Iconic songs from the days of WWII
Music played a crucial role in boosting the morale of both troops and civilians during World War Two. Songs from both sides of the Atlantic got people on the dance floor and rallied spirits through many dark days and nights of the war. Here are some of the iconic hits that resounded at the time.
The song Škoda lásky from 1927 is probably one of the most famous Czech songs worldwide. Jaromír Vejvoda's hit has been translated into thirty languages and has become so popular that people in other countries often consider it their own. Originally a song about thwarted love –its American version under the title Beer Barrel Polka accompanied soldiers on the front in World War II.
Another hit song that brightened up the days of people in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was Jen pro ten dnešní den -For this One Day Alone composed in 1938 by Sláva Eman Nováček with lyrics by Josef Gruss. It appeared in the iconic Czech film Kristian in 1939 and became a rave hit in the war years.
Slunečnice or Sunflower sung by Inka Zemánková –dubbed the Queen of Swing –is another iconic melody linked to the war years and black-and-white movies. A previously unknown girl with a fantastic vocal range Inka became an overnight celebrity whose songs were sung around the country. Slunecnice her first single became a huge hit and was featured in the film Hotel Modra Hvezda. It was composed by Sláva Eman Nováček.
Bugatti step –another huge hit – is the work of Czech pianist and composer Jaroslav Ježek, who is considered a pioneer of jazz music in Czechoslovakia. Jaroslav Ježek left his stamp on dance, theatre, film, and classical music inspired by jazz; many of his songs are evergreens to this day. Bugatti step was written in the autumn of 1930 for the stage play Don Juan & Comp. and became an instant hit that is played to this day both in piano and orchestral form.
In the war years Czech singer Karel Hašler boosted the morale of the nation with patriotic and anti-German songs, which he performed despite the fact that they were strictly banned. The song Ta naše písnička česká –This Czech song of ours - is one of many hits reflecting Hašler’s love of Prague and his homeland.
Karel Hašler is the author of more than 300 songs. Although his songs won him enormous popularity and a re sung to this day, he paid a high price for his courage. His harsh parodies of the Protectorate and the Nazis and his patriotic stance led to his arrest in September 1941. He was imprisoned in Pankrác and Dresden and ended up in the Mauthausen concentration camp in October. He died there, beaten and tortured with ice water, on 22 December 1941.
Tmavomodrý svět (Dark Blue World) is a song by Jaroslav Ježek, Jiří Voskovec and Jan Werich from 1929 - the first joint blues by this trio. It may sound familiar since the song was used in the 2001 film of the same name directed by Jan Svěrák. The film tells the story of Czechoslovak airmen who flew with the RAF during World War II and the title was inspired by the colour of their uniforms .
Among the foreign hits that warmed the hearts of soldiers and civilians in WWII are:
Lili Marleen is a German love song that became popular during World War II throughout Europe and the Mediterranean among both Axis and Allied troops. Written in 1915 as a poem, the song was published in 1937 and was first recorded by Lale Andersen in 1939 as "Das Mädchen unter der Laterne" ("The Girl under the Lantern"). The song is best known in a version performed by Marlene Dietrich who sung live in Europe for Allied troops, often on rickety, makeshift stages.
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy is the quintessential song of the war era. Performed by The Andrews Sisters, this classic was written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince just prior to America’s entry into the war. The playful lyrics tell the story of a Chicago street musician drafted into service. The trumpet player is reduced to blowing the wake-up call ("Reveille"). Restrained from playing boogie-woogie, he is depressed until the captain empathizes and drafts other musicians. The bugler now plays "Reveille" in his own style, with a positive effect on the rest of the company.
We'll Meet Again by Ross Parker & Hughie Charles which premiered in 1939 was made famous by Vera Lynn, the late singer and actress who also entertained the troops during WW2. She sang it in the 1943 film of the same name.
