March 22, 2014
(A very Popular record of the 1930s. "Happy Days Are Here Again!" by Jack Yellen)
The 1930s, a very hard time for people America. A year before 1930, there was a stock market crash in 1929. This stock market crash caused an economic depression in the 1930s. Many people were forced to leave their jobs and homes. Even the agriculture was failing. Even though all this was happening, music was something that was a way to escape. Anyone with a radio could share their escape. Someone who used music as their escape was Jack Yellen.
Origin:
Jack Yellen was born in Poland. He emigrated to the United States with his family when he was five years old. He was the oldest of seven children and was raised in Buffalo, New York. His passion for music started in High School. After high school, he went to the University of Michigan and graduated with honors. Jack did not have a career having to do with music after college. Right after graduating, he became a reporter for the Buffalo Courier and continued with writing music on the sides. After a while, he became popular and wrote music for everything and everyone.
Purpose:
On a day called "Black Tuesday," the song Happy Days Are Here Again was written. Black Tuesday was the most catastrophic stock market crash. It happened on October 29, 1929. This was the start of the Great Depression. The song was written as an irony. The Great Depression in the 1930s was a terrible time for many people. Happy Days Are Here Again was written to say that we aren't really happy. As you could see, Depression and Happy are complete opposites. That's where the irony is. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/barbra+streisand/happy+days+are+here+again_20012757.html
Value:
The song Happy Days Are Here Again was the expression of the 1930s because it was written just for the Great Depression. That's what the 1930s was all about, the Great Depression. The song was talking about the fact that happiness was never lost. Even with everything being taken away from everyone, happiness is the one thing that wasn't taken away. This song was the anthem of the 1930s.
Limitations:
What this song can't tell us about this time period is that if people actually believed this song. We don't know if people were actually happy despite everything going on. There were multiple other songs being written about the depression. They were all sad songs so we don't know if people were actually happy with this song. This song was unusual to hear during the 1930s because everyone was going through a really hard time. I just don't get why people would be singing about happiness.
Citations:
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