He was born as William Thomas Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of immigrants from Ireland. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He made his first recordings for a local phonograph cylinder company in San Francisco, California in 1897. He started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area in 1903, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.
In 1906 he waxed the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the Premier Quartet, and the American Quartet (the latter two actually being the same group), in addition to his solo work.
He had a strong tenor voice with excellent enunciation and a more conversational delivery than common with bel canto singers of the era. On comic songs he often deliberately sang slightly flat, which he felt helped the comic effect.
While he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well at the time, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.
Murray's popularity faded with changes in public taste and recording technology; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid 1920s coincided with the rise of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into the recording horn, did not work in the electronic era, and it took him some time to learn how to soften his voice. While he continued to work, his singing style was considered "dated" and less in demand. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he also did voices for animated cartoons, especially the "follow the bouncing ball" type which incorporated songs from his salad days. He also did radio work.
Murray made his last recordings in 1943 and retired to Freeport, Long Island, New York in 1944. He died in nearby Jones Beach.
The Further It Is From Tipperary
Billy Murray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a Long Way to Tipperary.
It's all you ever hear them singing as they march along,
It's a Long Way to Go.
I got a map the other day and counted all the miles,
I broke the news to Pershing and his face was full of smiles;
The closer it is to Berlin!
Who cares if Tipperary's far away?
The other Potsdam place is getting nearer every day!
How I long to be back on the Bow'ry, the Bow'ry,
But we'll stick over here until we win
For the further it is from Tipperary
Why, the closer it is to Berlin!
The only song they sing on any Red Cross ship or train
It's a Long Way to Tipperary
I'll bet the angels up above have heard that old refrain
It's a Long Way to Go
The Germans know this song by heart but soon they let it slide
For every shell we send them has this message on the side
For the further it is from Tipperary
The closer it is to Berlin
Who cares if Tipperary's far away
The other Potsdam place is getting nearer every day
How I long to back on the Bow'ry, the Bow'ry
But we'll stick over here until we win
For the further it is from Tipperary
Why, the closer it is to Berlin
How I long to be back on the Bow'ry, the Bow'ry
But we'll stick over here until we win
For the further it is from Tipperary
Why, the closer it is to Berlin
"The Further It Is From Tipperary" is a World War I-era song that is associated with the British soldiers who were fighting on the western front. The song talks about the soldiers' homesickness and longing to get back to their beloved Tipperary. However, as the war drags on, their focus shifts to getting closer to Berlin, the enemy capital. This notion is expressed in the chorus: "For the further it is from Tipperary, the closer it is to Berlin!"
The song has a specific narrative that emphasizes the feelings of soldiers during the war. The first verse speaks of the popular song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," which was a favorite among soldiers on the front. The second verse talks about how the soldiers lose their homesickness when they realize that the further they get from Tipperary, the closer they are to Berlin. The final verse speaks of how the song is universally known by both sides, and how it is a powerful symbol of the war.
In summary, the song "The Further It Is From Tipperary" highlights the soldiers' yearning to get back home while contextualizing the broader effects of the war. Despite its upbeat tempo and lively tune, the song remains a poignant reminder of the toll war can have on people.
Line by Line Meaning
The tommies in the trenches seem to have one favorite song,
Soldiers in the trenches have a popular song which they sing often.
It's a Long Way to Tipperary.
They sing 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary' as it is their favorite song.
It's all you ever hear them singing as they march along,
The soldiers keep singing this song while marching.
It's a Long Way to Go.
The distance is long and the journey will take time.
I got a map the other day and counted all the miles,
I recently got a map and measured the distance.
I broke the news to Pershing and his face was full of smiles;
I informed Pershing and he was happy to hear it.
For the further it is from Tipperary,
The farther we move away from Tipperary,
The closer it is to Berlin!
We are progressing towards Berlin with every step away from Tipperary.
Who cares if Tipperary's far away?
The distance of Tipperary is irrelevant.
The other Potsdam place is getting nearer every day!
We are moving closer to Potsdam, which is more important than Tipperary.
How I long to be back on the Bow'ry, the Bow'ry,
I desire to be back on Bowery, New York City.
But we'll stick over here until we win
However, we will stay until the war is won.
The only song they sing on any Red Cross ship or train
On every Red Cross ship or train, they only sing this song.
I'll bet the angels up above have heard that old refrain
Even the angels in heaven may have heard this song.
The Germans know this song by heart but soon they let it slide
The Germans may know the song but they are losing the war.
For every shell we send them has this message on the side
Every shell we fire has a message on it.
How I long to back on the Bow'ry, the Bow'ry
I still have a desire to go back to Bowery.
Why, the closer it is to Berlin
However, being away from Tipperary is bringing us closer to Berlin.
Contributed by Juliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.