Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-14
'Mush' SONGS
Still Inspire
Soldier Boys
Their Musical Tastes
Unchanged by Army
BY DAMON RUNYON

oEENO llldl luSlc IL W
u do" in some circles about the
songs being written these days.
Certain persons contend that our
ditties are too mushy and are
not calculated TO arouse the ma
tons armed forces. One song
authority says that what the
forces need are songs TO inspire
the fighting mood rather than
dreams of the girls they left be-
hind"
To which I reply, stuff and
nonsense. l have never heard
more ineffable CUFF. I am sur
prised and panied to observe
some ordinarily intelligent fell
lows subscribing to same be-
cause know they know bet
ter.
They know that a man does
not change his taste in songs
just because he becomes a sol
der and that the same songs
that are Popular with civilians
are popular with the armed
forces and that these songs
have always been "mush."
Or if not "mush, then songs
that bordered slightly on the
inane in words and often music,
too, and some of these songs
have inspired the fighting mood
far more than those of loftier
import than if any songs can be
said to have inspired the fight
ing mood, which l am inclined
10 doubt is the case since sol
diers ceased charging TO the
music of their bands.
IN THE days when our armed
forces went whooping on the
enemy breastworks. with the
musicians off on the sidelines
tootling away for dear life. GER
tain tunes undeniably lent i'm
petus TO the lunges. But I am
told that the air that the North
ern troops liked 10 charge TO
was one entitled The Girl
Left Behind Me-" which the song
authority says is exactly what
the boys should not be thinking
about.
On the other hand, the south
ern forces galloped forward 10
a ditty called Dixie" written
by a minstrel and scarcely a
masterpiece of musical construc-
ton or a jewel of literary
composition, but nonetheless,
probably one Of the most stir
ring songs in history. II will
live longer than anything writ
ten or TO be written by those
who are now criticizing the cur
rent songs.
The most blood tingling song
of all time and one that is deep
in the hearts of all Americans.
now and forever. is a little thing
of no musical or lyrical distinc-
tion 10 which our soldiers
trudged along the dusty roads
and into combat back in the
days Of the revolution. II is
entitled Yankee Doodle Dandy"
A song writer. sitting down
now 10 write song ito inspire
the fighting mood" would proba-
bly, disdain a lyric as simple as
this or a tune as homely.
IN THE war with Mexico, our
Il soldiers sang something called
Green Grow the Grasses, oh"
from which the Mexicans got
their nick name for us of
"Gringo" and that song was
nothing extra.
In the Spanish-American war,
the ragtime ditty 'Therell BE
a Hot Time in the Old Town
Tonight" was far and away the
most popular tune of all with
our soldiers-and civilians, too.
1t was also perhaps the last
tune ever played for American
troops actually advancing into
battle, an incident of the fight
for Manila,
In the first World War, the
great marching tune of our SOL
diers was "Over There" but the
songs they liked to hear the
entertainers sing or sang them
selves in camp. were the same
songs the civilians back home
were singing. among them the
suffering song about xxx
Katy.
do not think you can manu-
facture songs like that 10 order.
/ have no idea what the most
popular song of this war will be,
but will take a price that it is
"mush" or at least Cruel.
Copyright. 1912. by King Features
Distributed by International News Service
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