The Music of the Great War: How Song Helped Support the War Effort from the Home Front
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
The outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 inspired a massive propaganda push perpetrated by foreign governments in hopes of recruiting young men to join the armed forces while also promoting positivity for those who were not eligible to serve. Propaganda posters from the Great War have been widely studied from a variety of different angles. However, posters were not the only form of propaganda that were used during this time. This paper looks at music as a popular form of propaganda in Great Britain and the unique ways in which it helped the war effort. With music being a form of entertainment that was a large part of home and social life during this period, music-based propaganda was able to enter the homes of the British on a level that posters could not. The analysis of thirty pieces of music recorded as either sheet music or audio files revealed propagandized war sentiments about supporting the war effort, the rationing of food on the home front, and taking on work outside traditional gender roles in both popular music and war songs.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Brett Bebber
College Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
European History | Military History
Session Title
History
Location
Zoom Room M
Start Date
3-20-2021 11:00 AM
End Date
3-20-2021 11:55 AM
The Music of the Great War: How Song Helped Support the War Effort from the Home Front
Zoom Room M
The outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 inspired a massive propaganda push perpetrated by foreign governments in hopes of recruiting young men to join the armed forces while also promoting positivity for those who were not eligible to serve. Propaganda posters from the Great War have been widely studied from a variety of different angles. However, posters were not the only form of propaganda that were used during this time. This paper looks at music as a popular form of propaganda in Great Britain and the unique ways in which it helped the war effort. With music being a form of entertainment that was a large part of home and social life during this period, music-based propaganda was able to enter the homes of the British on a level that posters could not. The analysis of thirty pieces of music recorded as either sheet music or audio files revealed propagandized war sentiments about supporting the war effort, the rationing of food on the home front, and taking on work outside traditional gender roles in both popular music and war songs.