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1941, the US begins the sale of savings bonds.
As you may remember, they soon become defense bonds
which become war bonds which become victory bonds.
October 17, the US Destroyer Kearny is hit by
a German torpedo and is severely damaged.
December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese.
December 8, the US declares war on Japan and suprisingly enough,
Japan declares war on the United States and Great Britain
and they begin to invade the Philipines.
Wake Island falls on December 22.
The US finds itself unprepared for war and it begins
to rebuild its military.
Composers of popular music begin composing songs to contribute
to the morale of the troops and the people in the nation.
There were many war related songs written during this time.
Songs to build morale and spirit-like.
We did it before and we can do it again.
Also, let's remember Pearl Harbor.
John, can you play a few bars.
♪ [music playing-- no dialogue] ♪♪.
Thank you John.
[audience applause].
Close counts.
The nation needed to be united and our leaders were concerned
about confidence, frustration, and the fear of the future.
Someone remembered that in 1933 during the Depression
when Americans were fearful as to what the future was
in store for them.
And they resurrected what had become known as
"the fierce beach."
And that was a time when FDR went on and in which he said
"So first of all let me assert my firm belief that
"the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
Hollywood began making war movies, however,
some of the movies really a good number of them were musicals.
Not of the broadway kind but using vocalists and big bands.
A popular movie at this time that was light and certainly
cheerful and fun was "The Fleet's In" with Dorothy Lamour.
That was the sarong girl I think wasn't it?
William Holden, Eddie Bracken, and Betty Hutton.
(Dan). As John mentioned,
a lot of the big bands were good.
It almost seemed like every musical is good or bad
as the storyline.
They were entertaining for the people who attended the movies.
Jimmy Dorsey was the the host band for this particular movie.
He had come up with two very new arrangements and tunes that
became best sellers and I don't know if anybody remembers who
the singer was but he had a very attractive and effective singer
named Helen O'Connell.
Anybody remember that?
I remember I told this story before but maybe it's not
the story to tell.
It was a former student who has been out of high school.
[unclear audio].
We used to cut through school to go to the theater to catch the
big bands and Jimmy Dorsey was playing at the Chicago Theater
and Helen O'Connell came out and sang
"All of me, why not take all of me."
And the guys in the balcony said yes Helen.
But anyway, the tunes are "Amapola" and "Tangerine."
♪ [music playing--"Amapola"] ♪♪.
♪ [music playing-- "Tangerine"] ♪♪.
"Tangerine, she is all they claim"
"With her eyes of night and lips as red as flame"
"Tangerine, when she dances by, senoritas stare"
"And caballeros sigh"
"And I've seen toasts to Tangerine"
"Raised in every bar across that Argentine"
"Yes, she has them all on the run"
"Cause her heart belongs to just one"
"Her heart belongs to Tangerine"
Play it boys.
♪ [music playing-- "Tangerine"] ♪♪.
"And I've seen toasts to Tangerine"
"Raised in every bar across that Argentine"
"Yes, she has them all on the run"
"Cause her heart belongs to just one"
"Her heart belongs to Tangerine"
[audience applause].
Thank you, nice song.
Oh, is that me again.
I get so excited.
With families beginning to separate and visits together
becoming less and less, Sammy Cahn and Julie Stine composed
an appropriate song with an appropriate song title,
"It's Been a Long, Long Time."
My favorite recording was by Harry James and here is another
lovely balad which I would like to sing for you at this time
and John, you're going to join me a la Harry James.
Harry had nothing over you sugar.
I'll come back and get you John.
♪ [music playing-- "It's Been a Long, Long Time"] ♪♪.
"Kiss me once, then kiss me twice, then kiss me once again"
"It's been a long, long time"
"Haven't felt like this, my dear and I can't remember when"
"It's been a long, long time"
"You'll never know how many dreams I've dreamed about you"
"And just how empty they all seemed without you"
"So kiss me once, then kiss me twice then kiss me once again"
"It's been a long, long time"
♪ [music playing--"It's Been a Long, Long Time"] ♪♪.
"You'll never know how many dreams I dreamed about you"
"And just how empty they all seemed without you"
"So kiss me once then kiss me twice then kiss me once again"
"It's been a long, long time"
[audience applause].
John O'Connor.
Thank you Dena, John.