists including Gracie Fields and

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

. It served as a patriotic song during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

History

The origin of the song is not entirely clear. The song is said to have been written by Fred Godfrey set to music by Robert Kewley, although it is likely that the song existed earlier in various forms in all divisions of the British military. These early versions, instead of "bless 'em all", had "rob 'em all", "sod 'em all", or "fuck 'em all" as the recurrent phrase in the lyrics. Godfrey said that he thought up the lyrics for the song while serving with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) at Dunkirk during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, recalling in a 1941 letter to the ''

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print c ...

'': "I wrote 'Bless 'Em All' while serving in the old RNAS in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in 1916. And, furthermore, it wasn't 'Bless'." However, questions remain if he actually wrote the lyrics as he claimed, furthermore his service record indicates that he only joined RNAS in January 1917. It has been suggested that Godfrey took an older song and changed one crucial word. Les Cleveland (1984) writes that a version of the song titled "Fuck 'Em All" was a popular protest song by airmen serving on

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

's North West Frontier during the 1920s, and may have originated from there. However,

Chelsea Pensioner A Chelsea Pensioner, or In-Pensioner, is a resident at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home and nursing home for former members of the British Army located in Chelsea, London. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is home to 300 retired British sold ...

s who were interviewed by author Lewis Winstock indicated that the song was already current in the last decade of the 19th century. It has been proposed that the song was adapted from a folk song and first became popular among British servicemen in India in the 1880s. The song later gained popularity among British and Commonwealth troops during the

, and with a change of lyrics became a patriotic tune after being performed by singers such as Gracie Fields and

. It was also recorded by

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

and Bertha Willmott among others. These songs were based on an arrangement by Jimmy Hughes and Frank Lake. Some sources credited the song to Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake and

Al Stillman Al Stillman ''(né'' Albert Irving Silverman; 26 June 1901 Manhattan, New York – 17 February 1979 Manhattan, New York) was an American lyricist. Biography Stillman was born to Jewish parents Herman Silverman and Gertrude Rubin ''(maiden).'' He a ...

Lyrics

They say there's a troopship just leavin' Bombay, bound for old Blighty shore,
Heavily laden with time-expired men, bound for the land they adore.
There's many an airman just finishing his time, there's many a twerp signin' on.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless all the Sergeants and W.O. 1s,
Bless all the corp'rals and their blinkin'/bleedin' sons,
'Cos we're sayin' goodbye to 'em all.
As back to their

billet A billet is a living-quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. Historically, a billet was a private dwelling that was required to accept the soldier. Soldiers are generally billeted in barracks or garrisons when not on combat duty, alth ...

s they crawl,
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. They say if you work hard you'll get better pay.
We've heard all that before.
Clean up your buttons and polish your boots,
Scrub out the barrack room floor.
There's many a rookie has taken it in, hook, line, and sinker an' all.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless all the sergeants and W.O. 1s,
Bless all the corp'rals and their blinkin'/bleedin' sons,
'Cos we're sayin' goodbye to 'em all.
As back to their billets they crawl,
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. Now they say that the sergeant's a very nice chap, oh what a tale to tell.
Ask him for leave on a Saturday night; he'll pay your fare home as well.
There's many an airman has blighted his life through writing rude words on the wall.
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. Bless 'em all,
Bless 'em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
Bless all the sergeants and W.O. 1s,
Bless all the corp'rals and their blinkin'/bleedin' sons,
'Cos we're sayin' goodbye to 'em all.
As back to their billets they crawl,
You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all. Nobody knows what a twerp you have been, so cheer up my lads, bless 'em all.

Irish version

A satirical version of the song became very popular in Ireland during the Second World War (known in The Republic of Ireland as the Emergency). The song was a reaction to the widespread rationing of tea, sugar, tobacco and other goods due to the drastic drop in imports, particularly from Britain. It poked fun at Ireland's

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...

Éamon de Valera Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of govern ...

and Minister

Seán MacEntee Seán Francis MacEntee ( ga, Seán Mac an tSaoi; 23 August 1889 – 9 January 1984) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Tánaiste from 1959 to 1965, Minister for Social Welfare from 1957 to 1961, Minister for Health from 1957 to ...

who were blamed for the shortages and rationing. The line "the long and the short and the tall" had particular sarcastic resonance because De Valera was tall while McEntee was very short.

In popular culture

;Films *The first verse of the song was sung in the propaganda film '' Tunisian Victory'' released by the US and the UK in 1944 (at 40' 38"). *The song was used as the title theme to the

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

film '' The Long and the Short and the Tall''. *The song was sung and used as an instrumental theme in the 1941 film ''Confirm or Deny'' *The song is sung by the characters in ''

Captains of the Clouds ''Captains of the Clouds'' ( ''Shadows of Their Wings'') is a 1942 American war film in Technicolor, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney. It was produced by William Cagney (Cagney's brother), with Hal B. Wallis as executive p ...

'' (1942). *"Bless' Em All" is sung by the pilots of the Polish Brigade of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

in the 1942 comedy film ''

To Be Or Not To Be To Be or Not to Be may refer to: * ''To be, or not to be'', the soliloquy from ''Hamlet''. Films and TV, theatre and books * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1942 film), directed by Ernst Lubitsch * ''To Be or Not to Be'' (1983 film), a remake produced ...

'' *In the 1943 Canadian film ''Corvette K225'' the song is sung by members of the crew and is used in an instrumental version as part of the score. *The song is heard as a snippet in '' Guadalcanal Diary'' (1943), sung by the Marines on the island as well as '' Marine Raiders'' (1944). *The song is heard being sung in the Officer's Club in the 1949 film ''

Twelve O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II ...

'' with Gregory Peck and

Dean Jagger Dean Jagger (November 7, 1903 – February 5, 1991) was an American film, stage, and television actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Henry King's ''Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949). Early life Dean Jeffrie ...

. In the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, the song is credited as "words and music by Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake and Al Stillman". *The song is featured in the film '' Chain Lightning'' with Humphrey Bogart, released in 1950. It is sung twice, and the melody is used as instrumental backing for the film's climax. As with ''Twelve O'Clock High'', the AFI Catalog credits the song to Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake, and Al Stillman. * A version of the song was sung by

United States Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...

on the march to the

Hungnam Evacuation The Hungnam evacuation' (), also known as the Miracle of Christmas, was the evacuation of United Nations (UN) forces and North Korean civilians from the port of Hungnam, North Korea, between 15 and 24 December 1950 during the Korean War. As part ...

after the

Battle of Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of t ...

. *The song is sung by the POWs in ''

The Colditz Story ''The Colditz Story'' is a 1955 British prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton. It is based on the 1952 memoir written by Pat Reid, a British army officer who was imprisoned in Oflag IV-C, Colditz ...

'' (1954). *An instrumental version is heard in the 1955

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

Lana Turner Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized pe ...

movie '' Betrayed''. *The song is heard as a snippet in the Red Cross Service Club scene in the 1956

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

and Deborah Kerr film ''

The Proud and Profane ''The Proud and Profane'' is a dramatic war romance made by William Perlberg-George Seaton Productions for Paramount Pictures released in theaters on June 13, 1956. It was directed by George Seaton and produced by William Perlberg, from a screenp ...

''. *"Fuck 'Em All" is heard in the 2007 film ''

Atonement Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ...

'' being sung by soldiers as they wait to be evacuated from Dunkirk. * A variation with lyrics "Ring them all, Ring them all" is used at the conclusion of

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

's "

Give My Regards to Broad Street (film) ''Give My Regards to Broad Street'' is a 1984 British musical drama film directed by Peter Webb. It stars Paul McCartney, Bryan Brown and Ringo Starr. The film covers a fictional day in the life of McCartney, who wrote the film for the screen, ...

". ;Television *

Archie Bunker Archie is a masculine given name, a diminutive of Archibald. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname * Archie Alexander (1888–1958), African-American mathematician, engineer and governor of the US Virgin Islands * Archie Blake (mathemati ...

sings a few lines of the song in the final seconds of the season one episode "Success Story" of the TV show ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

''. *In the ''

Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...

'' episode "Echoes of the Mind Part I"

Jonathan Higgins Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, VC is a fictional character in the 1980–1988 comedy and crime television series, ''Magnum, P.I.'' portrayed by actor John Hillerman. Hillerman won an Emmy for the role in 1987. The character of Higgins appeared i ...

listens to a record of the song. *The song was sung several times in the pub scene of a 1980

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

, ''The Secret War of Jackie's Girls'', set in England in World War II. ;Literature *

William Hjortsberg William Reinhold "Gatz" Hjortsberg (February 23, 1941 – April 22, 2017) was an American novelist and screenwriter, known for his originality and for writing the screenplay of the film ''Legend''. His novel ''Falling Angel'' was the basis for t ...

's biography of Richard Brautigan, ''Jubilee Hitchhiker'', includes an account of Brautigan in 1967 joining several other poets and artists in a Chinese restaurant to celebrate

Basil Bunting Basil Cheesman Bunting (1 March 1900 – 17 April 1985) was a British modernist poet whose reputation was established with the publication of '' Briggflatts'' in 1966, generally regarded as one of the major achievements of the modernist traditio ...

, who'd been invited to read at the San Francisco Museum of Art. Bunting led everyone in "an old British-army or service-person-overseas kind of song where everybody gets screwed." Hjortsberg calls it "Troop Ships Are Leaving Bombay," the first line of Formby's original lyric. ;Sport * Fans of Manchester City sang a song based on "Bless 'Em All" to commemorate their victory in the

1956 FA Cup Final The 1956 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1955–56 staging of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup. The showpiece event was contested between Manchester City a ...

. The song continues to be used as a

football chant A football chant or terrace chant is form of vocalisation performed by supporters of association football, typically during football matches. Football chanting is an expression of collective identity, most often used by fans to express their ...

by fans of various teams, but may be in the form of "Fuck 'Em All".

References

External links

Bless ’Em All page
from Bless ’Em All: The Songs of Fred Godfrey
George Formby recording
{{authority control 1917 songs Songs of World War I Songs of World War II George Formby songs Songs written by Fred Godfrey Songs about politicians Cultural depictions of Éamon de Valera