Their first days at the front come to an end...
pop
rock
peace
jazz
folk
antiwar
musical
war
rock opera
ww1
Story behind the song
Their first days at the front come to an end and they go for a short rest in the rear where they discover the delights of the local estaminet, egg chips and cheap wine.
They enjoy a sing song round the piano and in a relaxed mood come to the conclusion that the war is not so bad after all. Ron starts off with his mouth organ and Harry joins in at the piano.
Lyrics
Rest behind the lines
Ron:
We've got three days rest behind the lines
To let off steam and drink some wine
In a little estaminet over there
Just off of Ypres main square
We'll sing our songs and laugh all day
While my friend Harry Fuller plays
And we'll gather round that piano boys
In the corner over there
All:
This war is not so bad boys
While we've wine to ease the pain
We've only got our lives to lose
And a whole new world to gain
So long as we've got our Enfields boys
And bayonets it's plain
We know what we are fighting for
Will never be in vain
Ron:
So cheer up Joe and lets all sing
We'll make this old estaminet ring
And we'll show that Kaiser Bill
Just what he has done
Companionship will see us through
And remember everything we do
We do it all together boys
And no one fights alone
All:
This war is not so bad boys
While we've wine to ease the pain
We've only got our lives to lose
And a whole new world to gain
As long as we've got SAA
And Mills grenades its plain
We know what we are fighting for
Will never be in vain