George Michael Cohan (1878–1942) is an American entertainer and theatrical producer who also did a lot of writing and composing for the stage. He wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs, including Over There and The Yankee Doodle Boy.
Cohan started writing for vaudeville and minstrel shows while in his teens. Some of his most famous songs, such as Give My Regards to Broadway, were part of the 1904 show Little Johnny Jones, which turned out to be his first big Broadway hit.
Before World War I Cohan became known as ‘the man who owned Broadway’, due to his many-faceted efforts in American show business. Some of his shows would run simultaneously in five theatres. He is widely regarded as the father of American musical comedy.
Over There is a 1917 war song that was popular with the United States military as well as the American public in general during World War I and World War II. The term «Over There» means in fact France.
It is a patriotic motivational song initially encouraging American men to enlist in the American Expeditionary Forces and fight the Germans on what was called the Western Front in Northern France.
Although president Woodrow Wilson had been re-elected on an anti-war platform, he had to hastily prepare for war because Americans were outraged when German submarines started sinking American merchant ships, and particularly after the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in May 1915, when 1,197 of the 1,960 people aboard were killed.
US troops began to arrive in Europe by June 1917 and served in major combat operations. They contributed decisively in the final Hundred Days Offensive before armistice was agreed in November 1918.
Performing with a singer? Complete lyrics are available here:
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George Michael Cohan (1878–1942) is an American entertainer and theatrical producer who also did a lot of writing and composing for the stage. He wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs, including Over There and The Yankee Doodle Boy.
Performing with a singer? Complete lyrics are available here: 
