World War II
The music of the total war
Music in the Second World War served the critical role of affecting morale of the nation, energizing the home-front and sustaining those on the front line. With the ubiquity of radio both at home and in overseas conflict zones, popular music became a critical shared experience in the war. World War II was a totalizing conflict that mobilized a great majority of Americans toward the war effort and popular music of the time stressed the shared experiences of Americans.
While the music of the Second World War does not feature protest music to the degree that earlier and later American wars do, World War II marks a sea-change in the variety of musical responses to the conflict. Polkas, cowboy ballads, novelty songs, and big-band tunes were all tailored to address the multifaceted nature of the war. From mocking tyrants to encouraging one to pay their income tax popular music was fully leveraged as an indispensable arm of the American war effort.
Top Photo: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Group portrait of African Americans, Seabee Band members, from the 30th Special U.S. Naval Construction Battalion, playing on a stage" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Heading photos clockwise from left: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Group photograph of the U.S. Coast Guard Quartet members while singing, New York, N.Y.", "Lena Horne, African American actress, singer, and sponsor of the SS George Washington Carver, standing on stage and addressing a crowd at a war bond rally before the launching of the Liberty ship SS George Washington Carver" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. "Irving Berlin entertains WACs [Women's Army Corps] in New Guinea." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Bugler Leonard Madden (left) and sailor Clarence Brooks (right) record talking letter records to families at Chappie Willet Recording Studios, New York City, with a Willet arranger, circa 1942" New York Public Library Digital Collections.