Dambusters March
Encyclopedia
The Dambusters March is Eric Coates
' theme for the 1955 film The Dam Busters
.
in Elgarian
form, which is the same structure as the famous Pomp and Circumstance Marches
.
Coates had a profound dislike of writing film music and turned down numerous requests; he was prevailed upon by the producers, who told him this was "a film of national importance." He was initially inclined to refuse the commission but, on hearing more about the film, came to the conclusion that the piece he had just completed might just be the very thing.
.
At some point the following words were written to accompany the tune:
Proudly, with high endeavour, we, who are young forever,
won the freedom of the skies. We shall never die!
We who have made our story part of our country's glory
Know our hearts will still live on while Bri - tons - fly.
The film score itself was completed by Leighton Lucas
.
Fans of Lincoln City F.C.
are known to sing the song with arms outstretched imitating aircraft after their team scores.
It is also regularly played by Scottish football champions Rangers F.C.
post match.
The march is also featured in the 1973 Christmas special of The Goodies
television series, The Goodies and the Beanstalk.
Progressive rock band Jethro Tull
were known to conclude their concerts in the late 1970s and early 1980s with a rock rendition of the theme. It can also be heard on the live 1978 album Bursting Out
.
In Chile, the orchestral version of this march was used for 40 years as a theme song for the radio news Show "El Correo de Minería", in Radio Minería.
The march, with a lyric written for the occasion, was used as a theme song for the Norwegian YMCA Scouts national scout camp in Mandal in the summer of 1990.
Eric Coates
Eric Coates was an English composer of light music and a viola player.-Life:Eric was born in Hucknall in Nottinghamshire to William Harrison Coates , a surgeon, and his wife, Mary Jane Gwynne, hailing from Usk in Monmouthshire...
' theme for the 1955 film The Dam Busters
The Dam Busters (film)
The Dam Busters is a 1955 British Second World War war film starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd and directed by Michael Anderson. The film recreates the true story of Operation Chastise when in 1943 the RAF's 617 Squadron attacked the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany with Wallis's...
.
Origination
The composer's son Austin Coates recounted in a radio interview for the BBC that the march was not actually written for the film and had in fact been completed a few days before he was contacted by the producers. The composer had apparently been carrying out an exercise in composing a marchMarch (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
in Elgarian
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
form, which is the same structure as the famous Pomp and Circumstance Marches
Pomp and Circumstance Marches
The "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" , Op. 39 are a series of marches for orchestra composed by Sir Edward Elgar....
.
Coates had a profound dislike of writing film music and turned down numerous requests; he was prevailed upon by the producers, who told him this was "a film of national importance." He was initially inclined to refuse the commission but, on hearing more about the film, came to the conclusion that the piece he had just completed might just be the very thing.
Other usage
The march is now the musical setting for the hymn "God is our strength and refuge", based on Psalm 46Psalm 46
Psalm 46 is the 46th psalm from the Book of Psalms, composed by sons of Korah.-Uses:Portions of the psalm are used or referenced in several Jewish prayers. Verse 8 is the ninth verse of V'hu Rachum in Pesukei Dezimra, and is also a part of Uva Letzion. Verse 12 is part of Havdalah...
.
At some point the following words were written to accompany the tune:
Proudly, with high endeavour, we, who are young forever,
won the freedom of the skies. We shall never die!
We who have made our story part of our country's glory
Know our hearts will still live on while Bri - tons - fly.
The film score itself was completed by Leighton Lucas
Leighton Lucas
Leighton Lucas was an English composer and conductor. Born into a musical family , he began his career as a dancer for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes...
.
Fans of Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
are known to sing the song with arms outstretched imitating aircraft after their team scores.
It is also regularly played by Scottish football champions Rangers F.C.
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
post match.
The march is also featured in the 1973 Christmas special of The Goodies
The Goodies
The Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
television series, The Goodies and the Beanstalk.
Progressive rock band Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
were known to conclude their concerts in the late 1970s and early 1980s with a rock rendition of the theme. It can also be heard on the live 1978 album Bursting Out
Bursting Out
Bursting Out is a 1978 live album by rock band Jethro Tull. It was recorded at various locations during the European Heavy Horses tour of May and June 1978, but it is not certain where each track was recorded...
.
In Chile, the orchestral version of this march was used for 40 years as a theme song for the radio news Show "El Correo de Minería", in Radio Minería.
The march, with a lyric written for the occasion, was used as a theme song for the Norwegian YMCA Scouts national scout camp in Mandal in the summer of 1990.