Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
Course Code
Date
Compare and Contrast Essay
Introduction
The essay will focus on discussing two popular songs. The essay will focus on the context in which the songs were composed. What are some of the events that lead to the songs to be created? The social history of the songs, and the various aspects such as the composers of the songs
You’re a grand old flag
Context the song was composed
George M. Cohan wrote the song in 1906. It was first played in public on 6th February 1906 at the Herald Square, becoming the first musical song to sell more than 1 million copies. The composer of this song wrote it because of the unplanned meeting he had previously had with a war soldier. The two gentlemen found themselves close to each other George observed that the soldier had a raggedy old flag that he held carefully. The veteran then turned to George and said that “her” rag was old but grand. The line fascinated Cohan that he decided to name his song as “You’re a Grand Old Rag.” However, this saw several people objecting to referring the flag as a rag; as a result, George gave them what they wanted and changed the name of his song to “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
The social history of the song
Cohan could later work on a routine with his song so that he performed in several shows. He took the United States flag and continued to sing the patriotic song in many stages; he had a chance to play. Ultimately the song had a positive impact on society as it was able to advocate for a shared popular cultural identity. It was a song that spread beyond the shows that Cohan performed; it was heard in all corners in the American soil. When the nation had a surge of patriotism before the start of the First World War, the country surged with the song
The composer of the song
Notably, before the song, Cohan had already become a Broadway superstar; however, he became a legend after making sheet music. In his career as a songwriter and performer, he had done many successful shows and wrote significant hit songs, for example, give my regards to Broadway. However, with you’re a grand old rag, he was sensational in the country. Among the many reasons why Cohan wrote such songs was because he believed that his type of songs brings tremendous royalties than other songs at that time. He also thought that he played his songs because he had not seen any songs from the pens of other composers as good as his work, and he produced his work because he thought he was an excellent theatrical manager too.
“As Time Goes By (1931)”
The Composer
Herman Hupfeld wrote the song in 1931 for one of Broadway shows then. The song was able to reach the fifteenth place on top of charts then. Afterward, the song was forgotten, and the composer even decided to do other musicals. Hupfeld was also known for the novelty song he created.
Social History of the Song
As time goes by was able to make it into the repertoire of some of the musicians during the 1930s. However, it was in 1942 when the song featured in the movie Casablanca that the song grew to become a global phenomenon. The song was loved by characters of Humphrey Bogart and Bergman at Paris before the war. When met again, unexpected, in Casablanca, in Europe, the war was raging. Such a small Vichy-controlled part of northern Africa had been left to its own devices, and the song as time goes by both reminded them of the happy moments they had together before the war. The song also could set the scenes for their eventual splitting again when the character of Ingrid got ready to leave Casablanca for safety.
The song, as time goes by, was done by Dooley Wilson, who played the piano in the bar run by the Bogart character. The song was used as musical them throughout the movie. Though through the Casablanca movie, it managed to make the song more famous that it was a decade earlier, the song also helped the film to have the most moving scenes in movie history. For instance, in the closing scenes when Bogart told Ingrid to leave without him for safety rather than risking what they had together in Paris.
The context for composing the song
As time goes by, the song remains one of the most popular songs because it celebrates the importance of small things in life that matters. A good example is when someone holds another person’s hand to show the person that she or he is in different ways the little things in life. The song was touching amid war, and it was a reminder that love will prevail over hate at the end of the tunnel.
Conclusion
The two songs in the discussion might have been composed under different contexts; however, what comes out clear as similarity among them is the impact they had in the society. Both songs were used as motivation and inspiration to the people to feel better. You’re a grand old flag that was used as the patriotic song before the war, while as time goes by, it was used during a time of war.
Work Cited
Cohan, George Michael, R. Eugene Jackson, and Mark Rogers. You’re a grand old flag. IE Clark Publications, 1992.
As Time goes by Words & music by Herman Hupfeld, 1931.