Song, which was published in 1938, by which time it had already been known for some years. The song dates back to at least 1918 and appears to have been sung widely in London on November 11 of that year - Armistice Night - at the end of the First World War. The 1938 version is attributed to Bert Lee and Harris Weston. The song became popular in English public houses and was particularly associated with Cockney culture.
