"Lorraine (My Beautiful Alsace Lorraine)" is a

World War I 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 ...

era song released in 1917. Al Bryan wrote the lyrics.

Fred Fisher Fred Fisher (born Alfred Breitenbach, September 30, 1875 – January 14, 1942) was a German-born American songwriter and Tin Pan Alley music publisher. Biography Fisher was born in Cologne, Germany. His parents were Max and Theodora Breitenba ...

composed the music. It was published by McCarthy and Fisher, Inc.. André De Takacs designed the sheet music cover. It features a French soldier with his bayonet drawn in the foreground. A woman, who is a symbol of

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

, and child look on behind him. The song was written for voice and piano. The sheet music can be found at

Pritzker Military Museum & Library The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (formerly Pritzker Military Library) is a non-profit museum and a research library for the study of military history on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The institution was founded in 2003, and its spe ...

. The song tells the story of a

grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...

asleep by a campfire, dreaming of simpler times before the war. Specifically, he recalls times he spent in

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

and memories of the "quaint old-fashioned people" who lived in the villages of Alsace-Lorraine. This territory was under German control during the war, but France gained it back after the war. This moment of nostalgia overwhelms him, and he cries out what is the chorus: :''Lorraine, Lorraine'' :''My beautiful Alsace Lorraine'' :''You're in my heart forever to remain'' :''I see your village steeple'' :''Your quaint old fashioned people'' :''And I wouldn't care if'' :''I could be there again'' :''Lorraine, Heart of France.'' :''Part of France'' :''Someday when all my worries are through'' :''I'm coming to you, Lorraine'' :''Lorraine, O, welcome me home once again.'' :''to live and die in my Alsace Lorraine''

References

External links

View the song MP3 and sheet music cover here.
1917 songs Songs of World War I Songs about soldiers Songs about France Songs written by Fred Fisher Songs with lyrics by Alfred Bryan {{1910s-song-stub