Beautiful story. It makes one wonder about the importance of glee singing, group songs. Does it take communal effort to inspire transcendent songs? Then what if people don’t sing together anymore?
This is without a doubt one the most poignant of all WWI songs, especially with the verses you've provided, Debra. Hoboken, NJ was both the main embarkation point for troops traveling to the trenches of France and where survivors disembarked at wars end. It led Gen. "Black Jack" Pershing to trenchantly remark to members of his departing Army that by Armistice Day they would find themselves either in "Heaven, Hell or Hoboken."
I've always loved this song, Ed. "Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken." That's a good one. We've passed this Veterans' Day quietly at home, working around the house. But it is sobering how fragile our peace and our freedoms are these days.
Beautiful story. It makes one wonder about the importance of glee singing, group songs. Does it take communal effort to inspire transcendent songs? Then what if people don’t sing together anymore?
This is without a doubt one the most poignant of all WWI songs, especially with the verses you've provided, Debra. Hoboken, NJ was both the main embarkation point for troops traveling to the trenches of France and where survivors disembarked at wars end. It led Gen. "Black Jack" Pershing to trenchantly remark to members of his departing Army that by Armistice Day they would find themselves either in "Heaven, Hell or Hoboken."
I've always loved this song, Ed. "Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken." That's a good one. We've passed this Veterans' Day quietly at home, working around the house. But it is sobering how fragile our peace and our freedoms are these days.