The Old Home Guard

"The Old Home Guard" is a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman for the 1971, Walt Disney musical film production "Bedknobs and Broomsticks". It is sung by the members of the British Home Guard as they swear to defend England's shores. The song "bookends" the film, heard both at the beginning and the end of the piece.

ymbolism

*The song is representative of the overall theme of the storyline: That one shouldn't underestimate the resolve of Britain, its traditions and its strength.

*When Eglantine and Professor Emelius Brown finally combine their talents they are able to put the real "Old Home Guard" to work, drawing forth the forces of a millennium of British military 'spirit'. cquote

Call out the navy, call out the ranks,
call out the air force, call out the tanks!
From the cliffs of Dover, call out the gulls;
and don't forget the loyal territorials!
But who's digging in here? Who will defend,
ev'ry inch of England, no matter what they send?
Who's standing firm in their own front yard?
The soldiers of the the old Home Guard, that's who!
The soldiers of the old Home Guard!
For we wrote the story of the old brigade,
we know the glory of yesterday's parades!
Who's standing firm in their own front yard?
The soldiers of the old Home Guard, that's who!
The soldiers of the old Home Guard!
They’re sailing for England: Oh! What a shame!
Someone is after our island again
We’ll let them have it… Oh, yes we will!
But maybe they won’t want it when they get the bill!
For we wrote the stories of the old brigades
We know the glory of yesterday’s parades
We’ll sell them England, yard by yard
The soldiers of the Old Home Guard! That's who..
The soldiers of the Old Home Guard!

Literary Sources

* Sherman, Robert B. "". Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.