John Clark and his Great American Music Experience presents The Music of Great Depression Tuesday, May 19 th at 10 am Through the Miracle of Zoom

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 plunged this country into an economic depression that lasted about ten years. During that time popular songwriters and singers responded in many different ways. Happy Days Are Here Again was the first of many attempts to cheer up a devastated citizenry, followed by Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries, Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee and a string of overly optimistic hits by Ted Lewis. Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads and A Shanty in Old Shanty Town offered commiseration to the thousands of Americans who were forced to give up their homes from the big cities to the Great Plains. Brother Can You Spare a Dime and My Forgotten Man went so far as to chide our government for its lack of response. In the spirit of what he would call the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt’s first presidential campaign slogan/song was Happy Days Are Here Again . Even the lyrics of Disney cartoon song Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf and Harold Arlen’s Stormy Weather became symbolic commentaries on the circumstances of this national calamity. Also featuring songs by Al Jolson, Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee. GREAT DEPRESSION LYRICS

1929 HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN (Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics) Recorded by Leo Reisman & His Orchestra

So long sad times Go long bad times We are rid of you at last Howdy gay times Cloudy gray times You are now a thing of the past

Happy days are here again The skies above are clear again So let's sing a song of cheer again Happy days are here again

Altogether shout it now There's no one who can doubt it now So let's tell the world about it now Happy days are here again

Your cares and troubles are gone There'll be no more from now on

Happy days are here again The skies above are so clear again So, let's sing a song of cheer again Happy times Happy nights Happy days Are here again

1932 HEADIN' FOR BETTER TIMES (Charles Tobias / Murray Mencher) Ted Lewis & His Band

All aboard for the Sunshine Special This train is headed for better times, all aboard.....

Put a coat of joy right on In a minute we'll be gone On a choo-choo, choo-choo headin' for better times

Mister Gloom won't be allowed In an optimistic crowd On a choo-choo, choo-choo headin' for better times

Don't take a trunk of junk filled with yesterdays Tomorrow we're gonna see sunshine

As we go from state to state We'll be shouting, "Things are great!" On a choo-choo, choo-choo headin' for better times

Hey, put a coat of joy right on Yes sir, in a minute, in a minute we're goin', boy We're goin' on a choo-choo headed for better times

First stop on the way It’s a town called Happy Day Next stop, yessiree What you call Prosperity What's this town we're in? That's called Work Begins Last stop, can't you guess?

1930 ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields) Recorded by Ted Lewis & His Band Grab your coat and get your hat Leave your worry on the doorstep Just direct your feet To the sunny side of the street

Can't you hear a pitter-pat And that happy tune is your step Life can be so sweet On the sunny side of the street

I used to walk in the shade With those blues on parade But now I'm not afraid This rover crossed over

If I'd never have a cent I'd be rich as Rockefeller Going to set my feet On the sunny side of the street

1931 LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES Ray Henderson & Lew Brown) Recorded by Ethel Merman; Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees People are queer, they're always crowing, scrambling and rushing about Why don't they stop someday, address themselves this way? Why are we here? Where are we going? It's time that we found out We're not here to stay; we're on a short holiday

Life is just a bowl of cherries Don't take it serious, it's too mysterious You work, you save, you worry so But you can't take your dough when you go, go, go

So keep repeating it's the berries The strongest oak must fall The sweet things in life, to you were just loaned So how can you lose what you've never owned? Life is just a bowl of cherries So live and laugh at it all

At eight each morning I have got a date To take my plunge 'round the Empire State You'll admit it's not the berries In a building that's so tall There's a guy in the show, the girls love to kiss Get thousands a week just for crooning like this

1931 HALLELUJAH, I’M A BUM (Authorship unknown) Recorded by Al Jolson Rockefeller's busy giving dough away; Chevrolet is busy making cars; Hobo, you keep busy when they throw away Slightly used cigars.

Hobo, you've no time to shirk. You're busy keeping far away from work. The weather' s getting fine. The coffee tastes like wine. You happy hobo, sing, "Hallelujah, I'm a bum again!"

Why work away for wealth When you can travel for your health? It' s spring, you hobo, sing, "Hallelujah, I'm a bum again!"

Your home is always near; The moon's your chandelier; Your ceiling is the sky, Way up high. The road is your estate, The earth your little dinner plate; It's spring, you hobo, sing, "Hallelujah, I'm a bum again!"

1932 Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (Jay Gorney & Yip Harburg) Recorded by Bing Crosby

They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob When there was earth to plow or guns to bear I was always there right on the job They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead Why should I be standing in line Just waiting for bread

Once I built a railroad, I made it run Made it race against time Once I built a railroad, now it's done Brother, can you spare a dime Once I built a tower up to the sun Brick and rivet and lime Once I built a tower, now it's done Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell Full of that Yankee-Doodley-dum Half a million boots went slogging through Hell And I was the kid with the drum Say, don't you remember, they called me "Al" It was "Al" all the time Why don't you remember, I'm your pal Say buddy, can you spare a dime

1932 IN A SHANTY IN OLD SHANTY TOWN (Ira Schuster, Jack Little & Joe Young) Recorded by Ted Black & His Orchestra

I'm up in the world, But I'd give the world to be where I used to be, A heavenly nest, Where I rest the best, Means more than the world to me. It's only a shanty In old Shanty Town

The roof is so slanty it touches the ground. But my tumbled down shack by an old railroad track, Like a millionaire's mansion is calling me back. I'd give up a palace if I were a king. It's more than a palace, it's my everything. There's a queen waiting there with a silvery crown In a shanty in old Shanty Town.

LET’S HAVE ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE (AND LET’S HAVE ANOTHER PIECE OF PIE (Irving Berlin) Recorded by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians

Why worry when skies are gray Why should we complain Let's laugh at the cloudy day Let's sing in the rain

Songwriters say the storm quickly passes That's their philosophy They see the world through rose-colored glasses Why shouldn't we?

Just around the corner There's a rainbow in the sky So let's have another cup o' coffee And let's have another piece o' pie!

Trouble's just a bubble And the clouds will soon roll by So let's have another cup o' coffee And let's have another piece o' pie

Let a smile be your umbrella For it's just an April shower Even John D. Rockefeller Is looking for the silver lining Mister Herbert Hoover Says that now's the time to buy So let's have another cup o' coffee And let's have another piece o' pie! WE’RE IN THE MONEY (THE GOLD DIGGER’S SONG) (Al Dubin & Harry Warren) Performed by Ginger Rogers, Ruby Keeler,Joan Blondell, Aline MacMahon in the musical Gold Diggers of 1933

We're in the money. We're in the money. We've got a lot of what it takes to get along. We're in the money. The skies are sunny. Old man Depression, you are through. You've done us wrong.

We never see a headline about a breadline today. And when we see the landlord, we can look that guy right in the eye. We're in the money. Come on, my honey, Let's spend it, lend it, send it rolling along.

Gone are my blues and gone are my tears. I've got good news to shout in your ears. The silver dollar has returned to the fold. With silver you can turn your dreams to gold.

We're in the money. We're in the money. We've got a lot of what it takes to get along. We're in the money. The skies are sunny. Old man Depression, you are through. You've done us wrong.

We never see a headline about a breadline today. And when we see the landlord, we can look that guy right in the eye. We're in the money. Come on, my honey, Let's spend it, lend it, send it rolling along.

We're in the money. We're in the money. We've got a lot of what it takes to get along. We're in the money. The skies are sunny. Old man Depression, you are through You've done us wrong.

We never see a headline about a breadline today. And when we see the landlord, we can look that guy right in the eye. We're in the money. Come on, my honey, Let's spend it, lend it, send it rolling along.

1933 REMEMBER MY FORGOTTEN MAN (Al Dubin & Harry Warren) Performed by Joan Blondell musical Gold Diggers of 1933

I don't know if he deserves a bit of sympathy, Forget your sympathy, that's all right with me. I was satisfied to drift along from day to day, Till they came and took my man away. Remember my forgotten man, You put a rifle in his hand; You sent him far away, You shouted, "Hip, hooray!" But look at him today!

Remember my forgotten man, You had him cultivate the land; He walked behind the plow, The sweat fell from his brow, But look at him right now!

And once, he used to love me, I was happy then; He used to take care of me, Won't you bring him back again? 'Cause ever since the world began, A woman's got to have a man; Forgetting him, you see, Means you're forgetting me Like my forgotten man.

We are the real forgotten men Who have to lead this life again. We sallied forth to fight, For glory was our pride But somehow glory died. Remember your forgotten men. You’ve got to let us live again. We came, we marched away, To fight for USA, But where are we today?

1934 WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF? (Frank Churchill & Ann Ronell) Sung by Mary Moder & Dorothy Compton in the Disney cartoon, The Three Little Pigs

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf? Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Tra la la la la

Long ago there were three pigs Little handsome piggy wigs For the big, bad the very big, very bad wolf They did not give three figs

Number one was very gay And he built his house with hay With a hey hey toot he blew on his flute And he played around all day

Now number two was fond of jigs And so he built his house with twigs Hey, diddle diddle he played on his fiddle And danced with lady pigs Number three said, "Nix on tricks I shall build my house with bricks" He had no chance to sing or dance 'Cause work and play don't mix Ha, ha, ha, the two little do little pigs Just winked and laughed ah, woo (chorus)

Came the day when fate did frown And a wolf blew into town With a gruff huff puff, he puffed just enough And the hay house fell right down

One and two were scared to death Of the big bad wolf's breath By the hair of your chinny chin I'll blow you in And the twig house answered yes

No one left but number three To save that piglet family So when they knocked, he fast unlocked And said come in with me

Now they all were safe inside But the bricks hurt the wolf's pride So, he slid down the chimney and oh, by Jiminy In a fire he was fried

Oh, oh, oh, the three little free little pigs Just winked and laughed, ah, woo (chorus)

1936 NO DEPRESSION (by A.P. Carter or James David Vaughan) Recorded by the Carter Family

For fear the hearts of men are failing For these are latter days we know The Great Depression now is spreading God's word declared it would be so

I'm going where there's no depression To the lovely land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in Heaven, I'm going there

In that bright land, there'll be no hunger No orphan children crying for bread No weeping widows, toil or struggle No shrouds, no coffins, and no death

I'm going where there's no depression To the lovely land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in Heaven, I'm going there

This dark hour of midnight nearing And tribulation time will come The storms will hurl in midnight fear And sweep lost millions to their doom

I'm going where there's no depression To the lovely land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in Heaven, I'm going there THE BALLAD OF TOM JOAD (Woody Guthrie) Recorded by Woody Guthrie

Tom Joad got out of the old McAlester Pen; There he got his parole. After four long years on a man killing charge, Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road, poor boy, Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road.

Tom Joad, he met a truck driving man; There he caught him a ride. He said, "I just got loose from McAlester Pen On a charge called homicide, A charge called homicide."

That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust; Tommy turned his face toward home. He met Preacher Casey, and they had a little drink, But they found that his family they was gone, He found that his family they was gone.

He found his mother's old-fashion shoe, Found his daddy's hat. And he found little Muley and Muley said, "They've been tractored out by the cats, They've been tractored out by the cats."

Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm, Found his family. They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car, And his mother said, "We've got to get away."

Now, the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load; But Grandpa Joad did cry. He picked up a handful of land in his hand, Said: "I'm stayin' with the farm till I die”

They fed him short ribs and coffee and soothing syrup; And Grandpa Joad did die. They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road, They buried Grandma on the California side.

They stood on a mountain and they looked to the west, And it looked like the promised land. That bright green valley with a river running through, There was work for every single hand,

The Joads rolled away to the jungle camp, There they cooked a stew. And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp Said: "We'd like to have some, too." Said: "We'd like to have some, too."

Now a deputy sheriff fired loose at a man, Shot a woman in the back. Before he could take his aim again, Preacher Casey dropped him in his track. They handcuffed Casey and they took him in jail; And then he got away. And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge, And these few words he did say..

"I preached for the Lord a mighty long time, Preached about the rich and the poor. Us workin' folkses, all get together, 'Cause we ain't got a chance anymore.”

Now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey run To the bridge where the water run down. But the vigilante thugs hit Casey with a club, They laid Preacher Casey on the ground.

Tom Joad, he grabbed that deputy's club, Hit him over the head. Tom Joad took flight in the dark rainy night, And a deputy and a preacher lying dead.

Tom run back where his mother was asleep; He woke her up out of bed. An' he kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved, Then ee said what Preacher Casey said.

"Ever'body might be just one big soul, Well it looks that a-way to me. Everywhere that you look, in the day or night, That's where I'm a-gonna be.

Wherever little children are hungry and cry, Wherever people ain't free. Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, That's where I'm a-gonna be."

DAWN OF A NEW DAY (George Gershwin) Recorded by Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights

Sound the brass, roll the drum To the world of tomorrow we come See the sun through the grey It's the dawn of a new day

Here we come, young and old Come to watch all the wonders unfold And the tune that we play It's the dawn of a new day

Tell the world at the door That we don't want him around anymore Better times are here to stay As we live and laugh the American way

Listen one, listen all There can be no resisting the call Come, hail the dawn of a new day!