My Dream of the Big Parade

Though it’s been decades since I purchased this 78, it still never fails to move me. The electrically recorded voices of Henry Burr and Billy Murray, two giants of early 20th Century popular music, are heard together in this Al Dubin-Jimmy McHugh tribute to the fighting servicemen of The Great War.

Though artist billed as the Peerless Quartet, the label also indicates vocal by a male quintet. Aside from the Murray narrative, the five singers at this session (according to the Victor ledgers) were Burr, Monroe Silver, Carl Mathieu, James Stanley, and Stanley Baughman.

Transferred from 78rpm Victor 20098 - My Dream Of The Big Parade (Al Dubin-Jimmy McHugh) by The Peerless Quartet with Billy Murray, orchestra conducted by Rosario Bourdon, recorded in Camden, New Jersey, Church Bldg. June 30, 1926, released September 1926 .

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Last night I was dreaming of days that are gone
Of days that you might recall
And just like a photoplay upon my wall
Once more I saw it all;
It was just a dream you see
But how real it seemed to be

I saw buddies true, marching two by two
In my dream of the Big Parade
I saw angels fair with the Red Cross there
In my dream of the Big Parade
I saw Gold Star Mothers, sisters and brothers
What a sacrifice they made;
I saw one-legged pals coming home to their gals
In my dream of the Big Parade

Millions of soldiers, millions of men
All going over - I see them again
Oceans of water, submarines, too:
Millions of sailors helping them through
Millions of doughboys landing in Brest
Marching, marching, never a rest
Millions of bullets thundering past
Millions of buddies, wounded and gassed
Valleys of ruin, mountains of mud
Beautiful rivers and rivers of blood
Airplanes flying, bombs coming down
Millions of cooties crawling around
Pieces of shrapnel, pieces of shell
Many a cross where somebody fell
Fighting and fighting a horrible war
And God only knows what you're fighting it for

Then came November, that armistice day
Out of a trench, into a cafe
Paddy, Abie, Jimmy, and Jack
Over their bottles of wine and cognac
Telling their love tales to Jeanne and Georgette
Little French girls they had to forget
Ahh, then came the journey over the foam
But all that went over didn't come home

I saw Gold Star Mothers, sisters and brothers
What a sacrifice they made;
I saw one-legged pals coming home to their gals
In my dream of the Big Parade

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