I admit it. I'm like most Americans, I think — I tend to focus on Memorial Day for how it affects me (a school day when most people are at home, on vacation, or otherwise not chained to a desk). I know the true meaning, of course, and I understand its importance. But I don't think I really got it till I heard the stories of the people who called or wrote in today on NPR’s Talk of the Nation.
While so many people are at the beach today or enjoying a BBQ in their backyards, I spent a little bit of my afternoon thinking of the passage of time… the time it took someone to sign up for the military, the time it took for an army representative to drive to the family’s home to break the news, the time it took for a family to realize that life would never be the same, the time it took for someone to be grateful.
I thought a long time about a way to best document this… I have always heard that music captures so much of the moments in time and essence of an era, so I researched some of the songs that were popular from the time of each major war…songs that the families of the fallen soldiers might have heard.
Revolutionary War: Yankee Doodle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwHvyqNDUvE)
Civil War: Dear Sarah (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31lzarvalgo&playnext_from=TL&videos=toZ8tCCkE7k&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh%2Bdiv-1r-3-HM )
Free At Last
World War I: How ‘Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgqVCJpRqWQ )
World War II: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wiVkdVPGoY)
Korea: Sixteen Tons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUpTJg2EBpw )
Vietnam: Goodnight Saigon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjzjhl-QztE)
Present Conflicts: I do not what song to choose for this one because only time will decide a song that captures the moments of this conflict…but maybe “Where were you?” by Alan Jackson?
Thank you!
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