David Ralph Follow

Top 8 comments

• S.W. Atwell 0 points 2014-02-26 00:32

  This hymn made my eyes prick with tears during the first few episodes, before the war ended. What a brave thing to do, to look forward to a life of any kind, when being sent to France was nearly a guarantee of death or grievous wounds for members of England's upper class. Back then, officers were only taken from the upper class and officers lead the charges and suffered high casualties, proportionate to their numbers. David only became an officer after enough of the wealthier young men of his generation had been massacred. To get an idea of how lethal the odds were for boys like the lads from Bamfield, one need only consider that announcement made in 1917 by the headmistress of Bournemouth High School for Girls in southern England. Speaking to 16 and 17 year old girls, she stated, “I have come to tell you a terrible fact. Only one out of ten of you girls can ever marry …. Nearly all the men who might have married you have been killed. "

  Another song that resonates with me is Keep The Home Fires Burning. Although we often associate it with the Second World War, it was composed during the First. One verse goes,

  From overseas we heard a pleading
  "Help a nation in distress,"
  So we sent our glorious laddies
  Honor bad us do no less.

  I am an American citizen. I do not believe my nation ever thinks of the young men and women we sent to Iraq and Afghanistan is "glorious laddies," or "lassies," as the case may be.

• tony holt 0 points 2012-12-14 09:27

  i ilked the song when the seris came out. to me it means service to your country in fact we used to sing it when i was in the army it.s a very uplifting song and even now i find my self singing it and it brings back memories for me and all my mates i served with.i have the box set and i allways sing along with it.

• Robert 0 points 2012-06-06 20:36

  I am keen to get the music to the hymn - ideally the 4 part harmony, otherwise the top line and I'll ask my Choir Dir of music to harmonise it and I can make it available to all. Can anyone oblige, please?

• Jonathan 0 points 2010-04-15 07:36

  Sorry, I got those from an old record jacket, I don't have the sheet music :(

• ton 0 points 2010-04-05 16:13

  Do you have the sheet music of this song or do you know where to find it? We have looked all over the internet but cannot find it.

• Jonathan 0 points 2010-01-12 05:55

  The full lyrics are:

  Look ahead to a life worth living,
  Full of hope, full of faith, full of cheer,
  To a life that is made for giving
  Without stint, without shame, without fear.
  Look ahead to the One who leads us,
  To the Lord who guides our ways.
  We shall follow, follow, follow,
  We shall follow Him all our days.

  Make a stand for the just decision,
  For the straight, and the true, and the right,
  Take the hard choice in life's ambition
  'Gainst all greed and injustice unite.
  Stand in truth with the One who leads us,
  With the Lord who guides our ways,
  We shall follow, follow, follow,
  We shall follow Him all our days.

  Hope this helps.

• Carter 0 points 2009-08-20 13:36

  The Second Verse (My best guess!)

  We will stand for the just decision,
  For the strenght and the truth and the right.
  Take the hard choice in life's ambition,
  ----- and to justice unite.

  Stand in truth with the one who leads us,
  With the Lord who guides our ways.

• Franca 0 points 2009-08-11 20:13

  There is a second verse to this hymn. I've been trying to make it out by listening to the theme but the sound quality is not good enough. Does anyone know the second verse?