Mr. Churchill Says
Encyclopedia
"Mr. Churchill Says" is a song by Ray Davies
of The Kinks
. It appears on the album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
. The song is about the struggle of World War II
on the people of Great Britain
. The song paraphrases parts of several of Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
's famous speeches including Never was so much owed by so many to so few
, We shall fight on the beaches
and This was their finest hour
. In addition to Winston Churchill, the song mentions several other political, military and popular figures who were prominent during the war including Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
, Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
, Louis Mountbatten and Vera Lynn
(quoting her song "We'll Meet Again").
The song features a striking example of integration of sound effects into an arrangement, in this case a vintage air-raid siren
which introduces a new section. The Kinks had been experimenting with the use of sound effects since the 1966 Face to Face
album.
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
. It appears on the album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
Arthur is the seventh studio album by English rock band The Kinks, released in October 1969. Kinks frontman Ray Davies constructed the concept album as the soundtrack to a Granada Television play and developed the storyline with novelist Julian Mitchell; however, the television programme was...
. The song is about the struggle of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on the people of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The song paraphrases parts of several of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's famous speeches including Never was so much owed by so many to so few
Never was so much owed by so many to so few
Never was so much owed by so many to so few was a wartime speech made by the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on 20 August 1940. The name stems from the specific line in the speech, Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few, referring to the ongoing efforts...
, We shall fight on the beaches
We shall fight on the beaches
We Shall Fight on the Beaches is a common title given to a speech delivered by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 4th June 1940...
and This was their finest hour
This was their finest hour
The This was their finest hour speech was delivered by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 18 June 1940...
. In addition to Winston Churchill, the song mentions several other political, military and popular figures who were prominent during the war including Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Bt, PC, was a Canadian-British business tycoon, politician, and writer.-Early career in Canada:...
, Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
, Louis Mountbatten and Vera Lynn
Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops...
(quoting her song "We'll Meet Again").
The song features a striking example of integration of sound effects into an arrangement, in this case a vintage air-raid siren
Civil defense siren
A civil defense siren is a mechanical or electronic device for generating sound to...
which introduces a new section. The Kinks had been experimenting with the use of sound effects since the 1966 Face to Face
Face to Face (The Kinks album)
Face to Face, released in 1966 on Pye Records in the United Kingdom and on Reprise Records in the United States, is the fourth UK studio album by The Kinks. A major artistic breakthrough for Kinks' songwriter Ray Davies, the LP represents the first full flowering of Davies' use of narrative,...
album.