The World War I song "Soldier, Sleep" is a poignant and lesser-known piece from the wartime era. Here's some background information:

General Information

• Title: Soldier, Sleep
• Composer: John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), often called “The March King” and best known for patriotic marches like The Stars and Stripes Forever.
• Lyricist: Irving Bacheller (1859–1950), an American journalist and author known for his stories about rural life and patriotism.
• Published: 1918, near the end of World War I.

Context & Meaning

• Soldier, Sleep is a memorial song, written to honor the fallen soldiers of World War I.
• It was intended not as a rallying or recruitment tune, but rather as a solemn reflection on the sacrifice of soldiers who died in battle.
• The lyrics are poetic and reverent, imagining the soldier sleeping peacefully in death, having done his duty for his country.
• The mood is serene and mournful, in contrast to Sousa’s more famous energetic marches.

Musical Style

• Though Sousa was best known for rousing military marches, he also wrote vocal and orchestral music, including more somber works like Soldier, Sleep.
• The music features gentle harmonies and restrained orchestration, underscoring the respectful tone of the lyrics.

Legacy

• While not as widely known today as other WWI songs, Soldier, Sleep was performed in memorial services and patriotic concerts during and after the war.
• It reflected a growing tone of grief and remembrance in the final years of the war, capturing a public sentiment shifting from enthusiasm to solemn reflection.

Notable Lyric Excerpt:

“Soldier, sleep! thy warfare o’er,
Dream of battlefields no more;
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,
Morn of toil nor night of waking.”