Comments on: Russians

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 13:44:51 +0000

SPOILER SPACE

Minitech did it. It's for _Cultural and Social History_ a newish, light green journal which is produced by the UK's Social History Society. I'm also doing a version for the newsletter of the course I look after at the OU, 'Total War and Social Change'.

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 16:28:29 +0000

Thanks, the uni library has that so I'll have to have a look at it. I'm only a third of the way through Warfare State so don't tell me how it ends! :D Where is your review going to appear (if you can say)?

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 10:50:20 +0000

I don't know too much about censorship, but I know a man who does:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/data/074861/0748619607.HTM

I've just finished _Warfare State_. Aside from a slight slight to Geoffrey Till, it rocks.

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 08:33:28 +0000

Oh, I didn't think of that! Was censorship really that heavy? I'm not really thinking of any expression of extreme political views (I wouldn't be surprised if Oswald Mosley And His Orchestra were banned from the BBC), just some sort attempt to understand or address the big international questions of the day through music. The more I think about it, the more it seems likely that there must have been, somewhere -- afterall, back in the 1870s music-hall performers weren't afraid to "discuss" world affairs: We don't want to fight, but, by jingo, if we do, We've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money, too. By the 1930s the sentiment expressed would (I expect) be more pacifist than jingoist. But (as usual) I am just speculating, one of the prerogatives of ignorance ...

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 12:13:32 +0000

Don't forget censorship. While popular songs per se may not have been censored in interwar Britain, most of the likely vehicles for their mass dissemination - plays, musicals, film and the radio - all were. So had it been present, the sentiment would not have expressed itself so easily as was possible in the 1970s.

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 11:23:46 +0000

Thanks for the offer Jack! It's not really an active line of enquiry at the moment, it's partly idle speculation and partly thinking about ways to get a better handle on the culture of my period. But if I come up with anything concrete that you could help me with, I'll let you know!

By: Brett Holman

Brett Holman — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 10:04:00 +0000

Thanks, Jonathan. It did occur to me that good old Noël was a likely candidate! (Spartacus Educational has the words, if anyone is interested.) It was evidently written well into the war, though -- so it's not quite what I was thinking of. The search continues ... possibly by buying the collection you mentioned! Or something similar.

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 09:56:27 +0000

While I'm no expert on popular music in your particular period, Brett, this is a fascinating idea and right up my street in general. I'll be very interested to see how this one develops. I'm also reasonably good at sourcing recordings: even moreso sheet music. If others can point you in the right direction I'm willing to help (or at least attempt) to source anything which might be easier to obtain here in 'the old country'. Just let me know.

By: Jonathan Dresner

Jonathan Dresner — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:39:07 +0000

I don't know if it quite fits your bill, but Noel Coward's song "Don't Let's Be Beastly To The Germans" definitely expresses some tensions.... I heard that on the 10-CD set "Songs That Won The War", though I don't know if it's still available. It's quite an education, that collection. You might also look at some of Woody Guthrie's music of the time, which was quite inspirational but very frank, as well.