The A to Z of Wartime Song

Just a quick update from Lili and Tom on where the podcast is up to - and why there won't be any new episodes for a little while! Tom is heading off to sea for the London Theatre at Sea week aboard the Queen Mary 2, followed by a few days in New York. Lili meanwhile is performing this Sunday (17th May 2026) at International Bomber Command in Lincoln.  Here are all the the details: https://www.face...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine turn to one of the most beloved songs of the era - "Goodnight Sweetheart," written in 1931 by Ray Noble, Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, and made immortal by the voice of Al Bowlly. They trace the remarkable career of Ray Noble - Brighton-born bandleader, composer and arranger who assembled one of the most star-studded o...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine travel back to one of the most extraordinary moments in modern cultural history - Weimar Republic Berlin - to explore Marlene Dietrich's signature song, "Falling in Love Again," composed by the brilliant Friedrich Hollaender for the 1930 film The Blue Angel. They trace Dietrich's remarkable journey from a Berlin chorus gi...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine turn from the comic to the heartbreaking with Cole Porter's sublime 1944 ballad "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" - one of the true gems of the Great American Songbook, and a song so perfect, so simple, that it still stops you in your tracks. The song made its debut in Billy Rose's extravagant Broadway revue Seven Lively Arts -...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine dive into one of the most gloriously irreverent songs of the Second World War - Oliver Wallace's "Der Fuehrer's Face," made famous by Spike Jones and his City Slickers, and immortalised in the Oscar-winning Donald Duck short of the same name. They trace Wallace's remarkable journey from London-born silent film organist to...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine dive into the brilliantly witty world of Noël Coward with his 1941 patter song "Could You Please Oblige Us with a Bren Gun." Before tackling the song itself, they take a whirlwind tour through Coward's extraordinary life - from child performer to West End sensation, wartime entertainer, filmmaker, and even (rather improba...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine cross the Atlantic for one of the most recognisable songs of the Second World War: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." They explore the story behind this huge 1941 hit, written by Hughie Prince and Don Raye for the Abbott and Costello film Buck Privates, and brought to life by the unstoppable close-harmony powerhouse that wa...

In the opening episode of Series 2 of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine return to the beginning of the alphabet with a cheeky naval number - Tommy Trinder's "All Over the Place." They explore the life and career of Trinder, from his early days on the Music Hall stage at Collins's in Islington to becoming one of Britain's most recognisable wartime entertainers. Along t...

In this Christmas special episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine unwrap one of the most iconic songs of the wartime era - Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." They trace the remarkable life of Berlin, from his childhood as a Jewish immigrant fleeing persecution, through the bustle of Tin Pan Alley, to becoming one of America's most prolific and patriotic songwrite...

In the final episode of Series 1 of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine end their alphabetical adventure with a swing - quite literally - as they explore Glenn Miller's 1942 smash hit (I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo. Written by Harry Warren and Mac Gordon, the song became a wartime favourite thanks to Miller's irresistible big band sound, Tex Beneke's smooth vocals and an...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine turn their attention to Cole Porter's romantic 1943 classic "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To". Written for the film "Something to Shout About", the song quickly became a wartime favourite, speaking to the longing of couples separated by service and distance. Lili and Tom trace Porter's glittering - and often scanda...

Finding a wartime song beginning with "X" was always going to be a challenge … so in true cheeky music-hall style, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine have bent the rules and chosen the comic classic Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major. First recorded in 1939 by Ambrose and his Orchestra, this lighthearted tune quickly became a wartime favourite, poking fun at army life while giving troops and civilians al...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine take a special detour into the many songs of the 1930s and '40s that begin with the word "When". From the poignant hope of When They Sound the Last All Clear and When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World), to the transatlantic charm of When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano and the early nostalgia of When t...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the romantic and iconic "La Vie en Rose", the song that became Edith Piaf's signature. They trace its creation in post-war Paris, from Piaf's own lyrics to Louiguy's melody and Marianne Michel's crucial lyric tweak that transformed "Les Choses en Rose" into "La Vie en Rose". The discussion delves into Piaf's...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine uncover the wild and witty "The USA by Day and the RAF by Night" - a 1944 novelty song that pokes fun at the Nazis while celebrating the Allied air campaign. Written by American comedy writer Hal Block and journalist-turned-lyricist Bob Musel, the song turns bombing raids into satire, complete with cheeky impression...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the powerful patriotic anthem "There'll Always Be an England". Written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles in the summer of 1939, the song captured the hopes of a nation on the brink of war and quickly became a staple of the home front, recorded by everyone from Billy Cotton to Gracie Fields. Lili and Tom trac...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine take to the skies with The Spitfire Song - a rare 1940s number penned by the remarkable Horace Maybray-King. They explore King's fascinating life, from English teacher and wartime concert-party organiser to tireless fundraiser for the famous Spitfire Funds - public appeals that saw communities "buy" parts of the ico...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine hop into the world of one of WWII's catchiest tunes: "Run, Rabbit, Run!". Made famous by comedy duo Flanagan and Allen, the song took on a life of its own - boosting morale, teasing the Luftwaffe and even becoming a favourite of Winston Churchill. They explore the song's theatrical roots in Noel Gay's The Little Dog...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine dive into the wonderfully absurd world of In the Quartermaster's Stores - the endlessly versatile, delightfully chaotic list song beloved by soldiers, scouts and singers around the world. They trace its murky origins, from WWI army camps to RAF hangars, scout campfires, and even the Spanish Civil War, where American...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore one of the most famous morale-boosting anthems of the First World War: Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile. They uncover the remarkable story of its creators - Welsh brothers George and Felix Powell -whose music hall careers and contrasting wartime paths tell a poignant tale of...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine delve into the rousing WWI anthem "Over There", written in 1917 by Broadway legend George M. Cohan. They explore the song's role as a call to arms for newly enlisted American soldiers and examine Cohan's remarkable life as a performer, playwright, composer and the man who "owned Broadway". From the showbiz roots of...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the poignant and poetic "Now Is the Hour", a wartime farewell song which started life in New Zealand. They trace the tune's journey from the 1913 piano piece "Swiss Cradle Song" through its Maori adaptation as "Po Atarau", to its powerful role in farewelling ANZAC soldiers and its eventual transformation int...

In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore one of the most iconic and romantic tunes of the wartime era - Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade." They trace the song's evolution from a jazzy instrumental to a timeless anthem of love and longing, and reflect on the life and legacy of bandleader Glenn Miller, from his early days milking cows to buy a trom...

In this episode, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the rich history and emotional impact of wartime songs, focusing on the iconic "Lili Marlene".  They discuss its origins, adaptations and the various artists who have performed it, including Marlene Dietrich and Lale Anderson. The conversation delves into the song's significance for soldiers during World War II and its lasting legacy in music...

In this episode of the A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine discuss Ivor Novello's 1914 hit "Keep the Home Fires Burning".  They explore Novello's life and WW1 service, his collaboration with lyricist Lena Guilbert Ford and her tragic death in a Zepplin raid on London in 1918.  Alongside this their conversation covers the sad tale of WW1 poet and composer Ivor Gurney and Nov...