Radio Geo’s Media Blog (“In Flanders Fields” – Bruce Walker of The Jury) 11/11/23

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poppies

As the Great War raged on all across Europe, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrea, a Canadian Physician from Guelph, Ontario, was paying his last respects at the gravesite of his good friend Alex Hemer.

When Colonel McCrea sadly looked around, he noticed that poppies were the only thing growing amongst the crosses.
As he gazed at the final resting place of the fallen soldiers, he was inspired to write his immortal poem, “In Flanders Fields.”

After enduring the butchering of Mr. McCrea’s poem at a Remembrance Day service a few years ago, my old bandmate from The Jury, Bruce Walker, disgustingly headed home, where he plugged in his guitar, turned on the tape recorder and gave the famous poem a melody.

Bruce’s version of “In Flanders Fields,” which he dedicates to the fallen soldiers in all the wars, is now in the Lt. Col. John McCrae museum in Guelph and is being played at more and more legions every year during their Remembrance Day services.

It’s beautiful, Bruce, and know this: the rest of your bandmates from The Jury were there with you in spirit as you recorded it.
(Mr. McCrae is pictured above, Bruce below. Click the link below to hear Bruce’s haunting rendition of “In Flanders Field.”

In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow.
Between the crosses, row on row,
That marks our place and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce was heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt the dawn, saw the sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Radio Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect inside look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Books, Social Media, Politics, and Life, primarily written with men in mind.
For a peek at upcoming Blogs or to see some you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting are appreciated.
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4 thoughts on “Radio Geo’s Media Blog (“In Flanders Fields” – Bruce Walker of The Jury) 11/11/23

  1. Jed Duvall: A fitting remembrance by Bruce, with a heartfelt narrative, George. Thank you and God Bless those and their families who gave all so that we could be free. (Flanders Feild)
    Geo: I love how haunting Bruce’s rendition of it is, Jed.

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