[Editor: This patriotic song was published circa 1916, during the First World War (1914-1918).]
Collin’s popular sixpenny edition
Lead On
Patriotic Marching Song
written and composed by
C. E. Easton
L.F. Collin Pty. Ltd.,
187 & 189 Swanston Street,
Melbourne.
Copyright. Price 6D.
Lead On
Written and composed by C. E. Easton
Lead on my sturdy lads —
Sons of our Austral soil —
Facing the foe where-ere you go,
At the sound of the Empire’s call —
Great glories will be won —
As you bravely man the gun —
For honour’s cause, and the wise, wise laws, of the great and the grand old England
On, on, my sunny lads —
Make the foe pay toll —
Avenge brave Belgium’s blood my boys,
And the deeds of a barb’rous foe —
Our Allies are as one —
Dishonor they all shun —
Supporting the cause, and the wise, wise laws, of the great and the grand old England
On, on, to victory lads —
The Union Jack unfurl —
Supported by our Allies’ flags,
Bloodstained, all torn as well —
A glorious combination
To float before the world —
For honour’s cause, and the wise, wise laws, of the great and the grand old England
CHORUS
Fighting for the land you love boys
sparing not thy Nation’s blood —
You will force your way to Berlin one day,
And replace the Eagle with the Dove
Source:
Lead On [music], Melbourne: L.F. Collin Pty. Ltd., [1916?]
Editor’s notes:
This song does not include a year of publication; however, “Lead On” by Mr. C. E. Easton was mentioned in a 1916 newspaper, so it is reasonable to estimate that its publication occurred circa 1916.
See: Oakleigh and Caulfield Times; Mulgrave and Ferntree Gully Guardian (Oakleigh, Vic. ), 1 July 1916, p. 1
Austral = of or relating to Australia or Australasia; Australian, Australasian; an abbreviation of Australia, Australian, Australasia, Australasian; in a wider context, of or relating to the southern hemisphere; southern, especially a southern wind
barb’rous = (vernacular) barbarous
dove = peace (in iconography and literature, doves have been used to symbolize peace)
eagle = war (in iconography and literature, eagles have been used to symbolize war); the eagle has also been used as a symbol of several nations and states (e.g. the empires of France, Germany, Russia, and the Holy Roman Empire, and the countries of Mexico, Panama, and the USA)
Union Jack = the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
where-ere = where ever, wherever, where’er
[Editor: Changed “Allies flags” to “Allies’ flags”; “Nations blood” to “Nation’s blood”.]
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