[78-L] The debut broadcast of God Bless America

[David Lewis]

C'mon, did he really use a steamer trunk???  That is such a cliche.

>>   the song that became "Blue Skies" spent some years in that filing system as well.

That song came out rather early.  Are you sure you don't mean "Easter 
Parade" which was slightly based on a few bars from "Smile and Show Your 
Dimples"?

No Mike, I meant "Blue Skies," like I said. Belle Baker needed a song in a hurry 
and Berlin produced one from the trunk that became "Blue Skies," and yes 1926 might
be "early" but not for Berlin, who first published in 1909.

Berlin famously had a "steamer trunk;" he had several, in fact. He even referred to
certain of his pieces as "trunk songs." It is NOT a cliche, it was a common way for 
composers to store music -- or people to store things other than music -- early in 
the 20th century. Scott Joplin lost the score to "A Guest of Honor" in one when he 
couldn't pay the boarding fees for his touring company. A bunch of Larry Vincent's 
scores and even test records was found in one belonging to a relative of his.
Occasionally they come up on eBay with a treasure trove inside. Why would you question
such a small detail as that, other than just to bicker?

Mike, if I may be blunt, I don't like the way you have been addressing the community of
late. I know you are hard wired to question anything that anyone says, but you shouldn't
bother to ask questions yourself if all you are going to do is argue with the answers.
We are all friends here, and we are not your students; we are your peers. By treating
us like students you are disrespecting the group.

>> The line "Let us all be grateful that we're far from there" is probably a leftover from 
the earlier form of the song, and meant as a tip of the hat to Wilson's anti-intervention 
policies, which would have been meaningless after April 1917.  

Exactly why I think that this verse dates from 1938, not 1916.  The 
whole verse is essentially moot after Pearl Harbor as well  -- "While 
the storm clouds gather"

>>> 

Whatever. It could apply to either era. That proves nothing.


Uncle Dave Lewis
uncledavelewis at hotmail.com