The Further It Is from Tipperary, the Closer It Is to Berlin explained

The Further It Is from Tipperary, the Closer It Is to Berlin
Written:	1917
Composer:	John Godfrey
Lyricist:	Bide Dudley, James Byrnes

"The Further It Is from Tipperary, the Closer It Is to Berlin" is a World War I song written to capitalise on the popularity of the song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". As suggested by the title, the song claims that distance from home is a positive because it indicates that the Allies are getting closer to victory over the German Empire. It was written in late 1917 and became a modest hit, recorded by Billy Murray for both Victor Records and Edison Records.^{[1] [2]} The song may have been featured in some versions of the 1917 Broadway play Going Up.^[3]

The lyrics are in the public domain.

Variations

There are variations in lyrics between early recordings and the sheet music released later in 1918. The title is changed to "The Further It Is from Tipperary, the Nearer It Is to Berlin". The very first line, "The Tommies in the tanks all seem to have one favorite song" is changed to "The Tommies in the trenches seem to have one favorite song".^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Further it is from Tipperary - Odds and ends of 1917. [Odds and ends of 1917. Further it is from Tipperary]]. Cylinder Audio Archive. 2015-12-14.
2. Web site: Victor matrix B-21404. The further it is from Tipperary / Billy Murray. Discography of American Historical Recordings. 2015-12-14.
3. Book: Watkins, Glenn. Glenn Watkins. 2002 . Proof Through the Night: Music and the Great War. Berkeley; Los Angeles; London. University of California Press. 255. 0-520-23158-9. 2015-12-14.
4. Web site: The Further It Is From Tipperary By Bide Dudley, John Godfrey & James Byrnes - Digital Sheet Music For - Download & Print LV.22880. Sheet Music Plus. 2015-12-14.