Gasp! I knew it!
Posted on 02/21/2015 3:34:52 AM PST by Arthur McGowan
Al Bowlly's last recording, from 1941.
An interesting early WW 2 take on ‘schicklgruber’. Kind of corny. Wonder if they had a song for Stalin, too?
On further investigation, seems this guy Boelly died in the London Blitz in ‘41. I suppose Stalin wasn’t their immediate concern.
Irving Berlin a Russian immigrant, wrote many classics, including this song, and two of the greatest classics in American musical history, "White Christmas" the number one hit by Bing Crosby and the song that probably has come most to symbolize the greatness that America was, "God Bless America" by Kate Smith.
In the 1930's the German community in New York began to attract Nazi sympathizers, and having organized an American version of the Nazi Party, having a major rally at Madison Square Garden. While they played being the American patriot to the very hilt,they would refuse to sing "God Bless America" because it was written by a Jew.
Hearing the tile of that song, my first inclination and preference, that the song was about some other Fascist Leader we know, who shall remain nameless.
The irony of this song is having been written by Berlin is almost an anomaly by the fact of its lyrics that have a lot to be desired, as you've mentioned. Nevertheless, I am most grateful for having you uncover it and post it here. ============================================================================================================================================================================
Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin, May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist of Russian-Jewish origin (born in Tyumen,Russian Empire). Widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history, his music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. He published his first song, "Marie from Sunny Italy", in 1907 and had his first major international hit, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911. He also was an owner of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway.
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Berlin's native Russia, which also "flung itself into the ragtime beat with an abandon bordering on mania." Over the years he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American," whom he saw as the "real soul of the country."
In doing so, said Walter Cronkite, at Berlin's 100th birthday tribute, he "helped write the story of this country, capturing the best of who we are and the dreams that shape our lives.
He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him "a legend" before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Easter Parade", "White Christmas", "Happy Holiday", "This Is the Army, Mr. Jones", and "There's No Business Like Show Business".
His Broadway musical and 1942 film, This is the Army, with Ronald Reagan, had Kate Smith singing Berlin's "God Bless America" which was first performed in 1938. Smith still performed the song on her 1960 CBS television series, The Kate Smith Show. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Celine Dion recorded it as a tribute, making it no. 1 on the charts. Berlin's songs have reached the top of the charts 25 times and have been extensively re-recorded by numerous singers including Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Deana Martin, Ethel Waters, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemary Clooney, Cher, Diana Ross, Bing Crosby, Rita Reys, Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Al Jolson, Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Doris Day, Jerry Garcia and Ella Fitzgerald. Composer Douglas Moore sets Berlin apart from all other contemporary songwriters, and includes him instead with Stephen Foster, Walt Whitman, and Carl Sandburg, as a "great American minstrel"—someone who has "caught and immortalized in his songs what we say, what we think about, and what we believe." Composer George Gershwin called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived",and composer Jerome Kern concluded that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music.".
Always--George Olsen & His Music (1926)
Yes, they did, but it was from a different point of view.
Hitler Lives--Rosalie Allen (1947)
Irving Berlin! I have never heard this one.
The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet? (san Francisco...figures)
WOW what a bunch of reds....I wonder if they sung with woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger those commie rat-Dastards.
Not to be confused with “Joltin Joe DiMaggio “
Gasp! I knew it!
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