George Asaf

George Henry Powell (27 April 1880 – 3 December 1951) was a Welsh songwriter who, under the pseudonym George Asaf, wrote the lyrics of the marching song "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag" in 1915. The music was written by his brother Felix Powell, and the song was entered into a World War I competition for "best morale-building song". It won first prize and was noted as "perhaps the most optimistic song ever written". Although Felix Powell was a Staff Sergeant in the British Army, George Powell was a pacifist, and became a conscientious objector when conscription was imposed in 1916.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 27, 1880 (St Asaph), Died December 3, 1951 (Hove)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	B-18924	10-in.	12/22/1916	Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile!	Edward Hamilton	Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	PBS-072023	10-in.	1/12/1942	Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag (and smile, smile, smile)	City Slickers ; Spike Jones	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble	lyricist
Columbia	47227	10-in.	12/13/1916	Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag (And smile, smile, smile)	James F. Harrison ; Knickerbocker Quartet	Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra	lyricist
Columbia	77409	10-in.	10/4/1917	War song hits	Columbia Quartette	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	lyricist
Columbia	49303	12-in.	1/25/1918	Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag (and smile, smile, smile)	Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Oscar Seagle	Baritone vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra	lyricist
Edison	5233	10-in.	12/26/1916	Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile	Helen Clark	Female vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra	lyricist

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Asaf, George," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109935.

Asaf, George. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109935.

"Asaf, George." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.