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Trevanian/Crazyladies of Pearl Street/Songs of the era'Easy Street' was one of my mother's favorite songs. The surest indication that she had emerged from a spell of the blues was hearing her sing such up-beat songs as she cooked supper. The three of us sang together almost every night as she sat at the table darning and Anne-Marie and I did the supper dishes, me washing, she wiping, standing on a chair because she was so little. Among our favorites were those defiantly optimistic songs that appeared during the first years of the Depression. Not only did these songs urge you to live your life 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' but they insisted that it wasn't all that bad to be poor, because 'The Best Things in Life Are Free', and love was among those finer things in life that were to be had on the cheap, like the man who 'Found a Million-Dollar Baby (in a five-and-ten cent store)'; so you should keep your chin up because 'Beyond the Blue Horizon (waits a beautiful day)', and all you had to do was to 'Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and dream your troubles away)'. Occasionally, when she was down in the dumps, Mother would sing one of the embittered Depression songs, like 'Remember My Forgotten Man', or 'Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?' - The Crazyladies of Pearl Street - I acknowledge the unparalleled learning and experience of Bill Daly who has contributed research for the benefit of The Crazyladies of Pearl Street readership Songs and music from 1936 onwards 1933 Remember My forgotten Man - Golddiggers of 1933, Joan Blondell 1944 On the Sunny Side of the Street - Jo Stafford Wrap your troubles in dreams - Bing Crosby 1945 Big band rendition of 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' - Tommy Dorsey Lucky Strike Hit Parade 1936+ 1942 (There'll be Blue Birds Over)The White Cliffs of Dover - Kate Smith 1942 I don't want to walk without you - Dinah Shore 1944 I'll walk alone - Martha Tilton 1942 I'll get by - Ink Spots 1942 Easy Street - Stan Kenton/June Christie |
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