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When The American Federation of Musicians was founded in 1896, the wax cylinder was a novelty item owned by a tiny minority of rich households, radio was still a potential technology for (morse code) communication between neighboring buildings, and sound film was little more than a dream. Musicians were paid for performances, songwriters were paid for (easily pirated) sheet music, and the entire concept of “royalties” for recorded music was un-thought-of, or at least unmentioned.
We have heard some of the changes that took place over the next 45 years, of course. First there was the invention of mechanical royalties, initially for piano rolls, but later for recordings – these were an improvement for songwriters, who from 1907 received a fee of 2 cents every time their composition was duplicated – a rate which would remain the same until 1978. For performers, however, there was only a fee for playing on the session, so even as the recording industry expanded exponentially with the birth of electrical recordings and much cheaper equipment to play them on, a working musician would see no direct financial benefit to a song they had performed on becoming a hit.
When the great depression hit, most of the record companies collapsed and, for those musicians who did not find other employment, live performances and radio became their sole source of income. For some non-songwriters this may have even represented a pay rise – a gig every night meant a reliable paycheck. For band leaders, musicians were now plentiful and affordable. Why not put together a 20-piece jazz orchestra for your radio show? The musicians would be glad to have a steady job, and the audience, who could not afford new records, would be glad to hear them.
But then, of course, things changed again. Slowly, the economy began to recover. Record companies started increasing production. Radio stations, cutting back due to increased costs, started playing more records. And still performers received no royalties.
On August 1st 1942 the AFM, then representing the majority of professional musicians, announced a strike. No music was to be recorded until the record companies would agree terms to pay performance royalties. The strike had been long-anticipated, and a stockpile of records had been built up, so at first there was no noticeable difference – all the best-known artists were still available in stores. Then, as these started to run out, different plans were put into action. Singers (who were generally not members of the AFM) were paired with vocal groups or non-union pianists – this is why 1943 is the first big year for Frank Sinatra. Old records were re-released – for example Sinatra’s pre-fame records with the Harry James Orchestra. The dam had to burst eventually, though, and one by one the record companies agreed terms with the AMA, and recordings gradually began again.
If this strike were the only factor at play in 1943, it would be hard enough to make a full-length music mix, but of course there are further complications. Even before the war began, the economics of running a big band were failing, as star performers were less and less likely to accept minimum wage with the depression over. We will hear plenty of smaller group jazz performances, and their new style (already given the name “be bop”) in future episodes, though sadly I only have sprinklings of this for you here. Many musicians were of age to be drafted into the armed forces, and though they may have had the chance to play music there, it was most likely not recorded. Plastics were needed for war industries, and limits were put on the number of records which could be pressed. Even worse hit was fuel, which was rationed to the point that multi-city musical tours were virtually impossible. It seems like the entire record business was put entirely on hold for the duration of the year.
So what do we have here, then? A four-and-a-half-hour mix without any records? Well, no. With much less to work with, I downloaded a huge radio archive, and spent a fair amount of time getting sounds from films. The songs that do appear are “v-discs” recorded for distribution to soldiers, recordings with minimal or acappella backing, movie soundtracks, a few radio performances, and of course a host of music from other countries, mainly ones which were not participating in the war (I believe that for this reason this may be the most South-American mix I’ve ever made.) More than any other mix so far, this leans heavily into the sound-collage aspect of the project, with large sections free of any music. It was difficult to put this together, but I think it works.
Introduction
(Clip from Calvacade of America)
(Clip from WAC Recruits Take Oath of Enlistment)
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
(Clip from Share The Meat)
(Clip from Heaven Can Wait)
(Clip from Lights Out – Kill)
(Clip from Calvacade of America)
(Clip from Fibber McGee & Molly)
(Clip from It’s That Man Again)
0:01:08 Spike Jones – People Will Say We`re In Love
0:01:23 Lena Horne – Stormy Weather
January
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
0:05:59 Charlie Parker – My Heart Tells Me
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
(Clip from How To Behave In Britain)
0:09:17 Mildred Bailey – Rockin’ Chair
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
(Clip from Education for Death – The Making of The Nazi)
0:14:36 Efisio Melis – Fiuda Bagadia
(Clips from Education for Death – The Making of The Nazi)
(Clip from Shadow of a Doubt)
0:18:47 Oscar Aleman – Tico Tico No Fuba
(Clip from Shadow of a Doubt)
0:21:33 Xavier Cugat – Tico Tico
(Clip from Shadow of a Doubt)
(Clip from Fibber McGee & Molly)
(Clip from Screen Guild Players)
(Clips from Shadow of a Doubt)
(Clip from The More The Merrier)
0:24:13 Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra – The Moose
(Clips from Screen Guild Players)
0:26:46 Django Reinhardt Et Le Quintette Du Hot Club De France – Cavalerie
(Clip from Shadow of a Doubt)
(Clip from Forever and a Day)
(Clip from Lum & Abner)
(Clip from Screen Guild Players)
(Clip from VOA – Deutschsprachige Nachrichten der Stimme Amerikas)
(Clip of Herman Goering)
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
February
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
0:29:20 Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots – Cow Cow Boogie
(Clip from BBCF Ici Londres – Victoire Sovitique Stalingrad)
(Clip from BBC – Robert Robinson Reports Victory In Stalingrad)
(Clip from BBC – Paul Winterton on Stalingrad)
(Clip from BBC – End Of Battle For Stalingrad Eyewitnessed)
0:33:37 Golden Gate Quartet – Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’
(Clip of Joseph Goebbels)
0:37:00 Duke Ellington – Black
(Clip from How To Behave In Britain)
(Clip from NBC – Bing Crosby Kraft Music Hall WAC Recruitment)
(Clip from Orson Welles War Bond Plea)
(Clips from Ediphone School Record No.2)
(Clips from How To Behave In Britain)
0:49:18 Duke Ellington – Brown
(Clips from How To Behave In Britain)
(Clip from Cockney Slang)
0:56:41 Duke Ellington – Beige
(Clips from How To Behave In Britain)
(Clips from Kraft Cheese Spreads Commercial)
(Clips from Popeye – Seeing Red, White & Blue)
1:05:13 Nat King Cole Trio – I Know That You Know
March
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from The Human Comedy)
1:07:48 Yma Sumack con Conjunto Folklórico Peruano de Moisés Vivanco – Cholo traicionero (Pasacalle)
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
1:10:59 Evelyn Künnek – Sing Nachtigall Singe
(Clip from Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman)
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
1:15:16 Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five – Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby?
(Clip from The Human Comedy)
(Clip from Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman)
(Clip from Your Own Victory Garden)
1:18:07 Nat King Cole & Dexter Gordon – Sweet Lorraine
(Clip from Cockney Slang)
1:22:54 Flanagan & Allen – The Smiths And The Jones
(Clips from Cockney Slang)
1:26:20 George Lewis – New Orleans Hula
(Clips from Fighting Men – Kill Or Be Killed)
1:30:02 Harry Roy – This Is The Army Mr Jones
(Clips from Women Of Steel)
1:33:05 Four Vagabonds – Rosie The Riveter
(Clip from Women Of Steel)
April
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from Wings To Victory)
1:35:49 Miguel Caló and Alberto Podestá – Percal
(Clip from Fires Were Started)
1:39:00 Carlos Di Sarli and Roberto Rufino – Verdemar
(Clip from Lights Out – Kill)
1:41:50 Django Reinhardt – Improvisation No. 3, Part 1
(Clips from Lights Out – Kill)
1:44:36 Spike Jones – Hotcha Cornia
(Clips from Fibber McGee & Molly)
(Clip from Share The Meat)
1:46:56 Lionel Hampton Sextet & Dinah Washington – Evil Gal Blues
(Clip from Lum & Abner)
(Clips from Fibber McGee & Molly)
(Clip from Cabin in The Sky)
1:49:42 Shinda Gikombe – Njane Kanini
(Clips from I Walked With A Zombie)
May
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from Five Graves To Cairo)
(Clip from CBC – Lorne Green Reports Victory In Tunis)
(Clip from Five Graves To Cairo)
1:52:41 Jimmy Yancey – Yancey Special
(Clip from Kentucky Derby – Clem McCarthy)
(Clip from The Leopard Man)
1:55:50 Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers – Jumpin Jive
1:58:56 Charlie Parker & Jay McShann – Cherokee
(Clip from The More The Merrier)
(Clip from Calvacade of America)
(Clip from The More The Merrier)
(Clip from Calvacade of America)
(Clips from The More The Merrier)
(Clip of Axis Sally)
(Clips from Calvacade of America)
(Clips of Axis Sally)
2:01:58 Carroll Gibbons (Vocals Edna Kay) – Darling
(Clip from The Major And The Minor)
(Clip from BBC Warsaw Uprising – Eyewitness)
2:04:16 Freddy Martin & His Orchestra – (Theme From The) Warsaw Concerto
(Clip from BBC Frank Gillard Surrender North Africa)
(Clip from Calvacade of America)
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
2:07:21 Fats Waller and Ada Brown – That Ain’t Right
(Clips from Calvacade of America)
(Clip from BBC – Should the news be in BBC English)
June
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
2:12:08 The Andrews Sisters – Shoo, Shoo Baby
(Clip from My Friend Flicka)
(Clips from Ossessione)
2:15:30 Oscar Aleman – Besame Mucho
(Clips from My Friend Flicka)
(Clip of Juan Peron Speech)
2:18:24 Carlos Di Sarli and Roberto Rufino – Yo Soy De San Telmo
(Clips from My Friend Flicka)
2:20:53 Ameerbai Karnataki, Khan Mastana – Door Hato Ai Duniya Walo
2:23:12 Nattiyakkalaye – Sivakavi
(Clips from The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp)
2:27:17 Django Reinhardt Et Le Quintette Du Hot Club De France – Fleur D’ennui
(Clips from The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp)
July
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
2:33:49 Lead Belly – (Good Night) Irene (Take 1)
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
2:36:56 Dorothy Maynor – Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen
(Clip from For Who The Bell Tolls)
(Clip from BBC – Maurice Shillington Reports – Mussolini Resigns)
(Clip from EIAR Announces the Resignation of Mussolini)
(Clips from FDR Fireside Chat – First Crack In The Axis)
2:41:53 Frank Sinatra with The Bobby Tucker Singers – Oh What A Beautiful Mornin’
(Clip from Commercial for Kraft Mustard)
2:44:56 Carmen Miranda – Lady In The Tutti Frutti Hat (film soundtrack)
(Clips from The Ox Bow Incident)
2:49:53 Edith Piaf – Le Brun Et Le Blond
2:52:36 Lord Invader – Rum And Coca-Cola
August
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
2:55:00 Concha Piquer – Yo No Me Quiero Enterar
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
(Clips from Private SNAFU – Spies)
2:59:52 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra with Ray Nance – A Slip Of The Lip Can Sink A Ship
(Clip from The Man In Grey)
3:01:30 Benny Carter and his Orchestra – Poinciana
(Clip from BBC – General Patton Enters Messina)
(Clip from BBC – Frank Gillard with Town Band in Lentini)
3:05:59 Rueben Solomon & His Jive Boys – Constantly (Calcutta, 1943)
(Clips from Heaven Can Wait)
3:09:09 Jimmy Dorsey (vocal – Kitty Kallen) – They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old
(Clip from CBC – Mary Churchill Congratulates CWACs)
3:12:49 Anne Shelton – Silver Wings In The Moonlight
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
September
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip of BBC – Montgomery Announces Landings in Italy)
(Clip from Sahara)
3:16:43 Ella May Morse & Freddie Slack – Get on Board, Little Chillun
(Clips from Dynamite Cargo)
3:20:35 Big Bill Broonzy – Night Watchman Blues
(Clip from Dynamite Cargo)
(Clips from BBC – Berlin Bomber)
3:31:25 The Four Vagabonds – Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer
(Clips from BBC Guy Gibson Interview)
3:34:16 Dicky Wells and His Orchestra – Linger Awhile
(Clip from CAN – Eisenhower Announces Italy’s Surrender)
(Clip from BBC – Marshall Badoglio – Italy Surrender)
3:37:32 Spike Jones – Down In Jungle Town
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
(Clip from Lum & Abner)
(Clip from Le Corbeau)
3:38:56 Yvonne de Trebert – Stop
(Clips from Calvacade of America)
October
(Clips from Lassie Come Home)
3:43:18 Charlie Parker – I’ve Found A New Baby
(Clip from Treasury Star Parade)
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from BBC – Freddy Grisewood Reports Italy At War With Germany)
3:47:14 AnÃbal Troilo – La Cumparsita
(Clips from Himmler Speech)
3:49:56 Sekinomu – Kayanda (Ganda; Uganda)
(Clips from CBS World News Today)
(Clip from WAC Recruits Take Oath of Enlistment)
3:51:34 Django Reinhardt – Blues Clair
(Clips from Eisenhower War Loans Drive Speech)
3:54:38 Lead Belly – John Hardy
(Clips from It’s That Man Again)
3:56:20 New Mayfair Dance Orchestra – Pedro The Fisherman
(Clips from It’s That Man Again)
November
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
3:59:28 Wild Bill Davison & his Commodores – That’s a Plenty
(Clips from Here Is Your War)
4:01:18 Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five – Deacon Jones
(Clips from BBC – In Honour of Russia – Mary Lane)
4:04:55 Yma Sumack con Conjunto Folklórico Peruano de Moisés Vivanco – Waraka Tusuy
(Clip from Sahara)
(Clip from BBCF – Ici Londres – Messages Personnels)
4:08:22 Charles Trenet – Douce France
(Clip from Amos & Andy – Turkey Trouble)
4:12:02 Nat King Cole – It’s Only A Paper Moon
(Clip from Commercial – Waste Kitchen Fats)
4:13:13 Fats Waller – Up Jumped You With Love
December
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from BBC – Freddy Grisewood Reports on Tehran Conference)
4:15:27 The Stuff Smith Trio – Humoresque
(Clip from Amos & Andy – Candy for Caroline)
(Clip from Fibber McGee & Molly)
4:18:04 Dicky Wells and His Orchestra – I Got Rhythm
(Clip from CBC – Canadian Women Serving Overseas – Marietta McPherson)
(Clips from CBC – Wartime Rations Christmas – Dorothy Batchellor)
(Clip of Edward R Murrow)
4:20:22 Nat King Cole Trio – Embraceable You
(Clip from Jane Eyre)
4:24:16 Shamshad Begum & Motilal – O Jaanewale Aaja
(Clip from Five Graves To Cairo)
(Clips from Mother America)
4:26:27 Custódio Mesquita – Brejeiro
(Clip from Wartime With Bob Hope – The Christmas Package)
4:28:06 The Andrews Sisters – Sing (Radio Broadcast)
(Clip from BBC – King George Christmas Speech)
(Clip from CBS World News Today)
4:32:16 Bing Crosby & The Andrew Sisters – Victory Polka
(Clips from CBC – Matthew Hatton – Canadians Attack Ortona)
(Clip from Mother America)
Closing
4:34:22 Xavier Cugat – Linda Mujer
(Clip from Cockney Slang)
(Clip from Amos & Andy – Candy for Caroline)
(Clip from Fibber McGee & Molly)
(Clip from Dynamite Cargo)
(Clip from Shadow of a Doubt)
(Clip from Review of The Year 1943)
(Clip from Popeye – Seeing Red, White & Blue)