Stop the Cavalry

Jona Lewie

About Stop the Cavalry

"Stop the Cavalry" is a song written and performed by the English musician Jona Lewie, released in 1980. The song peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart in December 1980, at one point only being kept from number one by two re-issued songs by John Lennon, who had been murdered on 8 December that year. Initially a stand-alone single, the song was included on Lewie's album Heart Skips a Beat which was released nearly two years later. In an interview for Channel 4's 100 Greatest Christmas Moments, Lewie said that the song was never intended as a Christmas hit, and that it was a protest song. The line "Wish I was at home for Christmas", as well as the brass band arrangements made it an appropriately styled song to play around Christmas time. Lewie had said that royalties received from the song account for 50 per cent of his income stream. The song's promotional video is set in the trenches of the First World War. The lyrics of the song mention cavalry and Winston Churchill (who served as the First Lord of the Admiralty in the first year of the war, prior to serving in the trenches himself), but it breaks with the First World War theme with references to nuclear fallout and the line "I have had to fight, almost every night, down throughout these centuries". Lewie described the song's soldier as being "a bit like the eternal soldier at the Arc de Triomphe". At the time of the song's release there was an increase in tension between the Western Bloc and the Soviet Union, with American-controlled nuclear cruise missiles being stationed in the UK and a renewed fear of nuclear war, which was referenced in the lyrical mention of the fallout shelter. 


2:56

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Hey, Mr. Churchill comes over here
To say we're doing splendidly
But it's very cold out here in the snow
Marching to and from the enemy
Oh I say it's tough, I have had enough
Can you stop the cavalry?

I have had to fight, almost every night
Down throughout these centuries
That is when I say, oh yes yet again
Can you stop the cavalry?
Mary Bradley waits at home
In the nuclear fall-out zone
Wish I could be dancing now
In the arms of the girl I love

(Dub a dub a dumb dumb)
(Dub a dub dubadum dubadum dub a dub dubadum)
(Dub a dub a dumb dumb)
(Dub a dub dubadum dubadum dub a dub dubadum)

Wish I was at home for Christmas

Bang! That's another bomb on another town
While the Tsar and Jim have tea
If I get home, live to tell the tale
I'll run for all presidencies
If I get elected I'll stop, I will stop the cavalry

(Dub a dub a dumb dumb)
(Dub a dub dubadum dubadum dub a dub dubadum)
(Dub a dub a dumb dumb)
(Dub a dub dubadum dubadum dub a dub dubadum)

Wish I was at home for Christmas

Wish I could be dancing now
In the arms of the girl I love
Mary Bradley waits at home
She has been waiting two years long

Wish I was at home for Christmas

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Jona Lewie

Jona Lewie (born John Lewis, 14 March 1947 in Southampton, England) is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. more »

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10 facts about this song

Genre Classification
"Stop the Cavalry" is best categorized under the genre of synth-pop and Christmas music.
Release Date
Jona Lewie's holiday hit song "Stop the Cavalry" was initially released in the United Kingdom on November 24, 1980.
Chart Performance
Upon its release, the song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in December 1980, and it has been a festive favorite ever since.
Song Message
Despite its popularity during the holiday season, Jona Lewie has stated that the song was never intended as a Christmas hit, and that it is actually about war and its consequences.
Lyrics
In the lyrics, the protagonist is a soldier who wishes to escape the battlefield and return home to his loved ones, with the line "Wish I was at home for Christmas" leading to its association with Christmas and its annual return to the airwaves during the holidays.
Popularity Over Time
Since its release, "Stop the Cavalry" has entered the UK Top 40 chart on a number of occasions, usually around Christmastime.
Notable Instruments
The song is characterized by its distinctive use of a brass band and synthesizers, adding to its unique appeal.
Song Creation
Jona Lewie wrote and recorded the song while living in the Netherlands. He played all the instruments on the track apart from the brass band.
Worldwide Recognition
Aside from the UK, "Stop the Cavalry" also saw chart-topping success across various countries including Ireland, Sweden, and Australia.
Licensing Agreements
Today, song rights for "Stop the Cavalry" are owned by Cherry Red Records, an independent record label based in the UK.

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