SAM DeVINCENT COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED AMERICAN SHEET MUSIC, ca. 1790 - 1987
#300

Container List

Series 2: ARMED FORCES, ca. 1810-1980

by: Karen Linn, 1989

Box 51

Folder

A, Pre-World War II, 1927-1940:

Many of the songs are about military aeronautics and many are from the moving pictures. One song, a newspaper supplement of 1940, is about Elliott Roosevelt, son of the President. (19 items)

World War II, ca. 1940-1945:

B, A - C

Box 52

Folder

C, D - H
D, I - K
E, L - O
F, P - S

Box 53

Folder

G, T - V
H, W - Z

These folders contain both vocal and instrumental music about World War II. Also included are nine different World War II editions of the 1921 song The Caissons Go Rolling Along by Brig. Gen. Edmund L. Gruber. See also 2.7 G-H and the DeVincent files for Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, Bing Crosby, and Kate Smith. (ca. 270 items)

Professional Copy, World War II Songs, ca. 1940-1947:

I, A - H


J, I - O

Box 54

Folder

K, P - Z

Professional copy sheet music has no cover illustrations and is intended for the use of professional musicians. Most of the sheets indicate who controlled the broadcast rights, and so this file provides evidence for the rise of BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) during the war years when coincidentally national broadcasters and ASCAP had a major breakdown in contract negotiations. (ca. 190 items)

L, Country Music, World War II Songs, 1941-1946:

During World War II, Country Music found a national audience. Some professional copy sheet music is included. (31 items)

M, Uncle Sam, World War II, 1939-1944:

The songs are about Uncle Sam or have cover illustrations with Uncle Sam. Some professional copy is included. (15 items)

N, Home-front, World War II, 1939-1945:

Included here are songs to encourage the citizens at home to help with the war effort as well as songs about conditions during wartime. Topics include blackouts in wartime (including London, England), war bonds and stamps, victory gardens, and defense industry work. (55 items)

Women and Mothers, World War II, ca. 1941-1945:

Box 55

Folder

O, A - H
P, I - R
Q, S - U
R, V - Z

Most of the songs are about the mothers and the girlfriends that the soldiers left behind; there are very few songs about women and the war effort. For songs about women in the military see folder S. Also included here are songs that are not explicitly about the war, but they were associated with the war. (ca. 100 items)

Box 56

Folder

S, Women and the Military, 1942-1952:

These song sheets depict women serving in the various branches of the service. One song is post-World War II. See also 2.7 H. (15 items)

T, The Draft, 1940-1944:

Included are songs of both acceptance and rejection (for example Here I Sit With the Physically Unfit) as well as songs about the new recruit adjusting to military life. (28 items)

U, Postal Service, World War II, 1941-1945:

These are songs about mail between home and soldiers during the war. (17 items)

V, Christianity and Chaplains, ca. 1940-1954:

Some post-World War II items are included. (10 items)

W, Service Flags and Medals, 1943-1964:

All items, except one, are from the 1940s. One song is about the Purple Heart, the remainder are about service flags. A blue star service flag indicated that the family had a member serving in the military, a gold star indicated that the soldier had died in battle. Many of the songs are about mothers and families. (21 items)

Military Aeronautics, World War II, ca. 1939-1945:

X, A - F

Box 57

Folder

Y, G - O
Z, P - Z

Most of the covers include illustrations or photographs of military airplanes. (ca. 100 items)  Click here to view image

AA, Japan, World War II, ca. 1941-1945:

This folder contains American songs about the war with Japan in Asia and the Islands of the Pacific. See also folders BB-CC. (38 items)

BB, Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), attack on, 1941-1945:

In addition to other sheets, the folder includes two newspaper supplement song sheets. (16 items)

CC, General Douglas MacArthur, 1942-1977:

Most of the items date from World War II and the Korean War. (34 items)

Box 58

Folder

DD, France, World War II, 1941-1949:

In addition to various songs about France in World War II, several versions of the popular wartime song Lilli Marlene are in this folder. (14 items)

Germany, World War II, ca. 1941-1978:

EE, A - H
FF, I - Z

Most of the songs are about Adolf Hitler and almost all of the songs date from the war years. The 1978 imprint is selections from the television show Holocaust. (64 items)

GG, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, ca. 1940-1945:

Several songs about the Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) are in this folder. Some of the imprints are from Great Britain and Canada. (21 items)

HH, Italy, World War II, 1942-1945:

The folder contains two songs about Benito Mussolini. (2 items)

II, Soviet Union, World War II, 1941-1944:

Included are songs about the Soviet Union during the war; there are no Soviet imprints. One song is by the Golden Gate Quartette. The folio Favorite Songs of the Red Army and Navy has a foreword by Paul Robeson. (8 items)

Box 59

Folder

JJ, Hit Kit, 1943-1944:

The Hit Kit was a small song folio of current popular tunes printed for the U.S. Army. (15 items)

KK, Songs of Victory, 1942-1947:

These song folios published by the Westmore Music Corp. contain popular war songs. (5 items)

World War II Song Folios, ca. 1941-1945:

LL, A - G
MM, L - S

Box 60

Folder

NN, T - Z


These folders contain miscellaneous song folios from World War II. (14 items)

OO, Westmore Music Corp. Song Folios, 1944:

Collections of popular wartime songs. (8 items)

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