Ja Da

 

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

Saturday 9:   Ja Da 1918

Unfamiliar with this week's tune?    Hear it here. 

 I  instantly recognized this song once I saw the date of 1918. Before that I was unsure.  Now that I've listened to it I know I was right.  

 1) The lyrics tell us the melody is soothing. What calms you when you're upset or anxious?              Most usually it's logic and realizing it's  useless to be anxious.

2) There was a lot going on in 1918 – like WWI and the Spanish flu pandemic – that left people upset and anxious. In those days, radio wasn't yet a staple in American homes so people received their news through newspapers. Today with podcasts and 24 hour cable news and social media and other news outlets available, do you ever feel like taking a break from current events?

Rarely but, yes though it's best to watch and be aware rather than become an ostrich who lives in fear.  As it says "The wise man sees trouble coming down the road and gets off the road.. The fool passes on and is punihsed," which comes from Proverbs.

3) In addition to newspapers, magazines were a big deal in 1918. Women turned to publications like Ladies Home Journal and McCall's for trends and tips about fashion and housekeeping. Do you have any printed magazines in your home now?         I have one old copy of Red Book  that contains a well researched article that shows that some 90%  of men studying to be priest/ministers/ rabbi do not even believe in God at all.  In the attic are a few old print versions of the Forward (Forverts) from when my sister was a secretary to the editor long ago and far away.  My sister was old enough to be my mother.

The old girls magazines show how very different girls were in the 1960s being more well mannered

 4) Today schoolchildren often learn "Ja-Da" because it's easy to sing and play. Was music part of your grade school curriculum?                         Yes, for sure!  We started learning music in kindergarten and music lessons continued through high school.

5) Composer Bob Carleton published more than 500 songs in his career. He had no songwriting partner, handling the words and lyrics himself. What's your favorite song? Was it written by a single composer or a songwriting team ?     I like too many songs to list!  It's very hard to choose just one.

6) Bob got his start in his hometown of St. Louis, playing piano in his parents' saloon. When you think of St. Louis, what comes to mind?  The movie Meet Me in St. Louis.   It is a traditional holiday movie for our family.

7) In 1918, Americans were buying more cars and Studebakers were a familiar sight on the streets and highways. Today that name is mostly forgotten. Can you think of a brand that used to popular but has disappeared?

  Datsun, Saturn, Pontiac, Duesenberg.

8) During WWI, Americans were familiar with "Meatless Days." Back then we were encouraged to cut back on the consumption of meat as a patriotic gesture to help the American and Allied troops. Today "Meatless Monday" highlights health and the environment. Think about your diet. Do you try to eat more grains, fruits and vegetables?

 I eat a lot of vegetables but I eat a lot of meat too but I really enjoy dairy based meals best.

9) Random question: Where did you get the shirt you are wearing right now?

I bought it long ago from Fashion Bug.