Looking for WWII love songs...

Discussion in 'General' started by gwendy730, Dec 8, 2006.

  1. gwendy730

    gwendy730 Junior Member

    :Monkey: Were there some slow, sentimental love songs during this time or were there nothing but patriotic songs (I'm talking American in particular)? Because I'd like to listen in. I'm still using it for my novel.

    By the way, what music devices were available back then (other than radios. Were tapes even invented by then?)? Phonographs? Record players? How much was it?

    Back to love songs. I'm looking for something on or between 1940-1944 (nothing during 1945). I heard "You Always Hurt the One You Love", but it was kind of fast. Was there a slower version played? And I thought this song was a duet.

    Thank you :D I know this isn't like the usual macho wacho posts here about the war, :hoverboy: but music is part of history, wouldn't you say? :eek:

    Thanks again :eek:fftpc:

    PS.

    BTW, I'm looking for the REALLY SENTIMENTAL love songs...
     
  2. jamesicus

    jamesicus Senior Member

    :Monkey: Were there some slow, sentimental love songs during this time or were there nothing but patriotic songs (I'm talking American in particular)? Because I'd like to listen in. I'm still using it for my novel.

    By the way, what music devices were available back then (other than radios. Were tapes even invented by then?)? Phonographs? Record players? How much was it?

    Back to love songs. I'm looking for something on or between 1940-1944 (nothing during 1945). I heard "You Always Hurt the One You Love", but it was kind of fast. Was there a slower version played? And I thought this song was a duet.

    Thank you :D I know this isn't like the usual macho wacho posts here about the war, :hoverboy: but music is part of history, wouldn't you say? :eek:

    Thanks again :eek:fftpc:

    PS.

    BTW, I'm looking for the REALLY SENTIMENTAL love songs...

    There were so many. My own favorite singer was Vera Lynn:

    VERA LYNN SONGS WARTIME TRIBUTE 1940s WWII SONGS & MUSIC LYRICS

    My personal favorite sentimental love songs were:

    We'll meet again
    I'll be seeing you
    White Cliffs of Dover
    The nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

    .......... there were so many other very sentimental songs that don't come to mind at the moment.

    Tapes had not been invented yet -- there was indeed the radio -- gramaphones (record players -- 78 rpm) -- jukeboxes (I think 45 rpm records came out about this time) -- I spent many sixpences in Jukeboxes on the Blackpool front at this time.

    James
     
  3. gwendy730

    gwendy730 Junior Member

    There were so many. My own favorite singer was Vera Lynn:

    VERA LYNN SONGS WARTIME TRIBUTE 1940s WWII SONGS & MUSIC LYRICS

    My personal favorite sentimental love songs were:

    We'll meet again
    I'll be seeing you
    White Cliffs of Dover
    The nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

    .......... there were so many other very sentimental songs that don't come to mind at the moment.

    Tapes had not been invented yet -- there was indeed the radio -- gramaphones (record players -- 78 rpm) -- jukeboxes (I think 45 rpm records came out about this time) -- I spent many sixpences in Jukeboxes on the Blackpool front at this time.

    James

    Thank you so much, James :group2: I currently don't have a sound system in the pc (internet cafe), but I'll look up the song you told me. Thank you so much :eek: By the way, how much did a gramaphone and a record cost back then?

    Thanks for the links :elkgrin:
     
  4. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Thank you so much, James :group2: I currently don't have a sound system in the pc (internet cafe), but I'll look up the song you told me. Thank you so much :eek: By the way, how much did a gramaphone and a record cost back then?

    Thanks for the links :elkgrin:

    Another great site with downloads. Some of the alphabetical listing here.

    WWII WARTIME 1940s SHOW SING-ALONG SONGS & MUSIC-HALL

    WARTIME SONGS 1940/1950s
    A
    AIR FORCE SONG (official USAF "US AIR FORCE SONG"VARIOUS VERSIONS DOWNLOADS
    ALL THE NICE GIRLS LOVE A SAILOR ( music hall see SHIP AHOY) (WORD-SHEET)
    A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BERKLEY SQUARE (Vera Lynn)(lyrics)
    ANTONIO (see Oh Oh Antonio)
    APRIL SHOWERS (AL JOLSON)(Get Lyrics)
    B
    BLESS 'EM ALL (VERA LYNN)DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE
    BYE BYE BLACKBIRD : DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE
    BILL BAILEY (see WONT YOU COME HOME BILL BAILEY) 1902 CLICK HERE
    BRITISH NATIONAL ANTHEM (Words/lyrics & Download}
    C
    D
    DOING THE LAMBETH WALK (by Noel Gay 1937) (Artiste Lupino Lane) (words and dance steps here)
    DON'T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE (Glenn Miller Orchestra) (words)
    DON'T DILLY DALLY ON THE WAY (My old man said follow the van) (GET WORDS)
    DOWN AT THE OLD BULL AND BUSH (GET WORDS)
    E
    ENTERTAINER (the) GET MIDI
    F
    G
    GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART &nbspDOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE
    GOD SAVE THE QUEEN (words & download)
    H
    HARBOUR LIGHTS (I saw the harbour lights) &nbspDOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE
    HAPPY DAYS AND LONELY NIGHTS &nbspDOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE (Ruth Etting)
    HEART OF MY HEART (how I love that melody) (MUSIC HALL words)
    HE WEARS A PAIR OF SILVER WINGS WORDS AND DOWNLOAD MUSIC
    HOLD YOUR HAND OUT YOU NAUGHTY BOY (MUSIC HALL SONG) (LYRICS WORDS SHEET)
    HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW :(GET WORDS)
    I
    I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE 1909 (music Hall Florrie Forde) (words)
    I LEFT MY HEART AT THE STAGEDOOR CANTEEN (words and sample)
    I LIKE BANANNAS (Because they have no bones) (sheet Music)
    I'LL BE SEEING YOU (Irving Kahal / Sammy Fain) (1938) various artistes(words and sample not Jill)
    I'LL PRAY FOR YOU DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CLICK HERE
    BYE BYE BLACKBIRD (words & download)
    IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY &nbspJack Judge and Harry Williams (1912) ORIGINAL WORDS AND AUDIO HERE
    IT'S A SIN TO TELL A LIE (Vera Lynn)(Ruth Etting) (words)
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  6. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE


    YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO DOWNLOAD FROM
    JILL DANIELS
    www.jilldaniels.com/alwayshurt.mp3
    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD


    RETURN TO SELECTION PAGE

    YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE

    song words & music by Alan Roberts and Doris Fisher 1944

    You always hurt the one you love
    The one you shouldn't hurt at all
    You always take the sweetest rose
    And crush it till the petals fall
    You always break the kindest heart
    With a hasty word you can't recall - So
    If I broke your heart last night, it's because I love you most of all
     
  7. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

  8. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

    Hi Gwendy,

    where do you purpose to set the scene where this music is heard? If you're setting it within the Phillipines, then the most common forms of music heard would either have been either local phillipine music played live (with heavy restrictions placed upon the types and content of the songs played by the Japanese), or Japanese music, which would have been listened to by a very small minority of the population because most gramophone players and radios would have been confisctaed by the Japanese.

    Japanese songs, or songs with Japanese autherisation tended to be either militiristic, or "traditional" and senti,ental. However, music with western overtones (for example jazz had been very popular in Japan before the war but had been banned as music of the enemy during it) was prohibited.
     
  9. Kitty

    Kitty Very Senior Member

    I'm Stepping Out with a Memory Tonight.
    Lili Marlene
    I've Heard that Song Before (Rather fast paced, but good)
    Moonlight Serenade (Instrumental)
    Moonlight Cocktail

    Gwendy, if you want I can email these songs to you. Do you have a computer you can play them on?
     
  10. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Lamplighters Serenade - Glenn Millier

    String of Pearls - Glenn Miller

    Sur la Mer - Charles Trenet (French and later sung by Bobby Darin as "somewhere beyond the sea"

    La Vie en Rose - Edith Piaf
     
  11. jacobtowne

    jacobtowne Senior Member

    If memory serves, 45 rpm records first appeared in the early 1950s.

    One of my favorites is "As Time Goes By" from the movie Casablanca, but I can't say whether that fits Gwendy's definition here.

    JT
     
  12. jamesicus

    jamesicus Senior Member

    If memory serves, 45 rpm records first appeared in the early 1950s.

    One of my favorites is "As Time Goes By" from the movie Casablanca, but I can't say whether that fits Gwendy's definition here.

    JT

    That is a good one, JT -- I believe you are right about the 45 rpm records -- on reflection, I only recall buying 78 rpm records even into the immediate post-war years.

    James
     
  13. jacobtowne

    jacobtowne Senior Member

    Play it, Sam.

    JT
     

    Attached Files:

  14. gwendy730

    gwendy730 Junior Member

    Hi Gwendy,

    where do you purpose to set the scene where this music is heard? If you're setting it within the Phillipines, then the most common forms of music heard would either have been either local phillipine music played live (with heavy restrictions placed upon the types and content of the songs played by the Japanese), or Japanese music, which would have been listened to by a very small minority of the population because most gramophone players and radios would have been confisctaed by the Japanese.

    Japanese songs, or songs with Japanese autherisation tended to be either militiristic, or "traditional" and senti,ental. However, music with western overtones (for example jazz had been very popular in Japan before the war but had been banned as music of the enemy during it) was prohibited.

    Whoa! Thanks for the historical inputs Kyt! I could use it!

    And spidge, thanks for directing me to the radio :) I'm getting a real kick at listening to the oldies. I love it! :cheers: LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT :indexCANAHAIH: I can't listen to the other songs though. I don't know why they don't play.

    Back to Kyt. The scenario is the two lovers...well, they're alone of course, dancing to a melody but it's a bittersweet moment for them. The war is coming to a close and both know it's gonna be brutal (Manila, Philippines). They acquired a gramaphone somehow and played American records in their secret haven. I'm thinking of setting this on Christmas Eve or day.

    Any more suggestions would be welcome :)

    ps.

    I'm leaning towards Frank Sinatra's songs esp. Close to You, Kiss Me Again, People will say we're in love, I fall in love too Easily, and some others (I would've loved The Night is Young and You're so Beautiful, but it's in 1945; not in my timeframe of 1940-1941)
     
  15. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

    Hi Gwendy,

    As you’re finding out the evocation of mood and context using cultural references is a tricky business, especially in fiction.

    The use of media in evoking the right time-period depends very much on a number of factors to put it into context:

    Availability
    Popularity
    Social control
    Political control
    Variable time period

    Each of these factors played an important part in most occupied countries (in Asia and Europe) when one is examining what people watched and listened to as entertainment.

    If we examine the likely scenario in the Philippines (and I must point that I’m no expert on the Philippines and the Japanese occupation, but am using nuggets that I have picked up in my readings, and by extrapolating information from other countries occupied by the Japanese):

    Availability / Variable time period:
    As I have already stated in the previous post, the availability of equipment to play and/or listen music would have been limited by the Japanese confiscation orders. However, if any equipment was hidden away during the occupation (which is very likely), it would have gramophones, radios etc from the 1930s (and not the 1940s as listed in other posts). The logic for this assumption is that any such equipment (unless owned by the fairly well off or the Americans), would not have been available whilst under occupation. The same would probably hold true for the records – one would have to ask how the records that were popular in America, Britain, etc got to the Philippines during 1942-45? So it’s highly unlikely that stocks would have been replenished (just as an aside – Japanese material would have been available but that’s not what you seem to be looking for).

    The same could be said for other mediums of entertainment – it was either clandestine, or government sponsored. Philippino films, unless sanctioned by the Japanese, were non-existent. The theatre was popular, but just as in occupied Europe, obvious references had to be removed. But I’m sure, just as in Europe, metaphorical plays, slipped through the censors’ nets.

    Popularity

    Now, this is tricky. If records were available, what would they have been, and how popular were they? Don’t forget that Catholicism was (is?) very strong, and so popular entertainment before the war was very restricted (except for the music played by the US troops). And there was a real conflict between what the young wanted, what the church wanted, and what the nationalists (who were fighting, politically and/or physically against the US pre-war occupation) wanted (ha, nothing changes).

    Social/Political control
    I’ve already mentioned the controls on what was available, but in addition, you should be aware of the fact that any activity that you describe doesn’t just have to be hidden from the Japanese, but from the collaborators, of which there were many. Even though the vast majority of the “common” people were anti-Japanese, a sizeable part of the middle-class and political class were pro. You asked about the Kempatai in an earlier post – well their small numbers belies the fact that they depended on indigenous spies for their information. By 1945 (in context to your setting), this situation had gotten worse.

    As to Sinatra – his career flourished during the war, but the availability of his records, in Philippines would be highly unlikely.

    If you would like to know the cultural influences from the 1930s, check out these sites:

    American History - 1930-1939

    [FONT=&quot]http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug03/Jukebox/front.html[/FONT]
     
  16. gwendy730

    gwendy730 Junior Member

    Hi Gwendy,

    As you’re finding out the evocation of mood and context using cultural references is a tricky business, especially in fiction.

    The use of media in evoking the right time-period depends very much on a number of factors to put it into context:

    Availability
    Popularity
    Social control
    Political control
    Variable time period

    Each of these factors played an important part in most occupied countries (in Asia and Europe) when one is examining what people watched and listened to as entertainment.

    If we examine the likely scenario in the Philippines (and I must point that I’m no expert on the Philippines and the Japanese occupation, but am using nuggets that I have picked up in my readings, and by extrapolating information from other countries occupied by the Japanese):

    Availability / Variable time period:
    As I have already stated in the previous post, the availability of equipment to play and/or listen music would have been limited by the Japanese confiscation orders. However, if any equipment was hidden away during the occupation (which is very likely), it would have gramophones, radios etc from the 1930s (and not the 1940s as listed in other posts). The logic for this assumption is that any such equipment (unless owned by the fairly well off or the Americans), would not have been available whilst under occupation. The same would probably hold true for the records – one would have to ask how the records that were popular in America, Britain, etc got to the Philippines during 1942-45? So it’s highly unlikely that stocks would have been replenished (just as an aside – Japanese material would have been available but that’s not what you seem to be looking for).

    The same could be said for other mediums of entertainment – it was either clandestine, or government sponsored. Philippino films, unless sanctioned by the Japanese, were non-existent. The theatre was popular, but just as in occupied Europe, obvious references had to be removed. But I’m sure, just as in Europe, metaphorical plays, slipped through the censors’ nets.

    Popularity

    Now, this is tricky. If records were available, what would they have been, and how popular were they? Don’t forget that Catholicism was (is?) very strong, and so popular entertainment before the war was very restricted (except for the music played by the US troops). And there was a real conflict between what the young wanted, what the church wanted, and what the nationalists (who were fighting, politically and/or physically against the US pre-war occupation) wanted (ha, nothing changes).

    Social/Political control
    I’ve already mentioned the controls on what was available, but in addition, you should be aware of the fact that any activity that you describe doesn’t just have to be hidden from the Japanese, but from the collaborators, of which there were many. Even though the vast majority of the “common” people were anti-Japanese, a sizeable part of the middle-class and political class were pro. You asked about the Kempatai in an earlier post – well their small numbers belies the fact that they depended on indigenous spies for their information. By 1945 (in context to your setting), this situation had gotten worse.

    As to Sinatra – his career flourished during the war, but the availability of his records, in Philippines would be highly unlikely.

    If you would like to know the cultural influences from the 1930s, check out these sites:

    American History - 1930-1939

    [FONT=&quot]http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug03/Jukebox/front.html[/FONT]

    Whoa...I didn't know I had to go through that much research. Thanks for the info, kyt! They're very useful.

    Now, if only I could get Frank Sinatra's singing out of my head for just as second...okay.

    Let's say, for the sake of argument, the guy acquires the records. Ah, damn. I want so much to use Frank Sinatra's songs. There's no way there'd be any, right? Then again, I could be going for instrumentals, but I want the guy to sing to his ladylove (just to add to the romance).

    Okay, back to Frank Sinatra. Been listening like crazy to "The night is young...and you're so beautiful..."

    I love the oldies!:D I miss my grandpa :( He sang a lot of old songs to me and he had the most beautiful baritone voice. BTW, does anyone know this song?

    "Twinkling, twinkling
    Twinkling in my heart
    If you laugh
    Hahaha
    If you laugh
    You're a man
    If you cry
    Hu hu hu
    If you cry you are a baby
    If you dance, if you dance,
    You are a lady"

    It's my grandpa's official lullaby song to all us grandkids. I don't know if it was from before the war...

    Again, thanks for the inputs

    And spidge, thank you SOOOO much for directing me to world war II radio! Just wish I could hear the other songs though. Are they not uploaded or is it just me? Thanks anyway! I love Frank Sinatra (who doesn't?)
     
  17. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

    Ahh, you old softie!! :D

    If you're getting into 1940s music then tune into

    Online Old Time Radio Radio Station - Live365 Internet Radio - KCIX 1940's Nostalgia

    Live 365 host a number of internet radio stations and this one plays 1940s stuff exclusively. However, as it's a radio station, you have to listen to whatever's being played. As with any era, there's some real dross, but some good stuff too.

    I listen to a number of stations on Live 365, and they're pretty good. Just need to click the play triangle, and a pop up appears asking for connection speed. Hey presto.
     
  18. Kitty

    Kitty Very Senior Member

    Whoa...I didn't know I had to go through that much research. Thanks for the info, kyt! They're very useful.

    Now, if only I could get Frank Sinatra's singing out of my head for just as second...okay.

    Let's say, for the sake of argument, the guy acquires the records. Ah, damn. I want so much to use Frank Sinatra's songs. There's no way there'd be any, right? Then again, I could be going for instrumentals, but I want the guy to sing to his ladylove (just to add to the romance).

    Okay, back to Frank Sinatra. Been listening like crazy to "The night is young...and you're so beautiful..."

    I love the oldies!:D I miss my grandpa :( He sang a lot of old songs to me and he had the most beautiful baritone voice. BTW, does anyone know this song?

    "Twinkling, twinkling
    Twinkling in my heart
    If you laugh
    Hahaha
    If you laugh
    You're a man
    If you cry
    Hu hu hu
    If you cry you are a baby
    If you dance, if you dance,
    You are a lady"

    It's my grandpa's official lullaby song to all us grandkids. I don't know if it was from before the war...

    Again, thanks for the inputs

    And spidge, thank you SOOOO much for directing me to world war II radio! Just wish I could hear the other songs though. Are they not uploaded or is it just me? Thanks anyway! I love Frank Sinatra (who doesn't?)

    I have an inkling that a very young Frank Sinatra sang with a number of bands in the early/late 40's. Could be worth checking out.

    As to the instrumentals, many of them did have words written to them. i have personally heard lyrics sung to Moonlight Serenade. Very odd, but I can't recall what or who it was by now.

    Afraid I have no idea about the song your granddad used to sing. I don't recognise it at all.
     
  19. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

    BTW, does anyone know this song?

    "Twinkling, twinkling
    Twinkling in my heart
    If you laugh
    Hahaha
    If you laugh
    You're a man
    If you cry
    Hu hu hu
    If you cry you are a baby
    If you dance, if you dance,
    You are a lady"

    It's my grandpa's official lullaby song to all us grandkids. I don't know if it was from before the war...



    It seems to be a variation of a nursery rhyme, but I can't find any details on it's history or origins

    Tickle ye, tickle ye in the hand.
    If you laugh, you are a man.
    If you cry, you are a baby.
    If you dance, you are a lady.


    Nursery Rhymes About Parts of the Body
     
  20. gwendy730

    gwendy730 Junior Member

    It seems to be a variation of a nursery rhyme, but I can't find any details on it's history or origins

    Tickle ye, tickle ye in the hand.
    If you laugh, you are a man.
    If you cry, you are a baby.
    If you dance, you are a lady.


    Nursery Rhymes About Parts of the Body


    WOW! Thanks Kyt! It may be exactly that! I'm thinking my grandfather learned that nursery rhyme in school and made a song out of it. He did love making songs and singing so. He was awfully good and performed in front of the town. Of course, for his grandchildren, the performance was free :D :group2: And thanks for the radio link. I can't access it right now, but I'll try in an internet cafe. Thanks again :D
     

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