Two Little Boys

Posts : 249 Join date : 2013-06-01

"Two Little Boys" is a song written by American composer Theodore Morse and lyricist Edward Madden. It was written in 1902 and became a popular music hall song of the time, made popular by Harry Lauder. It was originally recorded by British Music Hall star Harry Lauder in 1903 and was rediscovered and recoded by Rolf Harris, becoming the biggest selling single in 1969. It was also said to be Maggie Thatcher's favourite song.
It tells the story of 2 brothers who share horses as boys and later share them in battle during war. The exact war was not specified, although it could be the Boer War.
Source: wikipedia, so not hugely reliable!

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I have read somewhere, can't remember where, that this song may actually have been inspired by Wassall's resue of Westwood from the Buffalo river.

Subject: Re: Two Little Boys Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:26 pm

It was based on the American Civil War.

Posts : 249 Join date : 2013-06-01

Composer being American, that would make sense.
Do you know that for a fact littlehand? When I search around, I can find no source which can say so with any certainty.

Guest

Hi kopie/ littlehand,

"The song would appear to have its origins in the fiction of the Victorian children's writer Juliana Horatia Ewing, whose book Jackanapes was a story about the eponymous hero and his friend Tom, who having ridden wooden horses as two little boys end up together on a Napoleonic battlefield. There Jackanapes rides to the rescue of the wounded and dismounted Tom. Jackanapes nobly replies to Tom's entreaties to save himself, "Leave you"? "To save my skin"? "No, Tom, not to save my soul". And unfortunately takes a fatal bullet in the process." Wiki.......

me, i heard ACW to, any advance on Napoleonic, crecy ?
cheers

Posts : 1849 Join date : 2009-03-25

Not a good topic, to discuss, considering what's going on with Mr Harris. Suspect

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 40

Why! Rolf Harris is innocent, until proven guilty. However I would suggest moving this to off topic?

Subject: Re: Two Little Boys Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:10 pm

kopie wrote:: Composer being American, that would make sense.
Do you know that for a fact littlehand? When I search around, I can find no source which can say so with any certainty.

I recall seeing it. in an explanation on the record sleeve. I will ask my father to dig it out of the loft. It won't be this year.

Posts : 249 Join date : 2013-06-01

littlehand wrote:

kopie wrote:: Composer being American, that would make sense.
Do you know that for a fact littlehand? When I search around, I can find no source which can say so with any certainty.

I recall seeing it. in an explanation on the record sleeve. I will ask my father to dig it out of the loft. It won't be this year.

That is very kind littlehand, but please don't trouble your father.
xhosa, I read in an article a few hours ago that Ewing based her Jackanapes story on Wassall's rescue of Westwood!?!?

Guest

Hi all, yeah kopie same here.my initial
thought though was the same as
littlehand, and i want to say crimea
xhosa