Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser

Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser was a popular British patriotic song of the First World War. It was written in 1915 by Mark Sheridan and references the 1914 campaign in Belgium when the small British Expeditionary Force managed to delay the much larger German army, slowing them and wrecking the Schlieffen Plan which depended on total victory against the French to the west in a matter of weeks.

By attacking Belgium, they had violated that nations neutrality and brought the British Empire into the war because of a pledge to uphold Belgian independence.

It was featured in the stage play and musical film Oh! What a Lovely War.

Lyrics [http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/belgiumputthekiboshonthekaiser.shtml]

A silly German sausage Dreamt Napoleon he'd be, Then he went and broke his promise, It was made in Germany. He shook hands with Britannia And eternal peace he swore, Naughty boy, he talked of peace While he prepared for war.

He stirred up little Serbia To serve his dirty tricks But naughty nights at LiIge Quite upset this Dirty Dick. His luggage labeled 'England' And his programme nicely set, He shouted 'First stop Paris', But he hasn't got there yet.

For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser; Europe took the stick and made him sore; On his throne it hurts to sit, And when John Bull starts to hit, He will never sit upon it any more.

His warships sailed upon the sea, They looked a pretty sight But when they heard the bulldog bark They disappeared from sight. The Kaiser said 'Be careful, If by Jellicoe they're seen, Then every man-of-war I've got Will be a submarine'.

We chased his ship to Turkey, And the Kaiser startled stood, Schratch'd his head and said 'Don't hurt, You see I'm touching wood'; Thewn Turkey brought her warships Just to aid the German plot, Be careful, Mr Turkey, Or you'll do the Turkey Trot.

Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser; Europe took the stick and made him sore; And if Turkey makes a stand She'll get ghurka'd and japanned, And it won't be Hoch the Kaiser any more.

He'll have to go to school again And learn his geography, He quite forgot Britannia And the hands across the sea, Australia and Canada, the Russian and the Jap, And England looked so small He couldn't see her on the map.

Whilst Ireland seemed unsettled, 'Ah' said he 'I'll settle John', But he didn't know the Irish Like he knew them later on. Though the Kaiser stirred the lion, Please excuse him for the crime, His lunatic attendant Wasn't with him at the time.

For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser; Europe took the stick and made him sore; We shall shout with victory's joy, Hold your hand out, naughty boy, You must never play at soldiers any more.

For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser; Europe took the stick and made him sore; On his throne it hurts to sit, And when John Bull starts to hit, He will never sit upon it any more.

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