Five songs from the 1940s that still matter today
Music is a place where the definition of words can often become convoluted. For instance, the term “concept album” was originally used to describe albums that had something linking each of the songs. Predictably, that definition became a bit too broad, to the point that it could be applied to nearly every album ever made. The Beatles and their release of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band helped to provide better guidelines for the term “concept album”.
A similar thing has happened with the word “timeless”. Many people who write about music use the term “timeless” when they are describing something that could just be called good. Few songs can effectively be called timeless, as we need the power of hindsight to determine their relevance in this modern age.
When we think about songs from decades past, there are a number of hits from the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s that are still relevant today. Music throughout these decades was finding its feet, and as a result, many of the bands and artists we love today take a lot from those songs and subsequently still resemble them. There are much fewer songs from decades prior to those that still resonate today, but music looked incredibly different.
That being said, just because a few songs from the ‘40s are still as big today doesn’t mean that no songs have carried over. These are tracks we can truly call timeless, as to still have an air of relevance in a musical landscape utterly alien to that which was around when the track was written is a real triumph.
These are five songs from the ‘40s that are just as relevant today as they were when they were originally written.
Five songs from the 1940s that are still relevant:
Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’
Not only is Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ still a vital song today, but it remains the highest-selling song of all time. It was initially featured in the 1942 film Holiday Inn and has since cemented itself as a go-to as soon as the weather chills and the Christmas lights go up.
Since its original release, artists everywhere have tried creating their own version of the track. While some are more successful than others, there is no escaping the fact that Bing Crosby’s iconic delivery is still the best version. Nothing personifies the Christmas spirit more, and the fact that this song is more than eight decades old truly makes it timeless.
Glenn Miller – ‘In The Mood’
It’s tough to determine how popular this song was at the time of release as it predates Billboard’s “Music Popularity Chart”. It was initially recorded in 1939 but didn’t gain traction until 1940. Regardless of some mystique surrounding the track’s popularity at the time, there is no escaping the fact that it has managed to withstand the test of time and still resonates as a gorgeous serenade in the modern era.
The song has an interesting origin. It was inspired by a track called ‘Tar Paper Stomp’ by a band leader in New Orleans named Joseph ‘Wingy’ Manone. Glenn Miller adapted the song and made it his own, which is the popular version that people still listen to today.
Billie Holiday – ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’
Though attitudes may have changed since the 1940s, and subsequently, some of the subjects sung about may not reflect society today, there are songs that have a meaning that will continue to persist for as long as there is air to carry the soundwaves they play on. ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ is the perfect example of this.
The song is a gorgeous ode to a lost loved one that manages to capture the feeling of being sad to lose somebody but equally happy to have known them. Pair the song’s meaning with Billie Holiday’s outstanding vocal performance, and you have an excellent track that is unwavering in its beauty.
Vera Lynn – ‘We’ll Meet Again’
Though this song was originally recorded and released in 1939, it remained relevant throughout the ‘40s and became a symbol of hope during some of humanity’s darkest days. During World War II, while many people were losing loved ones and having their world turned upside down, this was a beacon, a shining light in the darkness that told people things would be okay.
Very few people still alive actually lived through World War II, and for most of us, it remains something we read about in textbooks and watch documentaries about. Despite the distance, we stay connected to such a historical moment through music, so continuing to listen to songs like ‘We’ll Meet Again’ is incredibly important for us to respect the plight of those who came before.
Bing Crosby – ‘Only Forever’
Bing Crosby had a plethora of hits in the ‘40s, to the extent that this list could be made up of his tracks alone. Slightly different to the sentiment of ‘White Christmas’, ‘Only Forever’ is an everlasting love song that would land just as well in the charts today as it did in the ‘40s.
The beauty embedded in lines such as “Do you think I’ll remember / How you looked when you smile? / Only forever / That’s putting it mild,” don’t have an expiry date. Forever may well be the only way to describe how long the relevancy of a track such as this will last.
