Stop the Cavalry
Encyclopedia
"Stop the Cavalry" is a song
written
and performed by the musician
Jona Lewie
.
The song peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart
in December 1980, at one point only being kept from number one by two re-issued songs by John Lennon
, who had been murdered on 8 December.
In an interview for Channel 4's 100 Greatest Christmas Moments Jona said that the song was never intended as a Christmas
hit, and that it was a protest song. However, the line 'Wish I was at home for Christmas' as well as the brass band
arrangement
s made it an appropriately styled song to play around Christmas time.
The song's promotional video
is set in the trenches
of the First World War
. The lyrics of the song mention cavalry and Churchill
(then serving as First Lord of the Admiralty), however it breaks with the First World War theme with references to nuclear fallout
and the line "I have had to fight, almost every night, down throughout these centuries". Lewie described the song's soldier as being "a bit like the eternal soldier
at the Arc de Triomphe
" .
The song's melody is loosely based on a theme from Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 by Hugo Alfvén
, and its major musical elements bear a resemblance to Mozart's Rondo
in D Major, K382. "Stop the Cavalry" reached #2 in Australia
behind Slim Dusty
's 'Duncan'.
Jona Lewie's version was issued by Stiff Records
(catalogue number Buy 104). In 1981, Stiff Records
brought together the Gwalia Singers (Swansea)
— a Welsh male voice choir — and the Cory Band
to record a new arrangement of the song (catalogue number Buy 133). This version remains one of the most requested of all holiday songs in parts of the USA. and it has been suggested that it is "probably the most popular song ever by an artist who never had a charted recording"
Both versions of the song are currently owned and licensed by Union Square Music Licensing.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and performed by the musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Jona Lewie
Jona Lewie
Jona Lewie is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Career:Jona Lewie joined his first group, The Johnston City Jazz Band, while still at school in 1963, and by 1968 had become a blues & boogie singer and piano player...
.
The song peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in December 1980, at one point only being kept from number one by two re-issued songs by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, who had been murdered on 8 December.
In an interview for Channel 4's 100 Greatest Christmas Moments Jona said that the song was never intended as a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
hit, and that it was a protest song. However, the line 'Wish I was at home for Christmas' as well as the brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s made it an appropriately styled song to play around Christmas time.
The song's promotional video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
is set in the trenches
Trench warfare
Trench warfare is a form of occupied fighting lines, consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are largely immune to the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery...
of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The lyrics of the song mention cavalry and Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
(then serving as First Lord of the Admiralty), however it breaks with the First World War theme with references to nuclear fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
and the line "I have had to fight, almost every night, down throughout these centuries". Lewie described the song's soldier as being "a bit like the eternal soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
at the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
" .
The song's melody is loosely based on a theme from Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 by Hugo Alfvén
Hugo Alfvén
was a Swedish composer, conductor, violinist, and painter.- Violinist :Alfvén was born in Stockholm and studied at the Music Conservatory there from 1887 to 1891 with the violin as his main instrument, receiving lessons from Lars Zetterquist. He also took private composition lessons from Johan...
, and its major musical elements bear a resemblance to Mozart's Rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
in D Major, K382. "Stop the Cavalry" reached #2 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
behind Slim Dusty
Slim Dusty
David Gordon "Slim Dusty " Kirkpatrick AO, MBE was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and producer, with a career spanning nearly eight decades. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australian poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson that represented the Australian Bush...
's 'Duncan'.
Jona Lewie's version was issued by Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
(catalogue number Buy 104). In 1981, Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
brought together the Gwalia Singers (Swansea)
Gwalia Singers (Swansea)
The Gwalia Singers is a Welsh male voice choir based in Swansea, Wales.- History :The choir was formed in 1966 by Bryan Myles. They competed in their first serious competition in 1978 - the Welsh Brewers' Choral Competition, held in Carmarthen. The following year they won in the category for fewer...
— a Welsh male voice choir — and the Cory Band
Cory Band
The Cory Band, formerly the Buy As You View Band, is one of the oldest and best known brass bands in the world.-History and origins:The Cory Band hails from the Rhondda Valley in Wales. They were formed in 1884 and originally bore the name ‘Ton Temperance’ a reference to the Temperance movement in...
to record a new arrangement of the song (catalogue number Buy 133). This version remains one of the most requested of all holiday songs in parts of the USA. and it has been suggested that it is "probably the most popular song ever by an artist who never had a charted recording"
Both versions of the song are currently owned and licensed by Union Square Music Licensing.