They were summoned from the hillside, they were called in from the glen,
And the country found them ready at the stirring call for men.
Let no tears add to their hardships, as the soldiers pass along,
And although your heart is breaking, make it sing this cheery song:
Keep the Home Fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away they dream of home.
Theres a silver lining, through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out, ’till the boys come home.
Overseas there came a pleading,
“Help a nation in distress.”
And we gave our glorious laddies, honour bade us do no less,
For no gallant son of freedom to a tyrant’s yoke should bend,
And a noble heart must answer to the sacred call of “Friend”.
Keep the Home Fires Burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away they dream of home.
There’s a silver lining, through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out ’till the boys come home.
Keep The Home Fires Burning Sheet Music
The tune of this song and the key phrase of the chorus was written by a twenty one year old Royal Naval Air Service pilot called Ivor Novello. The lyrics were written by an American poet Lena Gilbert Ford who was living in London at the time. The song was immensely popular in 1914 when it was written and Ivor Novello was brought back to the Home Front to raise morale by writing West End revues that entertained Londoners and troops who were home on leave. He went on after the war to write a succession of hit musicals.