56 Squadron's adopted tune

[retread]

"The Darktown Strutters Ball" which according to Duncan Grinnell-Milne was the song 56 Squadron had adopted as its own and which its band would use to open when playing in the officers mess, at least at the time of his arrival in 1918...

http://tinchicken.com/songs/old/darktown.htm

[retread]

Try this again, the last link isn't entirely dead, only dying... click on the link "tinchicken.com " halfway down the text. At homepage find "Tin's Songbook", then "Old Songs", then "Darktown Strutters Ball".

[Southside Bucky]

Hi Retread.

Funnily enough, I brought this subject up last October, after reading Grinnell-Milne's book. If you haven't seen it already, it might interest you...Here's a link:

WW1 Jazz...Have a listen!

Great stuff eh?

Bucky.

[retread]

Southside Bucky,
I have to admit your link beats the tar out of mine. Yes, I have also just completed "Wind in the Wires" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Particularly Grinnell-Milne's self-deprecating humor and his insight into his early war flight training and flying with 16 Squadron. Also interesting and surprising (at least to me) was Hugh Dowding's effect as commander of 16 Squadron. A man who showed such foresight , vision and good judgement in the years leading up to WW2, as well as through the Battle of Britain, seemed to be a failure at lower level field command. Known only to Grinnell-Milne as the "Stuffed Shirt", he seemingly was unable to inspire and contributed to a tense, overly formal, stale atmosphere unusual and certainly harmful to a combat unit.
It is odd, but I managed to miss your earlier post.

[TomVrille]

It's interesting to note that what is normally thought of as The Darktown Strutters' Ball, I'll be down to get you in a taxi honey ...etc is only the chorus of the original score. The two verses of the song, which aren't nearly as appealing as the chorus, commemorate a fancy ball held at an exposition in San Francisco in 1915. It seems likely that the folks in 56 Squadron were only familiar with the words of the chorus which Grinnell-Milne mentions in Wind in the Wires. The full original lyrics, which weren't published until January of 1917, can be viewed at:

http://www.geocities.com/dferg5493/d...uttersball.htm

By the way, if you enjoyed Wind in the Wires, try to round up a copy of An Escaper's Log by Duncan Grinnell-Milne. It covers the period spent as a POW, and fills in the annoying gap left in Wind in the Wires.

[Southside Bucky]

Thanks for that TomVrille.

Another brilliant site that...You can view and save the original sheet music artwork too!

I think I'm gonna have to have a go at playing 'Darktown' on my guitar soon!

Thanks again.

Bucky.