Roses of Picardy

Roses of Picardy is a popular British song with lyrics by Frederick Weatherly and music by Haydn Wood. Published in London in 1916, it was one of the most famous songs of World War I and has been recorded frequently up to the present day. There are versions in Finnish, French, Spanish, and German; and there are more than 150 recordings, including versions by Mario Lanza and Frank Sinatra. During the war, the song sold at a rate of 50,000 copies (sheet-music) per month. Following the war, the singing of the song helped soldiers who were suffering from shell-shock to regain their speech.

Frederic Weatherly (1848 - 1929) was an English lawyer, author, lyricist, and broadcaster. It is estimated that he wrote the lyrics to at least 3,000 popular songs, among the best-known of which are Danny Boy, The Holy City, and Roses of Picardy.

Haydn Wood (1882 - 1959) was a 20th century English composer and a respected violinist. He was a prolific composer of orchestral music, including 15 suites, 9 rhapsodies, 8 overtures, 3 concertante pieces, and many songs. In 1916, he composed the song Roses of Picardy for his wife.