We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line
Encyclopedia
"We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" is a popular song written by Ulster songwriter Jimmy Kennedy
, whilst he was a Captain in the British Expeditionary Force
during the early stages of the Second World War. The Siegfried Line
was a chain of fortifications along Germany's Western border, analogous to the Maginot Line
in France. The song was used as a morale-booster during the war, particularly up to and during the Battle of France
. It would not be until 1944 when any Allied soldiers were actually able to do it.
It begins
We're going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line.
Have you any dirty washing, mother dear?
We're gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line.
'Cause the washing day is here.
1897 - 1985 and Leslie Holmes added some possibly unofficial lines. The Sarony and Holmes version puts "Mother dear, I'm writing you from somewhere in France" etc at the start and then, after the main section, add four lines starting "Everyone is mucking in and doing their job".
Smoother
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
, whilst he was a Captain in the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
during the early stages of the Second World War. The Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
was a chain of fortifications along Germany's Western border, analogous to the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
in France. The song was used as a morale-booster during the war, particularly up to and during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. It would not be until 1944 when any Allied soldiers were actually able to do it.
It begins
Have you any dirty washing, mother dear?
We're gonna hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line.
'Cause the washing day is here.
Unofficial? addition
Leslie SaronyLeslie Sarony
Leslie Sarony was a British entertainer, singer and songwriter. Sarony was born in Surbiton, Surrey and died in London.He began his stage career aged 14 with the group Park Eton's Boys...
1897 - 1985 and Leslie Holmes added some possibly unofficial lines. The Sarony and Holmes version puts "Mother dear, I'm writing you from somewhere in France" etc at the start and then, after the main section, add four lines starting "Everyone is mucking in and doing their job".
Parody
A mocking parody was written shortly after:Smoother
External links
- Jimmy Kennedy's obituary at the New York Times, April 1984
- German mocking parody on British Siegfried Line song in MP3
- Wir trocknen uns're Wäsche an der Siegfried-Linie This website has the German words, a slightly different version of the English words and an adapted tune that might scan to the German words.