"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" - The Merry Macs (1942)

Today is the 73^rd Anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and it may not seem so special. But in a way it is. The attack took place on a Sunday morning; just like today; making it especially poignant when the occasion does fall on a Sunday every 7 years or so.

This song is probably my first real remembrance of Pearl Harbor as recent history. I’ve often said that being brought up in Brooklyn was like being brought up in the shadow of World War Two. So many of the records in our house were 78 RPM’s like the Andrew Sisters doing “Don’t Sit under the Apple Tree” and others just like it; all about sacrifice and faith. This record was a bit different and really appealed to me at the age of 5.

The story I first heard about this song; which is disputed; is a colorful one and involves Doris “Dorie” Miller, the first American to fire a shot at the Japanese in World War Two. He was an African-American steward aboard the USS West Virginia when he saw the gunner knocked out of action and took his place. It was; and still is; a thrilling story. It really fired my imagination and burned the lyrics into my mind forever.

Now that story may, or may not be true as it relates to Mr. Miller’s participation in the birth of this song; but that is of little matter. The real story of what he did was a giant leap forward for African-American sailors of the era, who were relegated to Mess duties and Laundries. He set a new example and was awarded the Navy Cross for his action manning a .50 caliber gun for about 15 minutes; untrained; until ordered to abandon ship. It is actually believed that he hit one of the planes; making it the first Japanese casualty of World War Two. That’s quite a story. And it’s true.

The other, more accredited version is of Chaplain Forgy aboard the USS New Orleans. He is actually credited; by witnesses;  as being the guy who said, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.” Either story may be the truth; and the above version of the song by the Merry Macs may be the original; but here is the song as I first remember hearing it; the later Kay Keyser version. The illustration at the beginning is actually the cover of the sheet music which my mother had, along with the recording.

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUOPvtVZwo8

And here are the lyrics by Frank Loesser;

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

And we'll all stay free

Praise the Lord and swing into position

Can't afford to be a politician

Praise the Lord, we're all between perdition

And the deep blue sea

Yes, the sky pilot said it, you gotta give him credit

For a son of a gun of a gunner was he

Shouting, 'Praise the Lord, we're on a mighty mission

All aboard, we ain't a-goin' fishin'

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

And we'll all stay free'

Praise the Lord

(Praise the Lord)

And pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord

(Praise the Lord)

And pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord

(Praise the Lord)

And pass the ammunition

And we'll all stay free

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

And we'll all stay free

Move Over Barack - Elizabeth is Not the Queen!

President Obama is not the only world leader to have his legitimacy questioned in recent years. While looking up something on You Tube concerning the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 I ran across this intriguing short documentary. Basically, it follows the family lineage of Queen Elizabeth back through the centuries in order to prove that Elizabeth is not the rightful heir to the throne of England.

Ordinarily I would not really have spent much time watching the video, but it is pretty interesting. Not in respects to the purpose stated; that Elizabeth is not the rightful heir; but for the wealth of English history contained in the film. For Americans, English history can be a bit confusing, but this neatly constructed video forms a tight little package covering the years of the English Civil War and Cromwell’s March; both seminal events in the understanding of both England as a world Empire, and the Britain of today.

You have to wonder if this film has been of any comfort to President Obama. He has been under attack about that birth certificate for so long now that this film must surely have the effect of making him feel not so alone anymore. I’m glad I’m not a politician, or a world leader in any respect. It would be so difficult to wake up one day and find out that I’m not really me!

Marlene Dietrich - "Lili Marlene" - The Biography of a Song.

In the film "Judgment at Nuremberg", with Spencer Tracy and Marlene Dietrich, there is a song which plays in the pub scenes and alehouses. It is a wonderful melody, which belies the bleak surroundings of that bombed out city. It was also the one song which was most favored by the soldiers of both sides during the war. Ms. Dietrich used to sing this song on the Bob Hope tours. I often wonder how she must have felt, a German born star who had found worldwide fame in America, as she toured the bomb ravaged cities of her continent of birth.

The song itself was taken from an old German poem titled "The Song of a Young Soldier on Watch." It was written in 1915 by Hans Leip, who was a schoolteacher from Hamburg, and first recorded in 1939 by Lale Andersen under the title "The Girl under the Lantern".

It appears that the Germans first used this song when they occupied Yugoslavia in 1941, when Yugoslavia's "Radio Belgrade" became "Soldatensender Belgrad", tasked by the Germans with entertaining the German troops.

There have been many versions of this song recorded, both before and after Ms. Dietrich's, which was recorded sometime around 1943. But hers remains the penultimate rendering of this timeless classic. Maybe it's because she was completely anti Nazi and had been ordered by Adolph Hitler to return to Germany as far back as 1935. Her refusal to return resulted in her films and records being banned from the country of her birth.

When the war broke out and the USO tours began, Ms. Dietrich was one of the first to join up in an effort to entertain the troops. And "Lili Marlene" was a natural for her to do. It was German, as was she, and by doing this song, which was also being used by the Germans in their own propaganda; it was like kicking sand in the Fuhrer's face.

At any rate, her performance and recording of this song have made it synonymous with her name. Not a bad legacy at all.

If you are looking for an in depth history of this song you can do no better than this link;

http://280th-usasa-berlin.com/BA%20002%20101%20Lili%20Marlene.html

Note: These are the best translations of the song lyrics I could find. The poem was drastically altered from the original, yet still maintains its integrity. You will notice a great discrepancy in the lyrics, from artist to artist, depending on the various arrangements and styles of singing.

"Lili Marlene" by Hans Leip (altered for Ms. Dietrich about 1942)

Outside the barracks by the corner light,
I'll always stand and wait for you at night.
We will create a world for two.
I'll wait for you the whole night through.
For you, Lilli Marlene.
For you, Lilli Marlene.

Bugler tonight, don't play the Call To Arms,
I want another evening with her charms.
Then we will say goodbye and part.
I'll always keep you in my heart.
With me, Lilli Marlene.
With me, Lilli Marlene.

Give me a rose to show how much you care,
Tied to the stem, a lock of golden hair.
Surely tomorrow you'll feel blue.
But then will come a love that's new.
For you, Lilli Marlene.
For you, Lilli Marlene.

When we are marching in the mud and cold,
And when my pack seems more than I can hold.
My love for you renews my might.
I'm warm again, my pack is light.
It's you, Lilli Marlene.
It's you, Lilli Marlene.

My love for you renews my might,
I'm warm again, my pack is light.
It's you, Lilli Marlene.
It's you, Lilli Marlene.


(This is the original 1937 recording)

"Lili Marlene" by Hans Leip (Original 1937 lyrics)

Underneath the lantern,
By the barrack gate.
Darling I remember
The way you used to wait.
'Twas there that you whispered tenderly,
That you loved me,
You'd always be,
My Lili of the lamplight.
My own Lili Marlene.

Time would come for roll call,
Time for us to part.
Darling I'd caress you
And press you to my heart.
And there neath that far off lantern light,
I'd hold you tight,
We'd kiss good night.
My Lili of the lamplight.
My own Lili Marlene.

Orders came for sailing,
Somewhere over there.
All confined to barracks.
'Twas more than I could bear.
I knew you were waiting in the street.
I heard your feet.
But could not meet.
My Lili of the lamplight.
My own Lili Marlene.

Resting in our billet,
Just behind the line.
Even though we're parted.
Your lips are close to mine.
You wait where that lantern softly gleamed.
Your sweet face seems
To haunt my dreams.
My Lili of the lamplight.
My own Lili Marlene.
My Lili of the lamplight.
My own Lili Marlene.

And this is the translation of the original poem, from which the song was composed;

"Lili Marlene"(Semi-literal Translation of original poem)

In front of the barracks, at the large entrance gate
Stood a lamplight, and if it’s still standing there,
We want to see each other there again
We want to stand at the lamplight
As before, Lili Marlene, as before, Lili Marlene.

Our two shadows appeared as one
That we were so much in love, one saw immediately.
And everyone should see it
When we are standing by the lamplight
As before, Lili Marlene, as before, Lili Marlene.

The sentry had already called out: They are sounding curfew.
“It can cost three days.” “I’m coming momentarily, comrade.”
Then we said goodbye.
How much I wanted to go with you,
With you, Lili Marlene, with you, Lili Marlene.

It [the lamplight] knows your footsteps, your graceful walk
Every evening it is burning, but it forgot about me long ago.
If harm should come to me,
Who will stand at the lamplight,
With you, Lili Marlene, with you, Lili Marlene?

From the quiet place, out of the earthly ground
I am lifted as in a dream to your loving lips.
When the evening mist swirls in
I will be standing at the lamplight
As before, Lili Marlene, as before, Lili Marlene.

This post is for Eddie Ray.

"Dear Leader" by Jang Jin-Sung (2014)

Through his writing and poetry, Jang Jin-Sung became a member of the inner member of the Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The author explains the role he played in the constant program of propaganda that has come to define North Korea; where it is not legal to write anything unless it is state sanctioned. That includes diaries and even something as innocuous as this blog.

Writing is controlled by a central agency which assigns the subjects to be written about. Mr. Jin-Sung was good at his craft and reaped much reward for his efforts, believing that he was a perfect example of the promise of a "perfect" system of government. After all, this is what he had been told and all he had ever seen.

The author explains why poetry is often the preferred way of distributing the party line; a la Mao’s “Little Red Book.” The simple answer is economic; as there is not enough paper and ink. It is also cultural in that it is so much easier to present a bad argument as art rather than simply try and impose a new set of rules. When people think that what they are doing has cultural merit they seem to go along easier. Think of the Jews and the calming effect which classical music had upon them as they were herded into the gas chambers.

His life at the top in one of the world’s most secretive nations; as well as his subsequent decision to escape; will have you turning the next page, all the while thinking “I’ll read just one more…” A trip outside of Pyongyang opens his eyes to the truth about the leader he is serving, triggering a crisis of conscious which affects him to such a degree that he is moved to plan his escape.

But how do you escape such a repressive regime? Where do you turn to find the kindred spirits to assist you when everyone is too afraid to speak openly? And, lastly, how do you get the money and food to travel? These are the most fascinating elements of the book. The human spirit is something which lives on within even the most repressive of situations. The stories of the Holocaust and the small acts of kindness; even in the midst of genocide; inform who we really are inside. And the author has to rely on that unique trait being present in his countrymen as he makes good on his plans.

While it is true that his past life as a propaganda artist may leave you feeling a bit unsympathetic towards Mr. Jin-Sung, in some respects I could not help recall the plight of the “wikileaks” guy, Assange; as well as the NSA whistle blower Anthony Snowden. In spite of the differences in their professions, the status of the 3 men as traitors versus heroes all depends upon which side of the divide you happen to be standing. This is a very informative book. 

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" - A Walter Lantz Cartoon (1941)

In this classic cartoon from just shortly after the draft began in 1941, the Ray Price and Hughie Prince composition of the iconic song, which is mostly associated with the Andrews Sisters or Bette Midler, gets a full blown workout as a Chicago bluesman is caught up in the first round of the draft.

This cartoon was made just after the January 1941 release of the Andrews Sisters recording, which was featured in the Abbott and Costello film “Buck Privates.” That film also had an earlier composition in it called “Beat me Daddy Eight to the Bar” which is almost identical to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, but is about a piano player instead. But “Bugler Boy” must have hit a stronger, more major chord with the public, as it was even nominated for an Academy Award. (Pardon the puns.)

This is a very fun cartoon to watch, and in spite of claims about racial stereotyping. Walter Lantz did receive many complaints about the cartoon, some even from the NAACP, and eventually stopped doing the stereotypical characters altogether. He even went so far as to see that none of those cartoons which he had produced ever made their way to television; which is kind of a shame; as there are valuable lessons to be learned by viewing the mistakes of the past.

At any rate, enjoy the cartoon for the music and the fluidity of the animation, which are both great examples of the era in which they were produced. And, in spite of the “politically correct” crowd, are still enjoyable to watch today. 

And here are the Andrews Sisters performing the song in the movie "Buck Privates."

"Why We Fight" - Frank Capra (1942)

During the first months of the Second World War Hollywood Director Frank Capra; who had just released the film "It's a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart: was serving in the Armed Forces when he received an unusual order. He was to be tasked with making films, which would explain to the American Public, just why we were at war and how we got there.

These were propaganda films, plain and simple. But the one difference between our films and those of our enemies was this; our films were made in reaction to the atrocities being committed in Europe and the Pacific. They were, in that respect, educational films. The Nazi's had been using film to vilify specific ethnic groups such as the Gypsies and the Jews, in order to facilitate political policies engineered for the destruction of those groups.

Some of our films, particularly the cartoons of the era, did depict the Japanese as savages. Although this was "painting with a broad brush", so to speak, again it was in response to an action undertaken by that group to begin with, and not a vilification for political or territorial gain, other than to redress the wrongful action of that group. The proof of this is in the treatment of our enemies after the war had ended.

While the other group was using propaganda in order to subjugate the entire world, we were using it as a motivation to stop that effort. Some may not see a big difference, but I do.

Today is Veteran's Day, a holiday which was originally called "Armistice Day" and created to honor those who fell in the First World War, which was billed as the "war to end all wars." All it really accomplished was to set the stage for the Second World War, which set the stage for Korea, Vietnam and the list goes on and on.

Take a little time today to talk with a Veteran about their service. Most are only too happy to share their experiences. Even if you; or even they; have not always been in agreement with what we have fought for, the men and women who have served, have all served with the best of intentions on your behalf. And, that may be the most noble service of all.

For the story of my Grandfather William Shone Williams and his time in the trenches during World War One, use this link;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2012/05/memorial-day-william-shone-williams.html 

"The Ducktators" - Looney Tunes (1942)

In the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States found itself involved in a war with Italy and Germany, as well as the Japanese, who had attacked us at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. By early 1942 the propaganda machine was in full gear, and children’s cartoons were an ideal place to begin.

In this cartoon, producer Leon Schlesinger has pulled out all the stops in an effort to identify, and ridicule, the three dictators we were facing on the battlefield. Melvin Millar wrote the script for this one with a very deft hand and a wry sense of humor. He has pretty much captured the personalities and quirks of the leaders of the Axis Powers in this funny; yet somehow sad; depiction of human beings at their worst. Sometimes; and I hate to say it; propaganda can be a good thing.

Newspaper Photo - Makes You Wonder....

This picture was taken last Friday at 12 Bones Restaurant in Asheville, N.C. The Obamas were on a weekend golf trip. Notice the signs above each of their heads? Over Michelle is a sign that says "Every day I wake up next to you is an excuse to drink." Directly over President Obama's head is a sign that reads "We proudly serve pork."

Now I'm not saying that the photographer, Jewel Samad of AFP/Getty Images, actually waited for this position to occur, but I do have to wonder... I would hate to be the President. Every move, every facial grimace is studied and dissected. Imagine having to be cognizant of everything around you and trying to anticipate how some things, even innocent and appropriate wall signs, can be used to ridicule or poke fun at you. That kind of pressure has got to be daunting.

I'm not a fan of President Obama, or any of the other candidates who were vying for the office of President in the last election. But I'm also not a big fan of photographers who wait for the opportunity to influence us unconsciously with these types of images. But on the other hand, it is kind of funny.