http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm"Vintage Audio: Over There
Updated - Saturday, 2 August, 2003
Reproduced below are the lyrics to America's best-known World War One song, Over There. Written by George M. Cohan the song was widely performed by various artists (initially by Charles King) from its publication in 1917.
Cohan later recalled that the words and music to the song came to him while travelling by train from New Rochelle to New York shortly after the U.S. had declared war against Germany in April 1917.
Just as It's a Long Way to Tipperary was a smash-hit success during the early days of the war in Europe, so Over There proved a nationwide hit in the months immediately following America's enthusiastic entry into the war.
Cohan himself was formally recognised by Congress with the award of the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor - albeit in 1940.
Three versions of the song are available here: the first by Billy Murray recorded in 1917 (MP3 format 628kb) - click here; the second by Nora Bayes, similarly recorded in 1917 - click here; and a version recorded by the renowned tenor Enrico Caruso in 1918 "