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Remember When...

Enjoy going year-by year remembering some of the great songs and movies of the 20th century! Do you remember where you were when you first heard the song or saw the movie?

ARE YOU A PRODUCT OF YOUR TIMES? by Dwight L Adams, 1998

Dr Massey of the University of Colorado teaches that, about age 14, American youth set their own personal "values." They do not automatically adopt someone else's values, and those personal values are influenced by more than peers, parents, schools, and social groups.They are also influenced by what was going on in the media and what the "talk of the town" was at the time.

Are YOU a product of your time(when you were about 14, including those as much as 5 years younger and 5 years older--10 year period of time)? See if you agree with the songs that were listed as popular then. See if historical or political happenings at that time made a conscious impression on you. Did your favorite movie of the time win an Oscar?

1897-1904 4,227 business firms merged into 257 corporate combinations
-USA had become world's largest producer of goods (twice that of Britain and Germany combined).
-Following assassination of President William McKinley, a relatively young (43) Theodore Roosevelt became President in 1901(Republican).
-Typical work week is 10 hours per day and 6 days a week
-Roosevelt expands national forest land to 148 million acres "Walk softly but carry a big stick" was Roosevelt's motto
-William Howard Taft President, 1909 (very conservative Republican), stopped many of the reforms Roosevelt had started.
-Woodrow Wilson, President 1913. Created the Federal Reserve system. "A Southerner committed to white supremacy, he ordered racial segregation in federal agencies." Lowered tariffs on imports 1913.
-1913 17th Amendment: direct popular election of US Senators.
-"The Progressive Era" 1901-1917, but not a coherent, unified political movement. An era of reform following the 1893-96 Depression.
-Reformation of our inner cities. "Rich flight" very apparent 1911
-Prohibition made alcohol illegal. The Salvation Army provided aid to alcoholics and "bums," requiring them first to go to church and pray for forgiveness.
-Welfare policy saw uniformity and efficiency with the belief that the state had a duty to protect the interests of the people and provide for the needy.
-Major government reforms and improvements, with organized social services being funded.

1900 Invention of the escalator
1902 Invention of air conditioning
1903 Wright Brother's 1st flight
1903 First important motion picture (silent) "The Great Train Robbery"
Director Edwin Porter is credited as the first to use this media to
tell a story
1904-7 Invention of the radio vacuum tube
1907 First working helicopter
1909White House Conference on Children -- focused on destitute families, "boarding out", etc.
1911National Urban League on Urban Conditions -- Social work was founded here, and the workers received some training.
1912U.S. Children's Bureau Act established a national agency to collect information on children

Shared History for Those Cohort Members Still Living:

1917
-1913 U.S. saw a significant internal "red scare," including domestic bombings in 1919 with tremendous labor unrest throughout the U.S.
-1913 Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line
-1914 Invention & use of the tank
-Second Term for Woodrow Wilson, 1917
-1916 Federal Income Tax became mandatory. Passed Child Labor Act.
-1916 32 States regulate workmen's compensation, number of hours worked by children and women; 11 states had minimum wages for women.
-The "Great War" 1914-1918 (WWI) Germany sued for Peace: Nov 1918
-1917-1924 Significant restrictions on immigration imposed in U.S.
as racism took control of governing bodies
-1917, Illinois, "bloodiest American racial conflict of this century

Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):
1917----------------------
01/27 "My Own Iona," Wright, Hoarce, & Rene Dietrich
02/24 "Poor Butterfly," Victor Military Band
04/07 "Hush-a-Bye Ma Baby (The Missouri Waltz)," Baker, Elsie
05/05 "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag (And Smile Smile Smile)," Knickerbocker Quartet
05/09 "Star Spangled Banner," McCormack, John
06/30 "For Me and My Gal," Van & Schenck
07/21 "Oh Johnny, O Johnny, Oh!," American Quartet
08/11 "Lookout Mountain," Burr, Henry, & Albert Campbell
08/25 "Till the Clouds Roll By," Wheaton, Anna, & James Harrod
10/06 "Good-Bye Broadway, Hello France", American Quartet
10/13 "Over There," American Quartet
11/03 "Over There," Peerless Quartet
12/01 "Over There," Bayes, Nora
1918-----------------------
01/19 "Send Me Away With a Smile," McCormack, John
02/16 "I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm on my Way," Peerless Quartet
03/02 "Battle Hymn ofthe Republic,"Harrison,Charles,Columbia StellarQuartet
03/09 "Hail! Hail! The Gang's All Here,"Kaufman, Irving, & Columbia Quartet
04/06 "I'm All Bound Round with the Mason Dixon Line," Jolson, Al
04/13 "Dark Town Strutters' Ball," Collins, Arthur, & Byron Harlan
04/27 "Just Baby's Prayer at Twilight (For Her Daddy Over There)"Burr,Henry
07/13 "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," Burr, Henry
07/20 "Hello Central, Give Me No Man's Land," Jolson, Al
08/17 "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody," Jolson, Al
09/07 "Smiles," Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra
10/26 "Over There," Caruso, Enrico
11/12 "Tiger Rag," Original Dixieland Jazz Band
11/16 "Oh, How I Hate to Get up in the Morning," Fields, Arthur
12/19 "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," Harrison, Charles
1919-----------------------------------
01/18/"O Death, Where is Thy Sting?," Williams, Bert
02/01 "After You've Gone," Harris, Marion
02/22 "Till We Meet Again," Burr, Henry, & Albert Campbell
03/15 "Till We Meet Again," James, Lewis, & Charles Hart
05/03 "Till We Meet Again," Nicholas Orlando's Orchestra
05/17 "Beautiful Ohio," Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra
05/24 "Beautiful Ohio," Burr, Henry
07/12 "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," Burr, Henry, & Albert Campbell
08/09 "I'll Say She Does," Jolson, Al
09/20 "It's Nobody's Business But My Own," Williams, Bert
10/04 "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody," Steel, John
10/25 "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," Ben Selvin's Novelty Orchestra
12/15 "Oh! What a Pal Was Mary," Burr, Henry
1920-----------------------------
01/17 "I've Got My Captain Working for me Now," Jolson, Al
01/31 "Dardanella," Ben Selvin's Novelty Orchestra
05/01 "Alice Blue Gown," Day, Edith
05/08 "Swanee," Jolson, Al
07/03 "When My Baby Smiles at Me," Lewis, Ted, & His Band
08/07 "Hold Me," Hickman, Art"
09/18 "The Love Nest," Steel, John
09/25 "St. Louis Blues," Harris, Marion
10/16 "The Love Nest," Hickman, Art
10/30 "Whispering," Whiteman, Paul
12/11 "The Japanese Sandman," Whiteman, Paul
1921------------------------------------
01/29 "Wang Wang Blues," Whiteman, Paul
03/12 "Margie," Cantor, Eddie
04/16 "O-H-I-O (O-My! O!)," Jolson, Al
05/14 "Look For the Silver Lining," Harris, Marion
06/04 "My Mammy," Whiteman, Paul
07/08 "Make Believe," Bayes, Nora
07/30 "Cherie," Whiteman, Paul
09/10 "Ain't We Got Fun?," Van & Schenck
09/24 "Song of India," Whiteman, Paul
10/22 "All By Myself," Lewis, Ted
11/26 "Say It With Music," Whiteman, Paul
12/31 "Wabash Blues," Jones, Isham
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1922
-1919 18th Amendment to U.S. Constitution: Prohibition
-1919-1921 agriculture depression
-1920 Women won the right to vote
-1921 Maternity and Infancy Act reduced infant mortality rate.
-Child Labor Act was not closely regulated until the 1920s
-1921 U.S. President Warren Harding died in office, was an editor
-1922-35 Invention of radar
-1923 U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, a lawyer by trade
-1925 Frozen Food Process invented

Top Songs of the Era:
1922--------------------------------------
02/11 "April Showers," Jolson, Al
03/25 "My Man," Brice, Fanny
05/06 "Angel Child," Jolson, Al
06/10 "On the Alamo," Jones, Isham
07/08 "Do It Again," Whiteman, Paul
07/22 "Stumbling," Whiteman, Paul
09/02 "Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean," Hare, Ernest, & Billy Jones
09/16 "Hot Lips," Whiteman, Paul
10/28 "Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean," Gallagher and Shean
12/09 "My Buddy," Burr, Henry
12/16 "Three O'Clock in the Morning," Whiteman, Paul
1923-----------------------------------
01/06 "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," Whiteman, Paul
01/13 "Toot Toot Tootsie (Goo'bye)," Jolson, Al
03/10 "Carolina in the Morning," Van & Schenck
04/07 "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers," Whiteman, Paul
05/26 "Love Sends a Little Gift of Roses," Fenton, Carl
06/16 "Bambalina," Whiteman, Paul
06/23 "Dreamy Melody," Landry, Art
07/14 "Down Hearted Blues," Smith, Bessie
08/11 "Swingin' Down the Lane," Jones, Isham
09/01 "Yes! We Have No Bananas," Jones, Billy
10/27 "Yes! We Have No Bananas," Selvin, Ben
11/10 "That Old Gang of Mine," Murray, Billy, & Ed Smalle
12/22 "No, No, Nora," Cantor, Eddie
1924-------------------------------------------
01/05 "Sleep," Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
01/26 "Charleston," Gibbs, Arthur
02/16 "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'," Hall, Wendell
03/01 "Linger Awhile," Whiteman, Paul
03/29 "Somebody Stole My Gal," Weems, Ted
05/24 "California, Here I Come!," Jolson, Al
07/19 "Spain," Jones, Isham
08/02 "What'll I Do?," Whiteman, Paul
09/06 "It Had to Be You," Jones, Isham
10/11 "Memory Lane," Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
11/15 "I Wonder What's Become of Sally?," Jolson, Al
12/06 "Somebody Love Me," Whiteman, Paul
1925-----------------------------------
01/10 "All Alone," Jolson, Al
02/07 "All Alone," Whiteman, Paul
02/28 "Tea for Two," Harris, Marion
03/21 "All Alone," McCormack, John
04/04 "I'll See You in my Dreams," Jones, Isham, & Ray Miller's Orchestra
05/23 "O! Katharina," Lewis, Ted
05/30 "The Prisoner's Song," Dalhart, Vernon (12 weeks total)
07/04 "Sweet Georgia Brown," Bernie, Ben
08/01 "If You Knew Susie," Cantor, Eddie
09/12 "Yes Sir! That's My Baby," Austin, Gene
10/31 "Oh, How I Miss You Tonight," Selvin, Ben (Cavaliers)
11/21 "Manhattan," Selvin, Ben (Knickerbockers)
12/19 "Remember," Jones, Isham
12/26 "The Prisoner's Song," Dalhart, Vernon
1926------------------------------------
02/13 "Who?," Olsen, George
03/27 "Sleepy Time Gal," Bernie, Ben
04/17 "I'm Sitting on Top of the World," Jolson, Al
05/08 "Always," Olsen, George
05/22 "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue," Austin, Gene
06/05 "Always," Lopez, Vincent
06/19 "Gimme a Lil' Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?," Smith, 'Whispering' Jack
07/03 "Valencia," Whiteman, Paul
09/04 "Bye Bye, Blackbird," Austin, Gene
10/02 "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along," Jolson,Al
10/16 "Baby Face," Garber, Jan
11/27 "Breezin' Along with the Breeze," Marvin, Johnny
12/11 "The Birth of the Blues," Whiteman, Paul
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1927
-1926 "We are a movement of the plain people," said the "Grand Wizard" of the Ku Klux Klan as racial (immigrant) violence grew
-In May, 1926 Lindberg across the Atlantic
-1926 Liquid-fuel rockets invented
-1928 "The Auto Age"
-1928 Invention of the "iron lung" for polio victims
-1929 Typical work week drops to 5 nine-hour days
-1929 Telephone growth in the U.S. hit 20 million phones
-1929 U.S. President Herbert Hoover was an engineer by trade

Academy Award Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1927-1928---------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Wings" Emil Jannings Janet Gaynor

1928-1929---------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Broadway Melody" Warner Baxter Mary Pickford

1929-1930---------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"All Quiet on the George Arliss Norman Schearer
Western Front"

1930-1931---------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Cimarron" Lionel Barrymore Marie Dressler

1931-1932---------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Grand Hotel" Fredric March Helen Hayes
& Wallace Beery


Top Songs of the Era:
1927------------------------------------
01/08 "In a Little Spanish Town," Whiteman, Paul
03/05 "Some of These Days," Tucker, Sophie,& Ted Lewis & His Band
04/09 "Tonight You Belong to Me," Austin, Gene
04/30 "Blue Skies," Selvin, Ben
05/14 "Ain't She Sweet?," Bernie, Ben
06/11 "At Sundown (When Love is Calling me Home," Olsen, George
07/02 "Two Black Crows-1 & 2 (The Early Bird Catches the Worm),Moran & Mack
08/06 "Forgive Me," Austin, Gene
08/13 "Me and My Shadow," Smith, 'Whispering' Jack
09/10 "Russian Lullaby," Kahn, Roger Wolfe
10/01 "Charmaine!," Lombardo, Guy
11/19 "My Blue Heaven," Whiteman, Paul
11/26 "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider," Nichols, Red
12/17 "My Blue Heaven," Austin, Gene
1928----------------------------------------
03/17 "Among My Souvenirs," Whiteman, Paul
04/14 "Together," Whiteman, Paul
04/28 "Ol' Man River," Whiteman, Paul
05/05 "Ramona," Whiteman, Paul
05/26 "Ramona," Austin, Gene
07/21 "Laugh, Clown, Laugh!," Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
07/28 "My Angel," Whiteman, Paul
09/08 "Jeannine (I Dream of Lilac Time)," Austin, Gene
10/13 "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," Edwards, Cliff:'Ukelele Ike'
10/20 "Sonny Boy," Jolson, Al
12/01 "There's a Rainbow Round my Shoulder," Jolson, Al
1929-----------------------------------------
01/26 "Sweethearts on Parade," Lombardo, Guy
02/16 "Carolina Moon," Austin, Gene
03/23 "A Precious Little Thing Called Love," Olsen, George
04/20 "Honey," Vallee, Rudy
06/15 "The Wedding of the Painted Doll," Reisman, Leo
07/13 "Pagan Love Song," Copley Plaza Orchestra (Bob Haring)
08/10 "Singin' in the Rain," Edwards, Cliff ('Ukelele Ike')
08/31 "Little Pal," Jolson, Al
10/05 "Am I Blue?," Waters, Ethel
10/19 "Tip Toe Through the Tulips," Lucas, Nick
12/28 "Great Day," Whiteman, Paul
1930-----------------------------------
01/11 "Chant of the Jungle," Ingraham, Roy
02/01 "The Man From the South," Weems, Ted
02/08 "Happy Days Are Here Again," Meroff, Benny
03/01 "Puttin' on the Ritz," Richman, Harry
03/08 "Happy Days Are Here Again," Selvin, Ben
03/22 "Stein Song (University of Maine)," Vallee, Rudy
05/31 "When It's Springtime in the Rockies," Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra
06/14 "When It's Springtime in the Rockies," Selvin, Ben
07/05 "Dancing With Tears in my Eyes," Shilkret, Nat
08/23 "Little White Lies," Fre Waring's Pennsylvanians
09/20 "If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight," McKinney's Cotton Pickers
10/18 "Body and Soul," Whiteman, Paul
11/29 "Three Little Words," Ellington, Duke
12/20 "You're Driving Me Crazy! (What Did I Do?)," Lombardo, Guy
1931--------------------------------------
01/17 "The Peanut Vendor," Azpiazu, Don
02/14 "Just a Gigolo," Lewis, Ted
03/21 "By the River St. Marie," Lombardo, Guy
04/04 "Minnie the Moocher," Calloway, Cab
04/18 "Star Dust," Jones, Isham
04/25 "Dream a Little Dream of Me," King, Wayne
05/16 "Out of Nowhere," Crosby, Bing
06/06 "(There Ought to Be a) Moonlight Saving Time," Lombardo, Guy
06/27 "Just One More Chance," Crosby, Bing
07/11 "I Found a Million-Dollar Baby (In a Five-and-Ten-Cent Store)," Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
08/08 "At Your Command," Crosby, Bing
08/22 "Sweet and Lovely," Arnheim, Gus
10/03 "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain," Smith, Kate
10/17 "Goodnight, Sweetheart," King, Wayne
12/05 "Goodnight, Sweetheart," Lombardo, Guy
12/19 "Tiger Rag," Mills Brothers
-----------------------------------------------------------------

1932
-1930 almost 2/3rds U.S. farms have cars (or trucks) and half had telephones. 4 out of 5 Americans live within one hour's drive of a "big city" (population 25,000+)
-1930 Jet aircraft engine invented
-1930-42 mechanical cotton-picker invented
-1930s Less than 1 in 20 children now work for wages (1900 1:5).
-1930s, large increase in city population densities
-1933 Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) - emergency relief to states and communities. The National Recovery Act provided employment through public work projects.
-1933 U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was a lawyer by trade
-Hitler was appointed Chancellor in Germany

Academy Award Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1932-1933------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Cavalcade" Charles Laughton Katherine Hepburn

1934-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"It Happened One Night" Clark Gable Claudette Colbert

1935-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Mutiny on the Bounty" Victor McLaglen Bette Davis

1936-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Great Ziegfeld" Paul Muni Luise Rainer

Top Songs of the Era:
1932------------------------------------------------
01/16 "River, Stay 'Way From my Door," Smith, Kate, with Guy Lombardo
01/30 "Dinah," Crosby, Bing, & the Mills Brothers
02/13 "All of Me," Whiteman, Paul
03/05 "All of Me," Armstrong, Louis
03/19 "Too Many Tears," Lombardo, Guy
04/02 "Paradise," Reisman, Leo
05/14 "Paradise," Lombardo, Guy
06/04 "Lullaby of the Leaves," Olsen, George
06/18 "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town," Lewis, Ted
08/27 "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye," Lombardo, Guy
10/01 "Say it Isn't So," Olsen, George
10/15 "Please," Crosby, Bing
11/26 "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," Crosby, Bing
12/10 "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," Vallee, Rudy
12/24 "Night and Day," Astaire, Fred, with Leo Reisman
1933-----------------------------------------
03/04 "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," Crosby, Bing
04/01 "Forty-Second Street," Bestor, Don
04/22 "Stormy Weather," Reisman, Leo, featuring Harold Arlen
06/17 "Stormy Weather," Waters, Ethel
07/08 "Shadow Waltz," Crosby, Bing
07/22 "Lazybones," Lewis, Ted
08/19 "Love is the Sweetest Thing," Noble, Ray
09/23 "The Last Roundup," Olsen, George
11/04 "The Last Roundup," Lombardo, Guy
12/16 "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?," Duchin, Eddy
1934--------------------------------------------------
01/06 "The Old Spinning Wheel," Noble, Ray
01/20 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," Whiteman, Paul
02/24 "Let's Fall in Love," Duchin, Eddy
03/03 "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii," Fio Rito, Ted
03/31 "The Carioca," Madriguera, Enric
04/07 "Wagon Wheels," Whiteman, Paul
04/14 "Little Dutch Mill," Crosby, Bing
05/12 "Coctails for Two," Ellington, Duke
06/09 "I'll String Along With You," Fio Rito, Ted
07/07 "Moon Glow," Goodman, Benny
07/14 "All I Do is Dream of You," Garber, Jan
07/14 "The Very Thought of You," Noble, Ray
08/18 "Love in Bloom," Crosby, Bing
09/15 "I Saw Stars," Martin, Freddy
10/20 "One Night of Love," Moore, Grace
10/27 "The Continental (You Kiss While You're Dancing)," Reisman,Leo
11/10 "Stars Fell on Alabama," Lombardo, Guy
12/08 "June in January," Crosby, Bing
12/08 "Stay as Sweet as You Are," Grier, Jimmie
12/29 "The Object of my Affection," Grier, Jimmie
1935-----------------------------------------
01/12 "Ilse of Capri," Noble, Ray
01/26 "The Object of my Affection," Boswell Sisters
01/26 "Blue Moon," Gray, Glen
03/23 "Lovely to Look At," Duchin, Eddy
04/13 "It's Easy to Remember," Crosby, Bing
04/20 "Soon," Crosby, Bing
05/04 "Lullaby of Broadway," Dorsey Brothers Orchestra
05/04 "I Won't Dance," Duchin, Eddy
05/18 "What's the Reason (I'm not Pleasin' You)," Lombardo, Guy
06/01 "Life is a Song," Etting, Ruth
06/15 "When I Grow Too Old to Dream," Gray, Glen
06/22 "She's a Latin From Manhattan," Young, Victor
06/29 "Chasing Shadows," Dorsey Brothers Orchestra
07/13 "In a Little Gypsy Tea Room," Crosby, Bing
07/20 "Let's Swing It," Noble, Ray
08/03 "Rhythm is Our Business," Lunceford, Jimmie
08/10 "Cheek to Cheek," Astaire, Fred
08/10 "Paris in the Spring," Noble, Ray
08/17 "And Then Some," Nelson, Ozzie
08/24 "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)," Coakley, Tom
09/07 "I'm in the Mood for Love," Little, Little Jack
10/19 "Truckin'," Waller, Fats
11/02 "You Are My Lucky Star," Duchin, Eddy
11/30 "Red Sails in the Sunset," Lombardo, Guy
12/21 "Red Sails in the Sunset," Crosby, Bing
12/21 "On Treasure Island," Dorsey, Tommy
12/28 "A Little Bit Independent," Waller, Fats
1936---------------------------------------------------
01/04 "The Music Goes Round And Round," Dorsey, Tommy
01/04 "The Music Goes Round and Round," Riley-Farley Orchestra
02/01 "Moon Over Miami," Duchin, Eddy
02/08 "Alone," Dorsey, Tommy
02/29 "A Beautiful Lady in Blue," Garber, Jan
03/14 "Goody-Goody," Goodman, Benny
03/21 "Lights Out," Duchin, Eddy
04/04 "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," Astaire, Fred
04/11 "It's Been So Long," Goodman, Benny
05/02 "Lost," Lombardo, Guy
05/09 "A Melody From the Sky," Garber, Jan
05/23 "You," Dorsey, Tommy
05/30 "The Glory of Love," Goodman, Benny
06/06 "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?," Dorsey, Jimmy
06/06 "All My Life," Waller, Fats
07/11 "There's a Small Hotel," Kemp, Hal
07/18 "Take My Heart," Duchin, Eddy
07/25 "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie," Waller, Fats
08/01 "These Foolish Things Remind Me of You," Goodman, Benny
08/15 "When I'm With You," Kemp, Hal
08/22 "Until the Real Thing Comes Along," Kirk, Andy
08/29 "Did I Remember?," Fields, Shep
09/05 "A Fine Romance," Astaire, Fred
10/03 "The Way You Look To-Night," Astaire, Fred
10/10 "When Did You Leave Heaven?," Lombardo, Guy
11/14 "You Turned the Tables on Me," Goodman, Benny
11/28 "Pennies from Heaven," Crosby, Bing
12/05 "I'll Sing You a Thousand Love Songs," Duchin, Eddy
12/12 "In the Chapel in the Moonlight," Fields, Shep

1937

-US ceases to have Cuba as a "Protectorate."
-1935 Social Security - part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" to try to help spur a recovery from the Depression.
-1935 National Labors Relations Act ("Wagner Act") spurred the greatest organizing drive in the history of the U.S. labor movement

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - SSA
When:1935 - Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal"
What Social Insurance (also called transfer income)
Who:Elderly, vocational rehabilitation and unemployment.
Originally covered elderly, survivors, and disabled.
Why:Move elderly out of the workforce; make jobs for younger people.
How:FICA - Federal Income Contributory Act (Originally, 1/2 of 1% of the first $3,000 earned. First benefit paid to Ida Fuller - $22/month)

-1936 Strong resistance to the once-popular "New Deal" since very little promise or progress actually occurred.
-1938 Hitler announces his drive to consolidate all "German people"
invasion of Austria begins the same year
-1935, 1936, 1937, 1939 all saw U. S. Neutrality Acts

Academy Award Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1937-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Life of Emile Zola" Spencer Tracy Luise Rainer

1938-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"You Can't Take it Spencer Tracy Bette Davis
With You"

1939-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Gone With the Wind" Robert Donat Vivien Leigh

1940-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Rebecca" James Stewart Ginger Rogers

1941-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"How Green Was My Valley" Gary Cooper Joan Fontaine

Top Songs of the Era:
1937-------------------------------------
01/02 "It's De-Lovely," Duchin, Eddy
02/06 "Goodnight, My Love," Goodman, Benny
02/20 "With Plenty of Money and You," Busse, Henry
02/20 "This Year's Kisses," Kemp, Hal
02/27 "This Year's Kisses," Goodman, Benny
03/27 "Marie," Dorsey, Tommy
04/03 "Boo Hoo," Lombardo, Guy
04/17 "Sweet Leilani," Crosby, Bing
04/24 "Too Marvelous for Words," Crosby, Bing
05/01 "They Can't Take That Away From Me," Astaire, Fred
05/15 "Carelessly," Wilson, Teddy, featuring Billie Holiday
06/05 "September in the Rain," Lombardo, Guy
07/03 "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane," Lombardo, Guy
07/03 "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down," Morgan, Russ
07/17 "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down," Fields, Shep
07/24 "Where or When,"Kemp, Hal
07/31 "Gone With the Wind,"Heidt, Hoarce
07/31 "Smarty,"Waller, Fats
08/07 "A Sailboat in the Moonlight," Guy Lombardo
08/21 "Satan Takes a Holiday," Dorsey, Tommy
09/04 "Whispers in the Dark," Crosby, Bob
09/11 "So Rare," Lombardo, Guy
09/11 "The Big Apple," Tommy Dorsey's Clam Bake Seven
09/25 "The Moon Got In My Eyes," Crosby, Bing
10/09 "That Old Feeling," Fields, Shep
10/16 "You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming," Wilson, Teddy
11/06 "Remember Me?," Crosby, Bing
11/20 "Vieni, Vieni," Vallee, Rudy
11/27 "The Dipsy Doodle," Dorsey, Tommy
11/27 "Once In A While," Dorsey, Tommy
12/11 "Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?),"Bing Crosby, ConneeBoswell
1938-----------------------------------------------------------
01/01 "Nice Work if You Can Get It," Astaire, Fred
01/15 "Rosalie," Kaye, Sammy
01/22 "Bei Mir Bist du Schoen," Andrews Sisters
01/29 "You're a Sweetheart," Dawn, Dolly
02/26 "Thanks for the Memory," Fields, Shep
03/19 "Don't Be That Way," Goodman, Benny
03/19 "Ti-Pi-Pin," Heidt, Horace
04/23 "I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart," Ellington, Duke
05/07 "Please Be Kind," Norvo, Red
05/14 "Love Walked In," Kaye, Sammy
05/21 "Cry, Baby, Cry," Clinton, Larry
05/28 "Cathedral in the Pines," Fields, Shep
06/11 "I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart," Goodman, Benny
06/18 "Says My Heart," Norvo, Ray
06/25 "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," Fitzgerald, Ella, with Chick Webb
07/16 "Music, Maestro, Please," Dorsey, Tommy
09/17 "Change Partners," Astaire, Fred
09/24 "Alexander's Ragtime Band," Crosby, Bing & Connee Boswell
10/01 "My Reverie," Clinton, Larry
10/01 "I've Got a Pocket Full of Dreams," Crosby, Bing
10/15 "Change Partners," Dorsey, Jimmy
10/29 "Heart and Soul," Clinton, Larry
10/29 "I've Got a Pocket Full of Dreams," Morgan, Russ
11/11 "Begin the Beguine," Shaw, Artie
12/17 "Two Sleepy People," Waller, Fats
12/31 "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," Crosby, Bing
12/31 "I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You)," Kirk, Andy
1939------------------------------------------
01/07 "They Say," Shaw, Artie
01/14 "Jeepers Creepers," Donohue, Al
01/14 "Thanks for Ev'rything," Shaw, Artie
02/04 "Umbrella Man, The," Kyser, Kay
02/11 "Deep Purple," Clinton, Larry
03/18 "Penny Serenade," Lombardo, Guy
04/22 "Heaven Can Wait," Gray, Glen
05/06 "Our Love," Dorsey, Tommy
05/13 "And the Angels Sing," Goodman, Benny
05/20 "Three Little Fishies," Kyser, Kay
06/03 "Beer Barrel Polka," Glahe, Will
06/10 "Wishing Will Make it So," Miller, Glenn
07/08 "Stairway to the Stars," Miller, Glenn
08/12 "Sunrise Serenade," Gray, Glen
08/12 "Moon Love," Miller, Glenn
09/09 "Over the Rainbow," Miller, Glenn
09/09 "Man With the Mandolin, The," Miller, Glenn
09/30 "Blue Orchids," Miller, Glenn
10/21 "Day in, Day Out," Crosby, Bob
11/11 "Address Unknown," Ink Spots
11/14 "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)," Fields, Shep
11/25 "Scatter-Brain," Masters, Frankie
1940------------------------------------------
01/27 "All the Things You Are," Dorsey, Tommy
02/03 "Careless," Miller, Glenn
02/10 "In the Mood," Miller, Glenn
02/24 "Indian Summer," Dorsey, Tommy
03/16 "Darn That Dream," Goodman, Benny
03/30 "When You Wish Upon a Star," Miller, Glenn
05/04 "Woodpecker Song, The," Miller, Glenn
05/04 "Tuxedo Junction," Miller, Glenn
06/22 "Imagination," Miller, Glenn
07/10 "Make-Believe Island," Ayres, Mitchell
07/20 "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)," Miller, Glenn
07/27 "I'll Never Smile Again,"Dorsey, Tommy
08/24 "Where Was I,"Barnet, Charlie
09/07 "Breeze and I, The","Dorsey, Jimmy
09/14 "Sierra Sue,"Crosby, Bing
10/19 "Only Forever,"Crosby, Bing
11/23 "Blueberry Hill,"Miller, Glenn
11/28 "Ferryboat Serenade,Andrews Sisters
11/30 "Trade Winds,"Crosby, Bing
12/21 "Frenesi,"Shaw, Artie
1941-------------------------------------------------
01/18 "We Three (My Echo, my Shadow, and Me)", Ink Spots
02/08 "There I Go," Monroe, Vaughn
03/01 "Dream Valley," Kaye, Sammy
03/15 "Song of the Volga Boatmen," Miller, Glenn
03/29 "Amapola," Dorsey, Jimmy
04/05 "I Hear a Rhapsody," Dorsey, Jimmy
04/19 "High on a Windy Hill," Dorsey, Jimmy
04/19 "There'll Be Some Changes Made," Goodman, Benny
06/07 "My Sister and I," Dorsey, Jimmy
06/14 "Marie Elena," Dorsey, Jimmy
06/21 "Daddy," Kaye, Sammy
06/28 "Dolores," Dorsey, Tommy
07/05 "Band Played On, The," Lombardo, Guy
08/02 "Intermezzo (Souvenir de Vienne)," Lombardo, Guy
08/30 "Green Eyes," Dorsey, Jimmy
09/27 "Blue Champagne," Dorsey, Jimmy
10/04 "Piano Concerto in B Flat," Martin, Freddy
10/25 "Til Reveille, (Lights Out)," Kyser, Kay
11/08 "You and I," Miller, Glenn
11/29 "Chattanooga Choo Choo," Miller, Glenn
12/13 "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire," Heidt, Horace
12/20 "Elmer's Tune," Miller, Glenn
----------------------------------------------------------------

1942

-1939 still 17% unemployment
-1940 British Prime Minister Churchill begins constant communication with FDR concerning the war
-1941 "Lend-Lease Act" allows Britain to benefit from U.S. Industry
-Sunday Dec 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor. Draws U.S. into WWII
-1942 Japanese-Americans are moved to "resettlement camps"
-1942 Invention of the atomic reactor
-1944 The Allied Invasion of Normandy, Eisenhower Supreme Commander
-May 1945 Germany surrenders (Japan still waging war)
-Jul 16, 1945 First test of "A-Bomb" in New Mexico
-August 6 & 9, 1945 A-Bombs dropped in Japan. It surrendered quickly
-1947 transistors invented
-1947 first super-sonic airplane

Academy Award Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1942-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Mrs. Miniver" James Cagney Greer Garson

1943-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Casablanca" Paul Lukas Jennifer Jones

1944-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Going My Way" Bing Cosby Ingrid Bergman

1945-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Lost Weekend" Ray Milland Joan Crawford

1946-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Best Years of Fredric March Olivia de Havilland
Our Lives"


Top Songs of this Era:
1942-----------------------------------
02/07 "String of Pearls, A," Miller, Glenn
02/14 "Blues in the Night," Herman, Woody
02/28 "Moonlight Cocktail," Miller, Glenn
03/14 "White Cliffs of Dover, (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The," Kyser, Kay
03/21 "Rose O'Day (The Filla-Da-Gusha Song)," Martin, Freddy
05/02 "Deep in the Heart of Texas," Rey, Alvino
05/09 "Tangerine," Dorsey, Jimmy
05/09 "I Don't Want to Walk Without You," James, Harry
06/06 "Somebody Else is Taking my Place," Goodman, Benny
06/13 "Jersey Bounce," Goodman, Benny
06/20 "Sleepy Lagoon," James, Harry
07/18 "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle," Kyser, Kay
07/25 "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree(with Anyone Else but Me),Miller,Glenn
08/29 "Who Wouldn't Love You," Kyser, Kay
09/26 "He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings," Kyser, Kay
10/24 "Kalamazoo, (I've Got a Gal In)," Miller, Glenn
10/31 "White Christmas," Crosby, Bing
12/19 "My Devotion," Monroe, Vaughn
12/26 "Strip Polka," Kyser, Kay
1943--------------------------------------------------
01/09 "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!," Kyser, Kay
01/16 "There Are Such Things," Dorsey, Tommy
01/30 "Mister Five by Five," James, Harry
02/13 "I Had the Craziest Dream," James, Harry
02/13 "When the Lights Go on Again (All Over the World)," Monroe,Vaughn
03/06 "I've Heard That Song Before," James, Harry
04/17 "Moonlight Becomes You," Crosby, Bing
05/29 "That Old Black Magic," Miller, Glenn
06/12 "Taking a Chance on Love," Goodman, Benny
06/26 "As Time Goes By," Vallee, Rudy
07/03 "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer," Song Spinners
07/24 "You'll Never Know," Haymes, Dick
07/24 "Let's Get Lost," Monroe, Vaughn
08/21 "In the Blue of the Evening," Dorsey, Tommy
09/04 "It Can't Be Wrong," Haymes, Dick
09/11 "Sunday, Monday, or Always," Crosby, Bing
09/11 "All or Nothing at All," Sinatra, Frank with Harry James
10/30 "Pistol Packin' Mama," Dexter, Al
11/06 "Paper Doll," Mills Brothers
1944-----------------------------------------
01/15 "Shoo-Shoo Baby," Andrews Sisters
01/29 "My Heart Tells Me," Gray, Glen
03/04 "Besame Mucho," Dorsey, Jimmy
03/18 "Mairzy Doats," Merry Macs
04/22 "San Fernando Valley," Crosby, Bing
04/22 "It's Love-Love-Love," Lombardo, Guy
05/06 "I Love You," Crosby, Bing
06/10 "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)," James, Harry
07/01 "I'll Be Seeing You," Crosby, Bing
08/05 "Swinging on a Star," Crosby, Bing
08/05 "G.I. Jive," Jordan, Louis
10/07 "You Always Hurt the One You Love," Mills Brothers
10/14 "Hot Time in the Town of Berlin," Crosby,Bing, & AndrewsSisters
10/14 "I'll Walk Alone," Shore, Dinah
12/02 "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," Fitzgerald,Ella,&Ink Spots
12/09 "I'm Making Believe," Fitzgerald, Ella, & Ink Spots
12/16 "Don't Fence Me In," Crosby, Bing, & Andrews Sisters
1945------------------------------------------------
02/10 "Rum and Coca-Cola," Andrews Sisters
03/17 "Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive," Mercer, Johnny
03/31 "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time," Brown, Les
03/31 "Candy," Mercer, Johnny, Jo Stafford & Pied Pipers
04/14 "I'm Beginning to See the Light," James, Harry
05/05 "Dream," Pied Pipers
05/12 "There! I've Said it Again," Monroe, Vaughn
05/26 "Sentimental Journey," Brown, Les
07/28 "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Sante Fe," Mercer, Johnnie
09/15 "Till the End of Time," Como, Perry
11/17 "Chickery Chick," Kaye, Sammy
11/24 "It's Been a Long, Long Time," James, Harry
12/08 "It's Been a Long, Long Time," Crosby, Bing, with Les Brown
12/15 "I Can't Begin to Tell You," Crosby, Bing
12/29 "White Christmas," Crosby, Bing
1946---------------------------------------
01/05 "Symphony," Martin, Freddy
01/26 "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!," Monroe, Vaughn
02/09 "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief," Hutton, Betty
03/02 "Personality," Mercer, Johnny
03/16 "Oh! What It Seemed to Be," Carle, Frankie
03/23 "Oh! What It Seemed to Be," Sinatra, Frank
04/27 "I'm a Big Girl Now," Kaye, Sammy
05/04 "Prisoner of Love," Como, Perry
05/18 "Gypsy, The," Shore, Dinah
05/25 "Gypsy, The", Ink Spots
08/03 "Surrender," Como, Perry
08/03 "To Each His Own," Howard, Eddy
08/31 "To Each His Own," Martin, Freddy
09/14 "Five Minutes More," Sinatra, Frank
09/21 "To Each His Own," Ink Spots
10/19 "Rumors Are Flying," Carle, Frankie
12/14 "Ole Buttermilk Sky," Kyser, Kay
12/28 "For Sentimental Reasons, (I Love You)," Cole, Nat 'King'
12/28 "Old Lamp-Lighter, The," Kaye, Sammy
---------------------------------------------------------------------

1947
-FDR dies while in office: 12 April 1945.
-1945 U.S. President Harry S. Truman, business man by trade
-The "Cold War" begins after Yalta accord in 1945 and Truman's
"distinctively combative temperament." History suggests that it would have started even if FDR had lived, as there were many clashes
-August 14, 1945 V-J Day
-1948 Russia overthrew democratic government of Czechoslovakia
-1948 Berlin blockade. Massive U.S. airlift results
-1948 President issues orders to cease segregation in the military
-1949 Russia succeeds in building their first A-bomb
-1947-1950 U.S. "Marshall Plan" sends $12 billion to Western Europe
-After WWII, the "American Dream" begins to be obtainable by many
-1950 Internal Security Act (In U.S., required communists to register)
-June, 1950 U.S. sends troops to Korea under UN authorization

Academy Award Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1947----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Gentlemen's Agreement" Ronald Colman Loretta Young

1948-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Hamlet" Laurence Olivier Jane Wyman

1949-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"All the Kings Men" Broderick Crawford Olivia de Havilland

1950-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"All About Eve" Jose Ferrer Judy Holliday

1951-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"An American in Paris" Humphrey Bogart Vivien Leigh


Top Songs for this Era:
1947------------------------------------------------
01/04 "White Christmas," Crosby, Bing
02/08 "Huggin' and Chalkin'," Carmichael, Hoagy
02/22 "Open the Door, Richard!," Basie, Count
02/22 "Managua, Nicaragua," Martin, Freddy
03/01 "Open the Door, Richard!", Three Flames
03/08 "Anniversary Song," Shore, Dinah
03/15 "Managua, Nicaragua," Lombardo, Guy
03/15 "Heartaches,"Weems, Ted
05/10 "Linda,Noble," Ray, Featuring Buddy Clark
05/31 "Mam'selle,"Sinatra, Frank
06/07 "Mam'selle,"Lund, Art
06/21 "Peg O' My Heart," Harmonicats
06/28 "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)," Como, Perry
06/28 "Temptation (Tim-Tayshun)," Ingle, Red
07/05 "Peg O' My Heart,"Clark, Buddy
08/09 "Peg O' My Heart," Three Suns
08/09 "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)," Williams, Tex
08/30 "Near You," Craig, Francis
12/13 "Ballerina," Monroe, Vaughn
1948-----------------------------------------------
02/21 "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover," Mooney, Art
03/13 "Manana (Is Soon Enough For Me)," Lee, Peggy
04/24 "Now is the Hour," Crosby, Bing
05/08 "Nature Boy," Cole, Nat 'King'
05/22 "You Can't Be True, Dear," Griffin, Ken
07/03 "Woody Woodpecker," Kyser, Kay
08/14 "Love Somebody," Day, Doris, & Buddy Clark
08/14 "You Call Everybody Darlin'," Trace, Al
08/28 "Twelfth Street Rag," Hunt, Pee Wee
10/09 "Tree in the Meadow, A," Whiting, Margaret
11/06 "Buttons and Bows," Shore, Dinah
12/25 "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)," Jones,Spike
1949------------------------------------------------------
01/15 "Little Bird Told Me, A," Knight, Evelyn
01/15 "My Darling, My Darling," Stafford, Jo, & Gordon Macrae
03/05 "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," Brown, Les
03/05 "Powder Your Face with Sunshine," Knight, Evelyn
03/12 "Cruising Down the River," Barron, Blue
03/26 "Cruising Down the River," Morgan, Russ
04/30 "Careless Hands," Torme, Mel
05/07 "'A' - You're Adorable," Como, Perry
05/14 "Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)," Monroe, Vaughn
05/14 "Forever and Ever," Morgan, Russ
07/30 "Some Enchanted Evening," Como, Perry
09/03 "You're Breaking My Heart," Damone, Vic
09/10 "Someday," Monroe, Vaughn
10/01 "That Lucky Old Sun," Laine, Frankie
11/12 "Slippin' Around," Whiting, Margaret, & Jimmy Wakely
11/26 "Mule Train," Laine, Frankie
1950--------------------------------------------------
01/07 "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Autry, Gene
01/14 "I Can Dream, Can't I?," Andrews Sisters
02/11 "Rag Mop," Ames Brothers
02/11 "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy," Foley, Red
03/11 "Cry of the Wild Goose, The"," Laine, Frankie
03/18 "Music! Music! Music!," Brewer, Teresa
03/25 "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake," Barton, Eileen
04/29 "Third Man Theme, The," Karas, Anton
05/06 "Third Man Theme, The"," Lombardo, Guy
06/03 "Hoop-Dee-Doo," Como, Perry, & the Fontane Sisters
06/10 "Sentimental Me," Ames Brothers
06/24 "I Wanna Be Loved," Andrews Sisters
07/08 "Mona Lisa," Cole, Nat 'King'
08/19 "Goodnight Irene," Weavers with Gordon Jenkins
10/28 "All My Love," Page, Patti
11/18 "Harbor Lights,"Kaye, Sammy
12/02 "Thing, The," Harris, Phil
12/16 "Tennessee Waltz, The," Page, Patti
1951----------------------------------------------------------
03/03 "If," Como, Perry
03/10 "Be My Love," Lanza, Mario
04/21 "How High the Moon," Paul, Les, & Mary Ford
06/23 "Too Young," Cole, Nat 'King'
07/28 "Come On-a My House," Clooney, Rosemary
09/08 "Because of You," Bennett, Tony
11/03 "Cold, Cold, Heart," Bennett, Tony
11/17 "Sin (It's No Sin)," Howard, Eddy
12/29 "Cry," Ray, Johnny
----------------------------------------------------------------

1952
-Early in the 1950s, Senator McCarthey's "red scare" went til 1954
-1950s Americans as a whole believed that poverty had been eradicated in America. Few new reforms were proposed; existing ones were threatened. Some social reformers tried to expose the hidden subculture of poverty that still existed--especially with the elderly.
-1953 U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, soldier by trade
-July, 1953 Korean war ceases -no winner, but "peaceful coexistence"
-1953 & 1954 CIA effects foreign government outcomes
-1954 Invention of hovercraft
-1954 Invention of the atomic-powered sub
-1954 U.S. paying 80% of the cost of war in Indo China-France fighting
-1954 Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas -stuck down the "separate but equal" doctrine and forced school integration
-1956 Invention of Picture Phone
-1956 Beginning of the $26 Billion national freeway system (initially it was also for Civil Defence in case of an atomic attack)

Academy Aware Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):

1952-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Greatest Show Gary Cooper Shirley Booth
on Earth"

1953----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"From Here to Eternity" William Holden Audrey Hepburn

1954-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"On the Waterfront" Marlon Brando Grace Kelly

1955-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Marty" Ernest Borgnine Anna Magnani

1956-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Around the World Yul Brynner Ingrid Bergman
in 80 Days"

Top Songs for this Era:
1952-------------------------------------------------------
01/05 "Slow Poke," King, Pee Wee
03/15 "Wheel of Fortune," Starr, Kay
05/17 "Blue Tango," Anderson, Leroy
05/17 "Kiss of Fire," Gibbs, Georgia
05/24 "Guy is a Guy, A," Day, Doris
06/07 "Here in My Heart," Martino, Al
07/05 "Delicado," Faith, Percy
07/12 "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart," Lynn, Vera
07/26 "Half As Much," Clooney, Rosemary
09/06 "Wish You Were Here," Fisher, Eddie
09/13 "You Belong to Me," Stafford, Jo
09/27 "I Went to Your Wedding," Page, Patti
11/22 "It's in the Book," Standley, Johnny
11/29 "Why Don't You Believe Me," James, Joni
12/06 "Glow-Worm, The," Mills Brothers
12/27 "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," Boyd, Jimmy
1953----------------------------------------------------------
01/10 "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," Como, Perry
02/14 "Till I Waltz Again With You," Brewer, Teresa
03/21 "Doggie in the Window, The," Page, Patti
05/16 "Song From 'Moulin Rouge' (Where Is Your Heart)," Faith,Percy
07/04 "I'm Walking Behind You," Fisher, Eddie
08/08 "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)," Paul, Les & Mary Ford
08/15 "No Other Love," Como, Perry
09/26 "You You You," Ames Brothers
10/10 "St. George and the Dragonet," Freberg, Stan
11/21 "Rags to Riches," Bennett, Tony
1954--------------------------------------------------
01/02 "Oh! My Pa-Pa," Fisher, Eddie
02/27 "Secret Love," Day, Doris
03/13 "Make Love to Me!," Stafford, Jo
04/10 "Wanted," Como, Perry
06/05 "Little Things Mean a Lot," Kallen, Kitty
07/24 "Three Coins in the Fountain," Four Aces
08/07 "Sh-Boom," Crew-Cuts
09/25 "Hey There," Clooney, Rosemary
11/06 "This Ole House," Clooney, Rosemary
11/13 "I Need You Now," Fisher, Eddie
12/04 "Mr. Sandman," Chordettes
1955---------------------------------------------
01/01 "Let Me Go Lover," Weber, Joan
02/05 "Hearts of Stone," Fontaine Sisters
02/12 "Sincerely," McGuire Sisters
03/26 "Ballad of Davy Crockett, The," Hayes, Bill
04/30 "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," Prado, Perez
05/14 "Unchained Melody," Baxter, Les
05/14 "Dance With Me Henry," Gibbs, Georgia
05/28 "Crazy Otto," Otto, Crazy
06/11 "Starring Sammy Davis, Jr.," Davis, Sammy, Jr.
07/09 "Rock Around The Clock," Haley, Bill, & His Comets
07/09 "Learnin' the Blues," Sinatra, Frank
07/23 "Lonesome Echo," Gleason, Jackie
08/06 "Love Me or Leave Me," Day, Doris
09/03 "Yellow Rose of Texas, The," Miller, Mitch
09/17 "Ain't That a Shame," Boone, Pat
10/08 "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing," Four Aces
10/29 "Autumn Leaves," Williams, Roger
11/26 :Sixteen Tons," Ford, 'Tennessee' Ernie
1956----------------------------------------
01/07 "Memories Are Made of This," Martin, Dean
01/08 "Hound Dog," Presley, Elvis
01/28 "Oklahoma," Soundtrack
02/18 "Great Pretender, The," Platters
02/18 "Rock and Roll Waltz," Starr, Kay
02/25 "Lisbon Antigua," Riddle, Nelson
03/17 "Poor People of Paris, The," Baxter, Les
03/24 "Belafonte," Belafonte, Harry
04/21 "Heartbreak Hotel," Presley, Elvis
05/05 "Hot Diggity," Como, Perry
05/05 "Elvis Presley," Presley, Elvis
06/02 "Moonglow and Theme from 'Picnic'," Stoloff, Morris
06/16 "Wayward Wind, The," Grant, Gogi
07/14 "My Fair Lady," Original Cast
07/28 "I Almost Lost My Mind," Boone, Pat
07/28 "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," Presley, Elvis
08/04 "My Prayer," Platters
08/18 "Don't Be Cruel," Presley, Elvis
09/08 "Calypso," Belafonte, Harry
10/06 "King and I, The", Soundtrack
10/13/ "Eddy Duchin Story, The," Cavallaro, Carmen
11/03 "Green Door, The," Lowe, Jim
11/03 "Love Me Tender," Presley, Elvis
12/08 "Singing the Blues," Mitchell, Guy
12/08 "Elvis," Presley, Elvis
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1957
-1954 U.S. had a "brief recession" & again in 1957-58 & 60-61
-1556 Ku Klux Klan very visible after blacks boycott buses
-a decade of racial unrest. Murder claims many "workers"
-1958 laser invented
-1958-63 Measles vaccine
-1960 U-2 plane shot down over Russia; Cold War escalates
-1962 NASA uses satellite to relay tv
-1963 Invention of tape player

Academy Aware Winners (the first Oscars began in 1927) and Selected Top Songs of the Era (source: "Billboard's #1 Hits"):
1957---------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Bridge on Alec Guinness Joanne Woodward
River Kwai"

1958-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Gigi" David Niven Susan Haywood

1959-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"Ben-Hur" Charlton Heston Simone Signoret

1960-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"The Apartment" Burt Lancaster Elizabeth Taylor

1961-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Picture: Best Actor: Best Actress:
"West Side Story" Maximilian Schell Sophia Loren

Top Songs of this Era:
1957-----------------------------------------------
02/09 "Don't Forbid Me," Boone, Pat
02/09 "Young Love," James, Sonny
02/09 "Too Much," Presley, Elvis
02/16 "Young Love," Hunter, Tab
03/30 "Party Doll," Knox, Buddy
03/30 "Butterfly," Williams, Andy
04/06 "Round and Round," Como, Perry
04/06 "Butterfly," Gracie, Charlie
04/13 "All Shook Up," Presley, Elvis
05/27 "Love is the Thing," Cole, Nat King
06/03 "Love Letters in the Sand," Boone, Pat
07/08 "Teddy Bear, (Let Me Be Your)," Presley, Elvis
07/22 "Around the World in 80 Days," Soundtrack
07/29 "Loving You," Presley, Elvis
08/19 "Tammy," Reynolds, Debbie
09/09 "Diana," Anka, Paul
09/23 "That'll Be the Day," Crickets
09/23 "Honeycomb," Rodgers, Jimmie
10/14 "Wake Up Little Susie," Everly Brothers
10/21 "Chances Are," Mathis, Johnny
10/21 "Jailhouse Rock," Presley, Elvis
12/02 "You Send Me," Cooke, Sam
12/16 "April Love," Boone, Pat
12/16 "Elvis' Christmas Album," Presley, Elvis
12/30 "Merry Christmas," Crosby, Bing
1958--------------------------------------------------
01/06 "At the Hop," Danny & the Juniors
01/20 "Ricky," Nelson, Ricky
02/10 "Don't," Presley, Elvis
02/10 "Come Fly With Me," Sinatra, Frank
02/17 "Sugartime," McGuire Sisters
02/24 "Get a Job," Silhouettes
03/17 "Tequila," Champs
03/17 "Music Man, The," Original Cast
03/24 "Catch a Falling Star," Como, Perry
04/14 "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," London, Laurie
04/21 "Twilight Time," Platters
04/28 "Witch Doctor," Seville, David
05/12 "All I Have to Do is Dream," Everly Brothers
05/19 "South Pacific," Soundtrack
06/09 "Purple People Eater, The," Wooley, Sheb
06/09 "Johnny's Greatest Hits," Mathis, Johnny
07/21 "Yakety Yak," Coasters
07/21 "Hard Headed Woman," Presley, Elvis
07/21 "Gigi," Soundtrack
07/28 "Patricia,"Prado, Perez
08/04 "Poor Little Fool," Nelson, Ricky
08/11 "Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1," Cliburn, Van
08/18 "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue)," Modugno, Domenico
08/25 "Little Star," Elegants
08/25 "Bird Dog," Everly Brothers
09/29 "It's All in the Game," Edwards, Tommy
10/06 "Sing Along With Mitch," Miller, Mitch
10/13 "Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely," Sinatra, Frank
11/10 "It's Only Make Believe," Twitty, Conway
11/17 "Tom Dooley," Kingston Trio
11/24 "Kingston Trio, The," Kingston Trio
12/01 "To Know Him, is to Love Him," Teddy Bears
12/22 "Chipmunk Song, The," Chipmunks
12/29 "Christmas Sing-Along With Mitch," Miller, Mitch
1959----------------------------------------------------
01/19 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," Platters
02/02 "Flower Drum Song," Original Cast
02/23 "Music From Peter Gunn, The," Mancini, Henry
03/09 "Venus," Avalon, Frankie
04/13 "Come Softly to Me," Fleetwoods
05/11 "Happy Organ, The," Cortez, Dave 'Baby'
05/18 "Kansas City," Harrison, Wilbert
06/01 "Battle of New Orleans, The," Horton, Johnny
06/22 "Exotica," Denny, Martin
07/13 "Lonely Boy," Anka, Paul
07/13 "Film Encores," Mantovani
07/27 "Kingston Trio At Large, The", Kingston Trio
08/09 "Stagger Lee," Price, Lloyd
08/10 "A Big Hunk of Love," Presley, Elvis
08/24 "Three Bells, The," Browns
09/21 "Sleep Walk," Santo & Johnny
10/05 "Mack the Knife," Darin, Bobby
11/09 "Heavenly,"Mathis, Johnny
11/16 "Mr. Blue," Fleetwoods
12/14 "Heartaches By the Number," Mitchell, Guy
12/14 "Here We Go Again," Kingston Trio
12/28 "Why," Avalon, Frankie

1962
-1961 U.S. President John F Kennedy (JFK), author. Tried to build "Camelot;" Used media effectively. The "Bay of Pigs" disaster. Later the "Cuban Missile Crisis," which was considered a success.
-1961 First White House conference on Aging (Pres. Kennedy)
-November 1963 Dallas, Texas: JFK Assassinated
-1963 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), teacher by trade,
begins his "Great Society"-But Viet Nam problems are on the rise
-1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassinated
-1965 Major wave of race riots begin in Watts, Los Angeles. Cal.
-1965 Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society (War on Poverty) made great strides in giving aid to the needy, many of which were designed to empower poor communities to help themselves.

MEDICARE - Title 18
When:1965 - Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty"
What:Health Insurance (When started, 80% received, currently only 41% receive)
Who:Aged (65+), disabled (must be on Social Security for 2 years to qualify), those on kidney dialysis
Why:Provide humane care to the worthy poor
How:Part A (Universal) - payroll taxes, FICA
Part B (Optional) - individual pays part (withheld from Social Security check); general revenues (taxes) pays part

MEDICAID - Title 19 "The tail that wags the (Medicare) dog"
When:1965
What:Medical Assistance - means test required
Who:Elderly, recipients of AFDC and SSI, low income
Why:Provide humane care to the worthy poor
How:State (25%) and Federal (75%) funds

OLDER AMERICANS ACT - OAA "Cornerstone of aid to the elderly in America"
When:1965
What:Community services for older Americans
Who:Older Americans (60+)
Why:Services, advocacy, politics
How:General revenues; "contributions" (the law prohibits means testing or charging of fees for services for older Americans, so the elderly are encouraged to "contribute". Many contribute because they want to pay for what they get.)

Later Cohorts Experienced:
-1968 Great Society loses favor, due partly to cost of Vietnam War
-March, 1968 the "Tet Offensive" in Viet Nam escalates that war
-1968 Senator Robert F Kennedy, running for president, was assassinated (he was the brother of JFK)
-1969 U.S. President Richard M Nixon. Begins to dismantle the Great Society; Although proposes a guaranteed annual income to poor with certain requirements (SSI).
-1972 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for poor.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME - SSI
When:Passed 1972; implemented 1974
What:Income floor for the worthy poor; is means tested
Who:Aged (65+), blind (vision 20/200), disabled of any age
Why:Provide cash assistance
How:General revenues

-Nixon claimed "peace with honor" in January 1973, pulling out the American troops in View Nam
-1973 Vice-President Agnew resigns (having taken bribes); "Watergate"
come to light and is heavily investigated.Ford named Vice President
-March, 1974 Nixon resigns; given full pardon by President Ford.
-1974 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
-1976 Regressive Tax - flat rate; rich & poor pay same percentage; detrimental to the poor, who have less discretionary income.
-1980 Ronald Reagan elected. This administration believed that federal social welfare output should be minimal, then only short-term. This contributed to increasing poverty. Benefits for the needy fell; homelessness grew at an alarming rate.

-1981 Revision in way unemployment tallied. Only those enrolled at Job Service are counted in unemployment rate. This doesn't provide for counting those without unemployment benefits.

-1984 Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG's) developed under the Reagan administration to check rising costs to Medicare of hospital stays. Results in many patients out "quicker and sicker."