ABSTRACT
During the conflict of World War I, song could be used to express patriotic fervour or nostalgia for a peaceful civilian life, but it was mostly to play a role in the everyday life of French soldiers. In this contribution, we propose to describe the departure in song of French soldiers, then to show how the song became the companion of the French soldier at the front line. From primary sources such as the letters and war diaries of mobilized musicians, the civilian press and trench newspapers, we shall try to understand the role of song amid the din of war.
