World War II was hard on this country, and forced many changes. Rosy the Riveter made her appearance, women started conserving stockings, and things no one expected to run short… ran short. A women’s baseball league was formed to give people something to watch while the basball players went off to war. It took decades for those female players to recieve the recognition they deserved. But through it all, the bands played on. One of the hottest groups of the war was the Andrews Sisters, and one of the most popular songs was BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY.

The song “Puttin’ On The Ritz” made a big splash when Fred Astaire danced to it. Personally, I have always consideered his to be the “authentic” version, certainly the best. There is just a timeless, classic apeal in the singing and dancing talents of Fred Astaire.

In the 1980s, long after Fred Astaire was finished with it, Taco remade the song with more modern effects. However, no sooner was the video released then controversy hit, and BIG. The whole video had to be edited and re-released, because Taco’s original video showed two men in vaudevillian minstrel “blackface”. The fact that the makeup was exactly in keepig with the period of the song made no difference, history was swept under the rug in favor of political correctness. THIS is the “banned” version, which still contains the minstrel makeup. You decide.

The Big Band sound was one that has never found it’s equal, and the great band directors have all earned a spot in history. But when Glenn Miller went to war, the country held it’s breath. When he died, it felt as though the music died with him. I suppose it seems that way every time a musical great leaves us, but this one seemed just a bit… more so. I don’t reocognize the singer or dancers in this clip, but the band is that of Glenn Miller. So here we go, on the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

Back in the seventies, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” was a movie. I do not recall all the stars, but the main role was played by Kristy McNichol. Tanya Tucker did an incredible job wit the original song, and I am displaying that one first.

Much later, in the nineties, Reba McEntire came along and, well, completely rewrote the entire sone. If you ask me, little moe than the title is the same. Taken as the same song, um, no. But, seen as completely different songs, they are both great. Here’s the one from Reba… you can decide for yourself.

Gladys Knight has become a true icon in this country, and there is reason for it. She is GOOD. This particular clip is from back in the seventies, the early seventies, before she went Pip-less. I truly love watching these old clips. Just the clothing styles alone make it well worth it.

I read the book “Ode to Billy Joe” when it came out, oh, back in the sixties, I suppose. And I saw the movie, I think Robbie Benson was in it. The movie and the song were from the seventies, I do believe… that’s where I am putting this one, anyway. If I am wrong, let me know and i will re-catagorize it. Bobby Gentry does an excellent job with a song that makes no sense whatsoever if you haven’t read the book, or at least seen the movie. Homosexual conduct was a pretty cloaked topic back then in most circles, and I suppose that, even though that was underneath the storyline in the book, they just didn’t feel like putting it into the song. The song is good, anyway.

The Wilburn Brothers are a really big deal here in my neck of the woods. They grew up just down the road from here, and played on street corners just across the state line when they were trying to get people to notice their music. It’s being decided on, I believe, which bridge (or street, I forget which) is going to be renamed for them the next time the Hardy, Arkansas city council meets. The Wilburn Brothers went on to become quite famous. In the sixties they even had their own television show, where they hosted people like Jeannie C. Riley, singing HARPER VALLEY PTA.

The 1980s were a somewhat steadier time than most. The oil crisis was, for a moment in time, over, Microsoft was causing an full blown electronic revolution, the economy was good overall. And in the music world, the sounds were more diverse than they had ever been before. We will show that over the course of time, as our collection from this era grows. We didn’t always know what the words actually meant, but we loved dancing to songs… like GOLD, from Spandau Ballet.

The 1930s were a difficult time. Picture it. It’s the height of the great depression. Thousands are starving. There’s no work anywhere, no way for people to make a living. Many lost hope. Many committed suicide, many died of starvation or of diseases brought on by malnutrition, or by weakened bodies. But through it all, pulling people along, there was always music. Songs like I AIN’T GOT NOBODY by the Mills Brothers helped people forget their problems for a while.

There are so many kinds of music, and most are so incredibly good. This particular piece, by the unmatchable Franz Liszt, is a fine example of a Hungarian Rhapsody. It does run a little long, and the dramatic presentation behind it should not be allowed to color your impressions of the music itself, but it definitely needed to be included in this collection. I hope you enjoy it.