Georgia

[TC Chris]

Right now my public radio station is playing Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia," sung by Ray Charles, a many-layered song sung by its best interpreter ever. Listening is like going to heaven.

The other day on the request program they played Vera Lynn singing "White Cliffs of Dover" and then "We'll Meet Again," two fabulous WW II songs. That was a time of the most massive mobilizations the world had ever seen. People were moving all over, meeting for a while and then being sent in different directions. A couple years back I read through my Dad's WW II letters home to his parents and my Mom from Europe. I got a real sense for the effect of short-term friendships.

"We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Til the blue skies chase those dark clouds far away
And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That as I saw you go
You were singing this song"

What gets people through tough times is optimism and hope.

And never let people tell you that popular music has no value.

Chris Campbell

[stbasil]

Some of my favorites from that era, too, Chris. I was listening to some music tonight on the big component system (the wife was out so I could play it loud!), and coincidentally, "When the lights go on again (all over the world)" by Vera Lynn came up. Another WWII favorite -- looking forward to when things would get back to normal. Hard times inspired some good music!