By%20Alex%20Margolis,%20Horace%20Greeley%20H.S. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Title: By%20Alex%20Margolis,%20Horace%20Greeley%20H.S.


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AMERICAN MUSIC DURING WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II
AND VIETNAM

• By Alex Margolis, Horace Greeley H.S.

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During the Civil War, when soldiers from
different states with varying music backgrounds
came together, they brought their music and when
combined, created the style and songs we know
today as American Music

• Dixie
• Battle Hymn of the Republic
• When Johnny comes Marching Home
• Battle Cry of Freedom

While these songs are not ones usually associated
with WWI, WWII or Vietnam, their tune and style
influenced future American war music, including
that of the three wars.
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WORLD WAR ONEBEGINS
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AMERICAN NEUTRALITY
When war broke out in Europe, Americans
recognized the hard work England was doing on the
other side of the pond. In the first two years of
the war, Americans for the most part were not
willing to send their boys off but supported what
Britain was doing against the central powers.
Its a long way to Tipperary was written in
honor of the British fight. Tipperary is actually
in Ireland and the Tipperary Guards were
militiamen of Ireland who were called up to
fight the Central Powers
lt----
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AMERICAN NEUTRALITY (cont.)
Americans had been involved in the
Spanish-American War and the mess in Philippines
15 years prior to WWI and were not in the mood to
send their boys to die again. Isolationism was
not unpopular. A very popular song reflecting the
publics attitude was Dont Take My Darling Boy
Away.
The mother in this song is begging the captain
not to take her last son as she has already lost
her husband and other three sons in service to
the country. The song shows how Americans did not
feel the war was on in which they should send
their family over to fight in.
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A mother was kneeling to pray For loved ones at
war far away? And there by her side, her one joy
and pride,? knelt down with her that day
Don't take my darling boy away from me,? Don't
send him off to war You took his father and
brothers three,? Now you've come back for more
The song continues to describe the mothers
horror at having the face the reality that she
might lose her husband and all sons to fight in a
war that was wrong
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Americans Lean Towards War
As Germany increased its submarine warfare
against all ships, both civilian and military,
Americans became more and more willing to enter
the war. Then the Zimmerman telegraph, which at
first was believed to be a fraud, made way for a
huge amount of anti German sentiment in the
United States and on April 6, 1917, Congress
declared war on Germany. The popular music went
from anti-involvement to patriotic and ready to
fight the enemy. There was a shift from songs
like Dont Take My Darling Boy Away to tunes
such as Liberty Bell and America, Heres My
Boy
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THEN
Much like the North in the beginning of the Civil
War, Americans believed once they arrived in
Europe, the Germans would run away. Of course,
once they the soldiers started living in the
trenches, it became a different story.
NOW
America, Heres My Boy provided Americans with
the tempo and lyrics that they wanted to hear at
the time. Place a gun upon his shoulder, ?He
is ready to die or do
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Jazz in WWI
Many African Americans fought in WWI, though they
were in segregated units. Within their units,
they brought their own music to Europe in the
form of Jazz. When first landing in France, an
African American Jazz band played a jazz form of
La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France.
At first the French soldiers were confused then
realized the band was playing Frances song and
proceeded to salute and gave African American
soldiers more respect throughout the war than the
soldiers seen back home in the states.
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Make your daddy gladTo have had such a lad.Tell
your sweetheart not to pine,To be proud her
boy's in line.
And possibly the most popular and famous American
song of The Great War
Johnnie, get your gun,? Get your gun, get your
gun,? Take it on the run,?On the run, on the run
Hear them calling, you and me, Every son of
liberty.? Hurry right away,? No delay, go today,
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George Michael Cohan, the writer of Over There,
was born July 3, 1878. Prior to WWI, he was very
successful, writing songs for Broadway such as
Youre a Grand Old Flag and Yankee Doodle
Dandy.

• Cohan wrote this famous song while onboard a
  train in his daily commute to New York City.
• First performed at a Red Cross fundraiser in 1917
  where it was sung by Charles King.
• President Wilson described the song as "a genuine
  inspiration to all American manhood.
• By the end of the war, two million pieces of
  sheet music were sold and Cohan was awarded an
  honorary Congressional medal.

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1100 AM on 11/11/1918 - The Great War Ends
Like most other wars, Americans were extremely
happy to see their boys again. There were
celebrations in the street and the day would be
remembered as Armistice Day. Soon after, Bud
Green wrote the lyrics to Welcome Home. In the
album cover, the returning solider is portrayed
in
an almost angelic or godly like figure as
according to the song Each baby will be glad to
see her fighting dad and this whole nation's
proud to see you here.
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In the early afternoon, 23 years after the end of
the the war to end all wars, a radio listener
in the United States may have been listening to
any radio station when the news flash came in
that America was no longer excluded from the war
happening in Europe and Asia. It wasnt long
until songs starting coming out about the event,
only 10 days for the first of many to be
recorded. After the loss of 2,300 soldiers and
sailors, America began putting out the patriotic
songs, much like it had done in WWI.
Dec. 7, 1941A date which will live in infamy
Pearl Harbor Attacked
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Home Radio and WWII
While radio communication was invented in the
19th century and was used for military purposes
in World War I, it didnt become widespread in
homes until the 1920s and 30s. Throughout the
war, the government used the radio
to broadcast propaganda and news. The radio also
allowed to the music of the time to be heard by a
wider audience which allowed music to have even
more of an influence on American society. Not
until the television became popular a little more
than a decade later, radio became the dominant
source for news and later on, music.
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Sammy Kaye born in 1910, was a conductor of
during the big band era in which jazz and swing
were popular. He performed with such stars as
Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Kaye
wrote a song appropriately titled Remember Pearl
Harbor, a rally cry as can be seen by the cover,
tempo and lyrics Lets remember Pearl Harbor,
as we go to meet the foe
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Not only was Remember Pearl Harbor one of the
first WWII battle songs, but it was one of the
most famous, (3 on the charts within weeks)
broadcasted heavily and often sung at social
events.
The attack on Pearl Harbor awoke the sleeping
giant and immediately created a pro-war and
anti-Japanese sentiment within the United States.
War on Japan was declared the day after. There
were no popular anti-war movements as there were
in the first world war and the music in this case
reflected it perfectly here as posters show
Americans wanting to hit back at the Japs.
Remember Pearl Harbor was followed by a number
of very popular patriotic American songs.
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Kayes Remember Pearl Harbor was not the only
patriotic song at the time by any means. Soon
after Pearl Harbor, Frank Loesser wrote the music
and words to Praise the Lord and Pass the
Ammunition. The song is not only patriotic but
with the lyrics and tempo, proves itself to be a
very good morale booster. The lyrics say to
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition and
well all stay
free. During the time when this song was
recorded in 1942, Americans were gearing up and
preparing for war. This song reflects Americans
motivation and teamwork to support the troops so
everyone can all stay free.
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Frank Loesser
While most Americans happily prepared to go to
war and many enlisted, the time came where the
boys stated to be missed and the boys missed back
home. In 1944, Frank Loesser, writer of Praise
the Lord and Pass the Ammunition, wrote First
Class Private Mary Brown, telling the story of a
fictional soldier who met a very attractive
female soldier as he was being shipped off to
fight and cant wait to return to see her again.

• The song reflects many soldiers eagerness to go
  home to see their family, wives, girlfriends, and
  home in general.

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Oh therell be bluebirds over, the white cliffs
of Dover
Much like the song Its a Long Way to Tipperary
in WWI, There'll Be Blue Birds Over the White
Cliffs of Dover is a song written appreciating
the fight the Brits were carrying out against
Hitler. Dover and its famous white cliffs are
located southeast England, the closest city to
mainland Europe and Hitlers air raids. This
song, originally written by Nat Burton, became
very popular and was covered by many artists,
including Glenn Miller and Kate Smith.
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Women in the War
As the men went off to fight the Nazis and
Japanese, women came to the factories to fill
their places. This famous painting ---gt by J.
Howard Miller, represents Rosie the Riveter the
strong, competent female defense worker. As songs
were being recorded about the men going off to
war, one song was written about the women going
off the factories, called Rosie the Riveter.
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Rosie the Riveter by Redd Evans and
John Jacob Leob
"All the day long, Whether rain or shine, She's
a part of the assembly line. She's making
history, Working for victory, Rosie the
Riveter. Keeps a sharp lookout for sabotage,
Sitting up there on the fuselage. That little
girl will do more than a male will do."
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Benny Goodman
As the war was coming to a close, Benny Goodman,
a famous Jazz musician, wrote My Guy's Come Back,
a song from the point of a view of a soldiers
girlfriend or wife, overjoyed with her partners
return. No more blues for me, no more no more,
Just good news for me, Just good news in the
store
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1954 French pull out of Indochina
1963 Number of U.S. military advisors in S.
Vietnam reaches 15,000
1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, U.S. retaliates
with air strikes against N. Vietnam
1965 180,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam
1968 that number reaches 525,000
1969 Massive Anti War protests pick up
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The Vietnam War on the home front was unlike any
other American war. Within months of first
committing troops to Vietnam, protests began. The
catalyst was a teach in at the University of
Michigan (March 25, 1965), where lectures talked
to students about the problem with America
getting involved with Vietnam and on April 17 of
the same year, around 20,000 students gathered
for the first of many protests in Washington D.C.
The hippie movement began during this time
period and nearly all the popular songs of the
era were anti-war and remained that way until the
war ended.
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Country Joe McDonald led his band The Fish in
singing I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag. Joe
McDonald served in the Navy in Vietnam, for two
years before the song was written in 1965. The
relatively early date the song was released
combined with the eye witness writing made the
song very popular. It was played at Woodstock in
1969.
And it's one, two, three,?What are we fighting
for ??Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,?Next
stop is Vietnam?And it's five, six, seven,?Open
up the pearly gates,?Well there ain't no time to
wonder why,?Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

• The song blames the politicians for the trouble
  that draftees, trapped in the system have to go
  through and justifies their wanting to escape it.

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Or otherwise known as simply Creedence was one
of the most active anti war bands at the time.
One of their most famous, and still remains
popular to this day is Fortunate Son. The
lyrics tell in first person of someone who has
just been drafted and strongly opposed the idea.
While the song criticized the system, it
supports the actual soldiers. The song is still
used in anti-war movements as its lyrics are
against war but at the same time, its tempo very
motivating Some lyrics include

• Yeh, some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
• ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand, Lord,
why don't they help themselves? oh. But when the
taxman come to the door, Lord, the house look a
like a rummage sale, yes,
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate
one, NO NO
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twewetwetwt
Woodstock, August, 1969
The Woodstock festival, actually held in
Wallkill, NY, is considered to be the most famous
music festival of all time. Taking place in 1969,
near the height of the Vietnam War with
approximately half a million young, hippie
attendees, was iconic of the very strong anti war
feeling of the time. Some musical performers
included Jimi Hendrix (whos cover of the Star
Spangled Banner is playing now), Joe McDonald,
Credence, Grateful Dead and others, all
influential artists at the time.
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In early May in 1970, protests against military
action in Cambodia took place over the course of
a few days at Kent State University. When the
protests turned violent, the Ohio National Guard
was called in.
Four students were killed when novice troops
fired into the crowed. Two of the four students
were not part of the protest, but were actually
walking to class

• Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSNY) wrote
  Ohio, commemorating the dead students and
  aggressively protesting the actions taken by the
  Guard. Another song in protest of the U.S.
  Military at the time.

Gotta get down to it Soldiers are cutting us
down Should have been done long ago...
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The music produced during WWI, WWII and
especially Vietnam have had an impact on our
popular music today. The Vietnam War allowed the
new rock and roll to develop to almost the
point that its at today. The change style of
the songs over the course of these three wars is
clear. Going from upbeat and patriotic to
anti-war and anti-authority. One thing is
clear. Music will continue to shape and reflect
Americans attitude towards the wars they send
their boys to fight in.
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Bibliography

• American Music Goes to War." Parlor Songs. Nov.
  2000. The Parlor Songs Association. 26 May 2006
  lthttp//parlorsongs.com/issues/2000-11/2000-11.asp
  gt.
• Music History of the United States During the
  Civil War Era." Wikipedia. 17 May 2006. 28 May
  2006 lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_history_o
  f_the_United_States_during_the_Civil_War_eragt.
• World War One as Illustrated on Sheet Music."
  Parlor Songs. Nov. 2000. The Parlor Songs
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• Burns, Ken. "Wolrd War I." Jazz a Film by Ken
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• George M. Cohan." Wikipedia. 5 May 2006. 1 June
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• Pearl Harbor Attack Sounds Pictures." Earth
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• Sheet Music Praise the Lord and Pass the
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  i.edu/collections/object.cfm?key35objkey81gt.

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Bibliography

• Frank Loesser." Songwriters Hall of Fame. 1 June
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• Therell Be Blue Birds Over the White Cliffs of
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