18 June 2010

5 On Friday - We'll Meet Again





The space between Flag Day of June 14 and the big splash of Independence Day on July tends to be very patriotic in the U.S.  However, one of the greatest singers of World War II was very distinctly British: In 1940 Vera Lynn began her own radio programme, Sincerely Yours, sending messages to British troops serving abroad. Lynn also visited hospitals to interview new mothers and send personal messages to their husbands overseas. During the war years she would tour Egypt, India, Burma. Her most popular Song was We'll Meet Again.  Following WW II she continued a successful musical career and in later life has devoted herself to charities including breast cancer research and cerebral palsy.

The whole oil spew mess has me in a rather pessimistic mood when it comes to modern corporations and their destruction of the environment.  Which is probably why I started thinking of Dr. Strangelove.  Strangely enough at the end of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove a cryptic rendition of "We'll Meet Again" is played as many nuclear explosions are set off, showing it is the end of the world. 



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2 comments:

Julia Phillips Smith said...

I love the train of thought that resulted in today's set, Jamie. The footage from Kubrick's film, and his chilling use of the song, is really and truly frightening. Thanks for including it with your song list.

Travis Cody said...

I'm looking forward to this Set. I'll have to catch it over the weekend. Just wanted to let you know I came by today.