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September 2020 - Antique Shoppe - 7
“SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE”

Design Trends of the Mid-20th Century
By Donald-Brian Johnson

When The Lights Go On Again: The Songs of World War II

“We’ll meet again, Don’t know where, don’t know when, War II America, “P.S.” was a hit all over again.
But I know we’ll meet again. Some sunny day.” A chuckle went a long way toward relieving stress.
“We’ll Meet Again”, Ross Parker/ Whether clever, corny, or just downright silly, ‘40s novelty
Hughie Charles, 1939 tunes were guaranteed day-brighteners. Some had a military
theme (“The Canteen Bounce”). Others poked barbed fun at
Sentimental. . .patriotic. . .heartfelt. . .and, above all, the enemy (“Der Fuehrer’s Face”, introduced by none other
optimistic. Those words best describe the songs that than Donald Duck!) “The Machine Gun Bounce” even
kept spirits high during the darkest days of World made use of nonsense syllables, with its hilarious
War II. For U.S. servicemen and women (and nearly unsing-able) vocal “ack-acks”.
overseas, as well as for folks “back Regardless of topic, the underlying
on the homefront”, popular theme of the World War
music provided an ongoing II popular song was an
reminder of what the fight unflagging faith in the future.
“over there” was all about. I once asked Patti Andrews, lead
Patriotic tunes are among the singer of “The Andrews Sisters”,
songs most regularly identified with if she could sum up the spirit of
the 1940s. Many, such as “We that time. Patti thought for a
Did It Before And We moment, then responded,
Can Do It Again”, “we were all
served as musical SHOWN TOP: working together
Cliff Friend and Charlie
morale boosters. Tobias’s 1941 rouser, “We Did It — working together
Day-to-day military Before And We Can Do It Again”. • CENTER for something good
life received its musical LEFT: “He’s 1-A In The Army And He’s A-1 In My Heart” — and we found such
due in songs ranging by Redd Evans, 1941. • CENTER RT: “AA-AA-AA, AA- happiness in that.”
AA-AA, AA-AA-AA, AA! Then there were none!”
from the humorous (“Ten Original lyrics from “The Machine Gun Song” by Whether assembling a
Little Soldiers on a Ten Day Al Hoffman, Mann Curtis, and Jerry Livingston, collection of ‘40s favorites
Leave”), to the inspirational 1943. • BOTTOM LEFT: Before the United Nations, there for display, or just gathering
(“Say a Pray’r for the Boys Over was “United Nations On the March”, written by Dimitri Shostakovich an assortment of music to “try
There”), to the heartrending (Bob and Harold Rome for the 1942 MGM release, Thousands Cheer. • BOTTOM RT: at home on your own piano”,
They’ll “change that ‘Heil’ to ‘Whatcha know, Joe?’”: “(There’ll Be A) Hot Time In The Town
Wills’ “White Cross on Okinawa”, Of Berlin When The Yanks Go Marching In” by Sgt. Joe Bushkin and Pvt. John De Vries, 1943. you’ll find the songs of World War II
which concludes, “there’s a White provide a vivid glimpse at a time long
Cross tonight on Okinawa, and a Gold Star in some Mother’s home”). past. (And an inexpensive one too, starting at under $5 per copy.) What was
Life on the homefront was also fair game for ‘40s songwriters, offering a important to these folks? What brought smiles to their faces? What brought
glimpse of domestic demands during wartime. Planting a “Victory Garden”? tears to their eyes? And what, more often than not, made their hearts burst with
So was the energetic “girlie” in “Up To Her Heart In Victory”, defiantly pride? The answers are all there, waiting to be deciphered, and enjoyed once
“waving her scallions at Hitler’s battalions”. Working on the assembly line? more, in the music of “the greatest generation”!
Join the jiving vocalist in “On the Swing Shift”, (enthusiastically noting that “When the lights go on again, all over the world,
“life is fine with my baby on the swing shift”), or the hard-working, dog-tired And the ships will sail again, all over the world
riveter belting out “Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet”! Then we’ll have time for things like wedding rings, And free hearts will sing,
The “girl back home” was featured in many ‘40s songs, whether rhapsodizing When the lights go on again, all over the world!”
about her dreamboat in “He Wears A Pair Of Silver Wings”, or bouncily When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)”
proclaiming “He’s 1-A IN the Army And He’s A-1 In My Heart”. One of the Ed Seiler/Sol Marcus/Bennie Benjemen, 1942
most poignant girl-back-home songs, “P.S. I Love You”, by Gordon Jenkins and Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann
Johnny Mercer, actually made its debut in 1934. Wartime separations, however, Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous Schiffer books on design and collectibles,
gave new meaning to such lyrics as “Dear, I thought I’d drop a line - the weather’s including “Postwar Pop”, a collection of his columns. He’s proud to present this article as a tribute to
the 75th anniversary of World War II’s official end, in September, 1945. Please address inquiries to:
cool, the folks are fine. I’m in bed each night at nine. P.S. I love you”. In World donaldbrian@msn.com

SHOWN L-R: A hit for Sammy Kaye in the 1942 movie Iceland: “Let’s Bring New Glory To Old Glory” by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. • Looking for Love: “Three Little Sisters” by Vic Mizzy and
Irving Taylor, 1942. • “His mind was always in the sky”: Johnny Zero by Vee Lawnhurst and Mack David, 1943. • Honoring the fallen, country-western style: White Cross On Okinawa by Bob Wills,
Cliff Sundin, and “Cactus Jack”, 1945. • A girl needs her sleep: “Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet!”, introduced by Nancy Walker, and written by Don Raye and Gene De Paul, 1944.