Best Marches

[jmacleod]

Some of the best of the British Military Marches were written by Kenneth Alford, whose real
name was Thomas Rickets of the famous Royal Marine Band (Plymouth) - Alford's music is
featured in Canadian military bands of course, one of the best of which is the CF Band HMCS
Stadacona, who often provide concerts throughout the Maritimes. The CBC used to feature
"Morning Marchpast", focused on Alford and Sousa marches, in the 1940's and up to the early
1960"s including comment on marches in general from a wide variety of sources. In the 1950's
the Canadian Forces decided to increase the number of Regular Force military bands and recruited
many musicians in the UK and Holland in particular, a number of whom were members of the RCR
Band at CFB Gagetown NB, and London Ontario. Have fond memories of RCR Trooping the Color
at their London Ontario Depot, and later at CFB Gagetown NB - I believe Col Ian Fraser CD Director
of the N.S. International Tattoo was RCR Regimental Commander at the time. MacLeod

 

[Big Bad John]

Beware we marines are everywhere...LOL

 

[ctjj.stevenson]

Heaven forbid....It never mentioned the Vikings who came before the French either.

GW

As a student of history, I stand corrected, and I am sorry that I forgot about the Vikings. However, I did not really want to talk about Newfoundland in my earlier quote because it did not really join Canada until 1949.

However, the first people here were the First Nations, and they are still not really considered part of the founding peoples of Canada, (how every wrong).

 

[Michael Dorosh]

In days of yore..
From Greenlands Shore,
Lief the Lucky hero came
And planted firm the raven flag
On Canada's fair domain
We'll keep it here, with axe and spear.....
And all drink mead forever
With Helmet's horned, and mail shirts bright!
The Maple Leaf Forever!


SKOLL!

Heh

Beautiful.

Green Hills sucks - PPCLI dude has it right - 6/8 marches rule, especially if written by GS McLennan.

 

[Love793]

Regardless of who it offends, I'd have to vote for "The Maple Leaf Forever".  I also have a certain biase towards "My Boy Willie" ;D

O Canada seems to offend certain people in Canada as well.  To that I say: TO BAD!

 

[x-grunt]

Even though I do like the music of The Maple Leaf Forever, it is quite insulting to French Canadians.

It did not even give any lip service to the French that were the first Canadians of European descent.

My two cents!

Fair enough. I never knew the words to it before. Still a stirring march but I see your point.

 

[vangemeren]

I also have a certain biase towards "My Boy Willie"

That makes sense, it's the corps march for Armoured Core and the regimental march for the Windsor Regiment. I've played that song so many times as a former member of the Pembroke Legion Community Band. (I go into greater detail on my first post on the first page)

I found this site with the list of most of all the branch and regiment marches:
http://my.tbaytel.net/tgroulx/marches.htm

Some have links to a midi file of the song, but it is computer generated, to me it's just not the same.

 

[sigpig]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the PPCLI  medley of "Has Anyone Seen the Colonel?", "Tipperary" and "Mademoiselle from Armmentieres."  I've never marched to them, but I can't think of a more rousing group of songs to sing after a drink (or two, or ....) at a mess dinner. That brings back some good memories 

As far as marching to a song, "British Grenadiers" was my first and remains my favourite unit march.

 

[DaveK]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the PPCLI   medley of "Has Anyone Seen the Colonel?", "Tipperary" and "Mademoiselle from Armmentieres."   I've never marched to them, but I can't think of a more rousing group of songs to sing after a drink (or two, or ....) at a mess dinner. That brings back some good memories  

As far as marching to a song, "British Grenadiers" was my first and remains my favourite unit march.

Don't forget 'Begone Dull Care' or your can change your name from sigpig to something else!

 

[pro patria]

A mans a man, immortal memory

 

[squealiox]

i'm partial to the Bonnie Dundee, though not for its musical merits, necessarily.
anyway, does anyone know if there is a definitive CD set out there of Cdn regimental (or corps) marches?

 

[sigpig]

Don't forget 'Begone Dull Care' or your can change your name from sigpig to something else!

Just being a sig doesn't mean I have to like Begone Dull Care. In fact, after six years away, I don't think I would recognize it now, while those other songs I mentioned are seared in my memory forever.

 

[big bad john]

Hearts of Oak
British Grenadier
Washington Post

 

[larry Strong]

Erika
Hessen March

 

[PPCLI MCpl]

Meeting of the Waters

 

[Kat Stevens]

Wings (of course)
Colonel Bogey

CHIMO,  Kat

 

[Island Ryhno]

The Banks of Newfoundland. Biased as I am! Also CHE these are NOT marches but they are military related songs that get played out here on the rock alot, "Waltzing Matilda" and the reply to Waltzing Matilda which is "The Green Fields Of France" or "William McBride" I prefer the Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers version. 

 

[winchable]

"Waltzing Matilda"

Only the people of the blessed rock could take a wierd song from Australia and somehow relate to it. 

 

[Island Ryhno]

Alas it's true my friend  8)

 

[Long in the tooth]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the PPCLI   medley of "Has Anyone Seen the Colonel?", "Tipperary" and "Mademoiselle from Armmentieres."   I've never marched to them, but I can't think of a more rousing group of songs to sing after a drink (or two, or ....) at a mess dinner. That brings back some good memories  

As far as marching to a song, "British Grenadiers" was my first and remains my favourite unit march.

After practicing for weeks, watching the officer "promenade" for an hour and then troop the colours for an hour, nothing beats the crowd applauding and marching off to "Has anyone seen the Colonel".  The historical link to our vets was almost palpable.