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VOICE ONE:
I’m Phoebe Zimmerman.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program Peoplein America. Today, we tell about Irving Berlin. He wrote the wordsand music for some of the most popular songs of the twentiethcentury.
(MUSIC BRIDGE)
VOICE ONE:
Irving Berlin lived to be one-hundred-one years old. He died innineteen-eighty-nine. During his long life, he wrote more thanone-thousand songs. Many of his songs have become timeless additionsto America’s popular culture.
Irving Berlin’s music helpedspread that popular culture throughout the world. Berlin was born inRussia. But he captured the feeling, the people and the customs ofhis new country. And he put those ideas to music.
Another composer, Jerome Kern, once said of Irving Berlin: “Hehas no place in American music. He is American music.”
VOICE TWO:
Most American children grow up hearing and singing some of IrvingBerlin’s songs. Two of the best known are linked to Christianreligious holidays. They are “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade.”
Many Americans think the perfect Christmas Day on Decembertwenty-fifth should be cold and snowy. Irving Berlin thought so,too. He wrote “White Christmas” in nineteen-thirty-nine. It was sungin the movie “Holiday Inn” in nineteen-forty-two. “White Christmas”became one of the best-selling songs of all time. Here is BingCrosby singing his famous version of “White Christmas.”
((CUT 1: WHITE CHRISTMAS))
VOICE ONE:
lrving Berlin’s song for the Easter holiday captures anotherAmerican tradition. “Easter Parade” is about a tradition in New YorkCity. There, on Easter morning, people walk up and down Fifth Avenueafter church services to enjoy the spring weather. Women wear newhats and dresses. Berlin wrote the song for a musical play innineteen-thirty-three. It was the main song in the musical film”Easter Parade” in nineteen-forty-eight. Here is Judy Garlandsinging “Easter Parade.”
((CUT 2: EASTER PARADE))
VOICE TWO:
Irving Berlin was born Israel Baline in eighteen–eighty-eight inthe Russian village of Temun. He was the youngest of eight children.His family was Jewish. They fled Russia because of religiousoppression.
The Baline family came to America in eighteen–ninety-three. Theydid not have much money. They moved into an area of New York Citywhere many other poor Jewish immigrants had settled when they movedto the United States. Israel’s father died when the boy was eightyears old. The young boy left his home to find work. First, he got ajob helping a blind street singer. Then he began earning money bysinging on the streets of New York. Later, he got a job singingwhile serving people their food in a restaurant. Israel taughthimself to play the piano. But he could play only the black keys.
VOICE ONE:
Soon Israel began writing his own songs. He never learned to reador write music. He wrote his songs by playing the notes with onefinger on the piano. An assistant wrote down the notes on sheets ofpaper. When the songwriter’s first song was published, his name wasspelled wrong. Israel Baline had become I. Berlin. Israel thoughtthe name sounded more American. So he re-named himself IrvingBerlin.
Between nineteen-twelve and nineteen-sixteen, Irving Berlin wrotemore than one-hundred-eighty songs. By the time he was in his latetwenties, his songs were famous around the world.
VOICE TWO:
Berlin became an American citizen in nineteen-eighteen. A fewmonths later, he was ordered into military service. The UnitedStates was fighting in World War One. Berlin was asked to writesongs for a musical about life in the military. He called the show”Yip Yip Yaphank.” All of the performers in the show were soldiers.Many of the songs became popular.
After he served in the army, Berlin returned to New York. Heformed his own music publishing company. He also established atheater for his musical shows near Broadway.
VOICE ONE:
Irving Berlin loved America for giving a poor immigrant a chanceto succeed. He expressed his thanks for this success in his songs.One of these songs is “God Bless America.” He wrote the song innineteen-eighteen. But it did not become popular until Kate Smithsang it in nineteen-thirty-nine. She sang the song to celebrateArmistice Day, the anniversary of the end of World War One. Manypeople feel “God Bless America” is the unofficial national song ofthe United States.
Berlin gave all money he earned from “God Bless America” to theBoy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America. Here is Kate Smith singing”God Bless America.”
((CUT 3: GOD BLESS AMERICA))
VOICE TWO:
The United States entered World War Two in nineteen-forty-one.Berlin agreed to write and produce a musical show called “This isthe Army.” It was a musical about life in the military. All theperformers were soldiers.
The show was performed in many cities across the United States.It helped increase support for America’s part in the war. It earnedten- million dollars for the Army Emergency Relief Fund. “This isthe Army” also was performed for the American troops at militarybases around the world. Irving Berlin appeared in most of theseperformances. He sang the song he had written earlier. The song isabout what he had hated most about being in the army. Here, IrvingBerlin sings “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning.”
((CUT #4:OH, HOW I HATE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING))
VOICE ONE:
After the war, Berlin continued to write songs for movies andplays. He wrote songs for more than fifteen movies from thenineteen-thirties to the nineteen-fifties. Many of the songs wereused in movies starring the famous dancers Fred Astaire and GingerRogers. Here is Fred Astaire singing a song that appeared in severalmovies, “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”
(MUSIC CUT #5: PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ))
VOICE TWO:
Irving Berlin also wrote the music for seventeen Broadway playsfrom the nineteen-twenties to nineteen-fifty. His most successfulBroadway musical was “Annie Get Your Gun” in nineteen-forty-six.Irving Berlin retired in nineteen-sixty–two after his last Broadwaymusical, “Mister President,” failed. He died innineteen-eighty-nine. But the songs that he gave America will beplayed and sung for many years to come.
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VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. Itwas produced by Lawan Davis. Our studio engineer was SulaimanTarawaley. I’m Phoebe Zimmerman.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another Peoplein America program on the Voice of America.