Swing, a subgenre of jazz, had played a prominent part in the music scene of the USA. It helped people during the tumultuous times of the Great Depression and World War II to find solace and tranquility. The people started to bank on this form of music as they needed an escape from the disruptive economic blanket covering the country during the Great Depression. But what really helped Swing to stand out and become popular? The answer was never definitive.
The broadcasting of Swing music was significantly responsible for the rise in popularity of the big bands and helped bridge the gap between the listeners and jazz musicians of the time. The first industry to pull itself out of the Great Depression was the recording industry and that was because of the immense popularity of Swing and radio. The Swing was also the only sub genre of jazz that ever dominated the popular music of America.
Swing and its rise:
It is difficult to pinpoint a particular time or event which marked the inception of Swing music. There had been several incidents which presumably triggered Swing to come into limelight and one of the notable milestones was the song ‘It don’t mean a thing (If it ain’t got that Swing)’ by Duke Ellington. The other song which came out later that year, ‘Moten Swing’ by Bennie Moten, had also helped the term Swing to find its significance. Some experts consider the song ‘Star Dust’ to be the first actual Swing number. ‘Star Dust' by Hoagy Carmichael, topped the charts in 1932 after being composed in the year 1927 followed by its recording in the year 1929 and the addition of words in 1931. Some people believe that this was the beginning of fame for the Swing music.
The jukeboxes:
By 1940, the number of radio stations were quite abundant dominating the live acts and were much more popular among the fans of big bands. As big band radio stations rose to popularity, there was a need for more recorded content. During the early 1930s, the radio stations actively discouraged the use of recorded music in network broadcasts which gradually changed over the years.
Influence of Swing in racial equality:
Swing music helped channelize the angst of the oppressed African-American society and crystallized their desires to achieve racial equality in the USA. Moreover, Swing seemed to ease the prevalent rage and hatred between the white and dark communities of the time. Swing had that engaging feel that people could not resist but flow with the lively tunes of this genre. This arguably laid the foundation of racial equality in America. It was like a teamwork, where musicians from both the races created foot tapping music while people cutting across the color divide enjoyed the same with aplomb.
Influence of Swing in American dance:
The Swing not only enriched the music scene but also brought about a considerable change to the American dance form. Various dance forms like the Charleston, the Trot, the Tango, and the Shimmy made a different statement in culture and people enjoyed boogieing to Swing music. The surprising part is that all these dance forms originated during the Swing music era.
How the Great Depression was eased with Swing?
Between 1929 to 1939, America along with the entire world faced a dark phase known as the Great Depression. The financial crisis had hit the Americans quite hard during these years. People were low on money and there was a relentless tension among the people. As music always helps cope with adversities, the Swing was no exception. Prior to the inception of Swing, people found solace in sad music but soon they were overwhelmed with pessimism. This laid the foundation of Swing music, especially among the African American community. The Swing music could be characterized by upbeat tunes which soon became the favorite form of music among all the races. People again felt happy which was much needed during that time.
There were several factors playing their part in the rise of Swing music, which in turn, had a considerable effect on the people and other social aspects of America during the time. From bridging the gap between the white and black communities to pulling people out of financial stress, Swing did a lot for the USA during that era. Till date, there are few big band radio stations that play the old classics of Swing to keep the spirit alive.
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