<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">When the French Band Plays</h1><p class="byline"> ANONYMOUS <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">The Stars And Stripes, A.E.F., France</span></p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THERE'S a military band that plays, on Sunday afternoons,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In a certain nameless city's quaint old square.</p><p class="line">It can rouse the blood to battle with its patriotic tunes,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And still render hymns as gentle as a prayer.</p><p class="line">When it starts "Ave Maria" there is no one in the throng</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But would doff his cap, his heart to heaven raise;</p><p class="line">And who would shrink from combat when, with brasses sounding strong,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There is flung out on the breeze "La Marseillaise"?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">When it starts to render "Sambre et Meuse," the march that won the day</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">At the battle of the Marne, one sees again</p><p class="line">The grey-green hosts of Hundom melt before the stern array</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of our gallant sister-ally's blue-clad men.</p><p class="line">And when it plays our Anthem, with rendition bold and clear--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">While the khaki lads stand steady--then we feel</p><p class="line">That, though tongues and ways may vary, we've found brothers over here,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Tried in war, and in allegiance true as steel.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For it's olive-drab, horizon-blue, packed closely side by side,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Till their colors set ablaze the grey old square;</p><p class="line">And it's olive-drab, horizon-blue, whatever may betide,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That will blaze the way to victory "up there."</p><p class="line">So, while standing thus together, let us pledge anew our troth</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To the Cause--the world set free!--for which we fight.</p><p class="line">As the evening twilight gilds the ranks of blue and khaki both,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And the the bugles die away into the night </p></div></body></html> · Great War