Comments on: The Deepest Shelter in Town http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:12:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Airminded · Sounds like a plan http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1898 Airminded · Sounds like a plan Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:00:12 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1898 [...] I’m preparing for my PhD confirmation, which means I’m nearly a year in. (Eeep!) This means giving a paper (done), writing a report justifying what I’ve done and plan to do, and appearing before a committee to discuss my report and progress. A cynical viewpoint would be that this is just a hoop-jumping-through exercise which is just something to get out of the way, but it’s actually very useful to be made to step back, consider the bigger picture of the overall thesis, and have to explain to somebody else what it is that I’m actually doing, and what I plan to do in future. [...] [...] I’m preparing for my PhD confirmation, which means I’m nearly a year in. (Eeep!) This means giving a paper (done), writing a report justifying what I’ve done and plan to do, and appearing before a committee to discuss my report and progress. A cynical viewpoint would be that this is just a hoop-jumping-through exercise which is just something to get out of the way, but it’s actually very useful to be made to step back, consider the bigger picture of the overall thesis, and have to explain to somebody else what it is that I’m actually doing, and what I plan to do in future. [...]

]]> By: Dan http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1256 Dan Wed, 07 Jun 2006 14:37:35 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1256 I've found these songs a great help when teaching the topic as well. None of the discussion of sexuality in World War Two comes as close to capturing the impact of separation and enforced abstinence as 'Cleaning my rifle and thinking of you'. One of my students told me this year that this was the piece of teaching that he'd always remember. Sigh. I’ve found these songs a great help when teaching the topic as well. None of the discussion of sexuality in World War Two comes as close to capturing the impact of separation and enforced abstinence as ‘Cleaning my rifle and thinking of you’. One of my students told me this year that this was the piece of teaching that he’d always remember. Sigh.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1255 Brett Holman Wed, 07 Jun 2006 13:26:38 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1255 No, I didn't know 'Please leave my butter alone', which itself seems a model of sophistication next to the works of Sir Mix-a-lot! I don't know many of these songs, actually. I suppose there must be CD compilations of them, it may be worth checking out the "nostalgia" section of the music store next time I visit. I have bought a few CDs from <a href="http://www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk/cd41home.html" rel="nofollow">CD41</a> along these lines, which are pretty good. I should buy some more. Good point about the performance style, we probably also miss out a lot without seeing and hearing the audience's reaction. We'd certainly know which bits of the song they appreciated the most. No, I didn’t know ‘Please leave my butter alone’, which itself seems a model of sophistication next to the works of Sir Mix-a-lot! I don’t know many of these songs, actually. I suppose there must be CD compilations of them, it may be worth checking out the “nostalgia” section of the music store next time I visit. I have bought a few CDs from CD41 along these lines, which are pretty good. I should buy some more.

Good point about the performance style, we probably also miss out a lot without seeing and hearing the audience’s reaction. We’d certainly know which bits of the song they appreciated the most.

]]> By: Dan http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1206 Dan Mon, 05 Jun 2006 08:44:03 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/06/04/the-deepest-shelter-in-town/#comment-1206 Ah, the joy of the single entendre war song. Do you know Gert and Daisy's 'Please leave my butter alone' (also sung by Elsie Carlisle)' from the same period? Ostensibly about the difficulties of rationing, but since 'Nothing is better than butt..er/For keeping the old man at home', we can speculate about what exactly was being rationed. I often think it's a shame we have few accessible images of these artists performing in normal settings, since I suspect - rather like Shakespeare's comic characters - it's all about the performance, the facial expression (and the hand gestures). 'The Deepest Shelter in Town' - particularly that line about the siren call - seems a model of sophistication compared to Gert and Daisie, or to George Formby's 'It serves you right (you shouldn't have joined) ('I used to be a chimney sweep, in dear old Wigan town/I used to do the ladies in the street for half a crown/ But now I don't get nothing for the little jobs I do/I wish I was in Wigan sweeping Mrs Jones' flue') And let's not get started on Billy Ternant and his Orchestra's 'Cleaning my rifle (and thinking of you)' Ah, the joy of the single entendre war song. Do you know Gert and Daisy’s ‘Please leave my butter alone’ (also sung by Elsie Carlisle)’ from the same period? Ostensibly about the difficulties of rationing, but since ‘Nothing is better than butt..er/For keeping the old man at home’, we can speculate about what exactly was being rationed. I often think it’s a shame we have few accessible images of these artists performing in normal settings, since I suspect - rather like Shakespeare’s comic characters - it’s all about the performance, the facial expression (and the hand gestures). ‘The Deepest Shelter in Town’ - particularly that line about the siren call - seems a model of sophistication compared to Gert and Daisie, or to George Formby’s ‘It serves you right (you shouldn’t have joined) (’I used to be a chimney sweep, in dear old Wigan town/I used to do the ladies in the street for half a crown/ But now I don’t get nothing for the little jobs I do/I wish I was in Wigan sweeping Mrs Jones’ flue’)
And let’s not get started on Billy Ternant and his Orchestra’s ‘Cleaning my rifle (and thinking of you)’

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