Over There


"Over There" is a 1917 war song written by George M. Cohan that was popular with the United States military and the American public during World War I and World War II. Written shortly after the American entry into World War I, "Over There" is a patriotic propaganda song meant to galvanize American men to enlist in the American Expeditionary Forces and fight the Central Powers. The song is best remembered for a line in its chorus: "The Yanks are coming."

History

According to the Library of Congress, Cohan wrote "Over There" during his commute to work on April 7, 1917, a day after the U.S. officially abandoned its policy of non-interventionism and joined the Allied Powers. Its opening verse is derived from "Johnny, Get Your Gun", an 1886 song written by Monroe Rosenfeld, while its rhythm was based on a three-note bugle call.
Cohan personally chose Nora Bayes to premiere "Over There" in June 1917, but the Peerless Quartet recorded it first on June 6 with Columbia Records. Bayes's rendition was released on July 13. Though early tests with soldiers saw indifferent reception, the song was popular among the civilian public. Other versions recorded by Billy Murray, the American Quartet, and Arthur Fields were also made. President Woodrow Wilson described it as "a genuine inspiration to all American manhood". By the end of 1918, over 2 million copies of sheet music were sold.
Though written and intended for World War I, the song has been revived on various occasions during and after World War II. It was not heavily used during the Vietnam War, but it regained some popularity in the 21st century after the September 11 attacks and throughout the war on terror.

Lyrics

As sung by early 20th-century recording artist Billy Murray:

In popular culture