University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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I Want to Go Back To Blighty

Title
I Want To Go Back To "Blighty" - Lyrics
Composer
Davidson, Wm. B. (Lieut.)  
Lyricist
Walker, Lee M.  
Publisher
Chappell & Co. Ltd.  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1918  
Lyrics
I Want to go Back to Blighty Verse: On a cold, dark night in a front line trench Crouched a soldier in the rain, In the battle’s lull his thoughts went home, And he humm’d a song’s refrain He turned his face to the somber sky As a star-bomb rent the air With the burst of the shell like a scream from Hell, From his lips there arose this prayer Refrain: Oh! I want to go back to Blighty I want to go back tonight Give me the bliss of my baby’s kiss, Then I’ll come back and fight. But I want to go back to Blighty I fear not the shrapnel’s rain Just one fond embrace, Then back to my place To fight like a soldier again Verse: Thro’ the long drear days the battle raged on, The soldier’s hope was strong, But he yearn’d for the day he would be on his way, And he sang a battle song He called to the boys in the trench by his side With a message of hope and of cheer And he said “Let us fight with all our might Then we’ll go back to those we hold dear.” Refrain
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 15, Folder 9
Local Identifier
2014_12996_317
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

Permalink

https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/e8444f60-c556-0134-2373-0050569601ca-5

Descriptive Information

Title
I Want to Go Back To Blighty
Composer
Davidson, Wm. B. (Lieut.)  
Lyricist
Walker, Lee M.  
Publisher
Chappell & Co. Ltd.  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1918  
Date of Copyright
1918-06-20
Lyrics
I Want to go Back to Blighty Verse: On a cold, dark night in a front line trench Crouched a soldier in the rain, In the battle’s lull his thoughts went home, And he humm’d a song’s refrain He turned his face to the somber sky As a star-bomb rent the air With the burst of the shell like a scream from Hell, From his lips there arose this prayer Refrain: Oh! I want to go back to Blighty I want to go back tonight Give me the bliss of my baby’s kiss, Then I’ll come back and fight. But I want to go back to Blighty I fear not the shrapnel’s rain Just one fond embrace, Then back to my place To fight like a soldier again Verse: Thro’ the long drear days the battle raged on, The soldier’s hope was strong, But he yearn’d for the day he would be on his way, And he sang a battle song He called to the boys in the trench by his side With a message of hope and of cheer And he said “Let us fight with all our might Then we’ll go back to those we hold dear.” Refrain
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 15, Folder 9
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier
2014_12996_317
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection
TitleI Want to Go Back To Blighty
ComposerDavidson, Wm. B. (Lieut.)  
LyricistWalker, Lee M.  
PublisherChappell & Co. Ltd.  
Place of PublicationNew York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication1918  
Date of Copyright1918-06-20
LyricsI Want to go Back to Blighty Verse: On a cold, dark night in a front line trench Crouched a soldier in the rain, In the battle’s lull his thoughts went home, And he humm’d a song’s refrain He turned his face to the somber sky As a star-bomb rent the air With the burst of the shell like a scream from Hell, From his lips there arose this prayer Refrain: Oh! I want to go back to Blighty I want to go back tonight Give me the bliss of my baby’s kiss, Then I’ll come back and fight. But I want to go back to Blighty I fear not the shrapnel’s rain Just one fond embrace, Then back to my place To fight like a soldier again Verse: Thro’ the long drear days the battle raged on, The soldier’s hope was strong, But he yearn’d for the day he would be on his way, And he sang a battle song He called to the boys in the trench by his side With a message of hope and of cheer And he said “Let us fight with all our might Then we’ll go back to those we hold dear.” Refrain
RepositoryUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 15, Folder 9
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier2014_12996_317
Collection TitleJames Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
CollectionJames Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

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I Want To Go Back To "Blighty" - Lyrics
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