Your King & Country Want You by Paul A. Rubens and John Hassell c1914
RUBENS, Paul A.; HASSELL, John. Your King and Country Want You. A Woman’s Recruiting Song.
London, Chappell & Co. Ltd., 50 New Bond Street, [c1914].
Folio sheet music, 6 pp. (including illustrated title), 360 × 260 mm. Lithographed pictorial cover by John Hassall, music and lyrics printed. Original publisher’s issue, unbound as printed. Light overall toning and creasing from use and folding, short edge wear, a few small marginal nicks; generally a clean, complete example. Contemporary ownership inscription at upper margin (“N. Lambden”), publisher’s and music-seller’s stamps to title. Very good.
A First World War recruiting song, dedicated “by special permission to Her Majesty the Queen” and issued in aid of Queen Mary’s Work for Women Fund, with a note that profits from sales were devoted to that cause. Words and music are by Paul A. Rubens (1875–1917), one of the most successful British songwriters of the Edwardian and early wartime period, whose patriotic and theatrical songs were widely performed in music halls and drawing rooms.
The cover design is by John Hassall (1868–1948), one of the leading British poster artists of the period, here adapting the visual language of the famous “Kitchener Wants You” poster to a female figure, arms outstretched appealling to men to sign up. The lyrics support the recruitment drive with patriotic obligation (“Oh we don’t want to lose you, but we think you ought to go, / For your King and Country both need you so!”).
A scarce survivor of wartime propaganda with the early striking Hassall cover design.