SONG FOR MANY PEOPLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1919, Page 11

SONG FOR MANY PEOPLES.

"FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW." Asked to name the oldest tunc in the world, few could give the correct answer. It is that to which we now sing the words, "For he's a jolly good fellow," and the air, which can be traced in distant A.-ia and Africa, as well as in moat European countries, has an Interesting Instory. Its origin is lost in antiquity, but it supposed to have been learned from ihe ancient Babylonians by the Egyptians, who popularised it in Africa and Apia Minor. It, is still sung by the Arabs, says London Answers. The Crusaders caught the tune from the Saracen enemies and sung it under the walls of Jerusalem, which to-day, perhaps, vibrate to the same notes, chanted by our victorious troops. The tiir was ultimately carried into Europe, where it survived in various forms among the folk songs of the different nations.

In 1709, after their defeat at Maiplaquet, the French, following a false rumour of the Duke of MarlborougM death in battle, composed a satiric la-' meat, "Malbmck is Off to the War," 'i lie words were sung to the ola popular d'r, whose lilting rhythm lent itself to Vb? swing of the twenty-two versesDike most topical songs, this one was of short-lived popularity; but in 1781 it suddenly echoed from ono end of Trance to the other. The young Marie Antoinette gave birth to an heir, and the baby prince, in accordance with French custom, was placed under the care of n robust peasant foster mother. The nurse used to put her voyftl charge to sleep vith the old song of her village homo, and the girl mother began, almost unconsciously, to ropeat the simple refrain. As if by magic the song became the craze of the day. It resounded through the stately galleries of Versailles, passing to the kitchens and Btables, whence it was tyken up by the crowds of Paris and speedily passed 011 from town to town and from country to country. Napoleon himself, though a hater of music, never mounted his charger to go into action without singing softly a few turn of the ancient melody. The air is still pppular in France, as it is in England and America, but few of our Tommies and their poilu chums, humming in chorus, can have suspected the varied history of the simple tune.