Crankin' It Up: WWI Commemorative Edition

Here is another song from The Great War that many of you have heard before. Irish tenor John McCormack performs Keep The Home Fires Burning on a Victor Red Label disc. This song is as good now as it was in 1917 when John recorded it. Ninety years ago, the allies were pushing the Germans back, and American troops were in heavy fighting just north of Verdun.

This was played as usual with our old Brunswick. John maxes out the microphone, even with this worn record, so I tried a soft tone needle. That made him sound like he was down in the basement, so I recorded this one with a loud needle. You will hear the mike fuzz out a couple times, but the rest of the song is good. I am the guilty party for most of the wear on this record, which I have had for over forty years. The photos came from internet searches and an old book about WWI.