It's a long way to Tipperary

lied van Billy Murray

It's a long way to Tipperary is een lied dat beroemd werd in de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Het werd in 1912 geschreven door de Engelsman Jack Judge, wiens grootouders uit county Tipperary in Ierland kwamen. Hijzelf was echter nog nooit in Ierland geweest.

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Het lied symboliseerde voor iedere soldaat het verlangen naar huis. Het werd in de Eerste Wereldoorlog eerst vertolkt door Ierse soldaten, maar later werd het overgenomen door zowel de Russen als de Fransen. In het neutrale Nederland hadden de straatmuzikanten Willem Kila en Jopie Schouten in 1914 groot succes met hun plaatopname ervan.[1]

Ook in de Tweede Wereldoorlog werd het lied vaak gezongen. In de film Das Boot (1981) wordt het door de Duitse onderzeebootbemanning gezongen.

Up to mighty London came
An Irish lad one day,
All the streets were paved with gold,
So everyone was gay!
Singing songs of Piccadilly,
Strand, and Leicester Square,
Til Paddy got excited and
He shouted to them there:
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.
Paddy wrote a letter
To his Irish Molly O',
Saying, "Should you not receive it,
Write and let me know!
If I make mistakes in "spelling",
Molly dear", said he,
"Remember it's the pen, that's bad,
Don't lay the blame on me".
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.
Molly wrote a neat reply
To Irish Paddy O',
Saying, "Mike Maloney wants
To marry me, and so
Leave the Strand and Piccadilly,
Or you'll be to blame,
For love has fairly drove me silly,
Hoping you're the same!"
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.

(Piccadilly Circus en Leicester Square zijn beroemde pleinen in Londen)

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