Beyond Borders

I have always enjoyed learning about classical music, about the different eras and musical greats from around the world who gave us such beautiful music. However, none of the music and history classes I have taken, have dug into the newer forms of music that arose in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I have always been fascinated how music has played a part in uplifting people during especially trying times, such as the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the World Wars. It's beautiful how music can stir so many emotions, lift people out of the darkness, and bring so many people together. Songs like "Oh, Susanna!" (a song originally written for a blackface minstrel show) cheered up both Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, as it evoked feelings of fear, longing, and love.

This is a song called "Lili Marlene" sung in English by German-born Marlene Dietrich. It was written in 1939 by the German composer Norbert Schultze. The song (originally published in German) was first banned by Nazis, as it seemed anti-war. When it eventually made its way to the radio airwaves during WWII while broadcasting to troops in North Africa, "Lili Marlene" found popularity among both soldiers and civilians. British troops stationed there would hear the broadcast and would sing it even when they returned to Britain. The song then was recorded in English and has since been translated into 48 different languages. Though allied forces fought the axis, they were still able to appreciate this simple song of a distant love.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3561946/The-story-behind-the-song-Lili-Marlene.html