A Song That Will Live in Infamy

The best thing about World War II music is the very fact that there is an actual "genre" of music that is comprised of music solely produced for the support of the troops and the war itself. Throughout history, as we have probably learned numerous times, there was a gigantic war effort once the U.S. entered WWII. And, at least in my opinion, the best effort was shown through the music of the time, which was endorsed by big name celebrities. It reflected the morale of society: no one wanted to lose faith in the country. I don't know if it was the fear of speaking out against the war effort, or just the overall support of WWII itself, but I do not see the same effect of the current war on society today. True, there is no draft, or rationing for supplies, however, there are still troops overseas, and I am sure that they would enjoy a good old fashioned USO dance to come home to once in a while! It seems to me that musicians during WWII were more conscious of the war and more willing to put forth time, effort, and money to contribute in any way possible. In those times, people like Cole Porter, Bing Crosby, The Andrew Sisters, and many more musicians produced songs about life in WWII, such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Even as the years went on, and wars erupted and fizzled out, such as the Vietnam War, there were still musicians who cared enough about war to compose songs about it. Granted, these songs were mostly protest songs, written by artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many others. Even though songs such as "Blowin' In The Wind" outwardly protested war, they were still a reaction. As mentioned in lecture, today, you don't find many songs about anything concerning war or the country's state of being, or even movement of support or protest in popular culture. Do you think this is because celebrities are uneducated about the affairs of the world, or do you think they simply don't care?