Sounds of World War 2

Sounds of World War II
Music, Memory, and Morale on Canada’s Home Front, 1939–1945

Music once again served as a powerful cultural force during the Second World War—on the battlefield, over the airwaves, and in the hearts of Canadians across the country. In a time of global uncertainty and widespread mobilization, sound became a unifying agent. Unlike the sheet-music era of the First World War, the 1939–45 period saw a dramatic shift in how music was produced, disseminated, and experienced. Advances in radio broadcasting, commercial recordings, and film gave wartime music a reach and resonance unlike anything before.

The sonic landscape of wartime Canada reflected both a nation at war and a population in transformation. Big band swing, military marches, sentimental ballads, and morale-boosting novelty songs all played distinct roles—whether energizing troops, promoting enlistment and war bonds, or comforting those left at home. In both English and French Canada, music functioned as entertainment, propaganda, and emotional sustenance.

A Country Mobilized in Sound
By the time Canada entered the war in September 1939, national broadcasting had become a primary medium of connection. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), established in 1936, quickly adapted its programming to suit the wartime climate. Weekly broadcasts like Victory Parade, The National Farm Radio Forum, and Johnny Canuck’s War Album delivered a mix of news, music, and morale messaging. Live big-band performances by groups such as Mart Kenney and His Western Gentlemen became staples. Songs like “The West, A Nest and You” offered rural romance, while “We'll Meet Again,” immortalized by Vera Lynn, brought comfort to separated lovers and families.

Canadian artists, too, contributed directly to the war effort. Montreal-born Léo Le Sieur and Vancouver’s Dal Richards led orchestras that toured bases and entertained troops, while singers like Bert Niosi (“Canada’s King of Swing”) helped bring the feel of American-style jazz and swing to a Canadian audience hungry for distraction and release. French-language wartime songs by artists such as Mary Travers (La Bolduc) and Jean Lalonde played to Quebec listeners, reinforcing themes of sacrifice and hope with a distinct cultural voice.

Songs of Propaganda and Patriotism
As with World War I, wartime songs in Canada were often overtly patriotic or propagandistic. The government actively promoted music as a tool of persuasion, encouraging composers and broadcasters to write songs that celebrated enlistment, rallied support for the Allies, or encouraged thrift and victory bonds. Songs like “Keep Your Head Down, Fritzie Boy” and “We’re All In This Together” captured the public mood, reinforcing unity in the face of global conflict.

Canadian composers like Godfrey Ridout and Ernest MacMillan also contributed orchestral works and military marches with nationalistic fervor. At the grassroots level, community concerts, military glee clubs, and school singalongs kept morale high. Church basements and Legion halls echoed with patriotic refrains—"Roll Out the Barrel," "White Cliffs of Dover," and “Bless ’Em All”—as Canadians sought joy in solidarity.

Women, Music, and Wartime Expression
World War II reshaped the role of women in Canadian society, and that shift was reflected in song. As more women entered factories, farms, and the military (through the CWAC, WRENs, and RCAF Women’s Division), music began to capture both their new roles and enduring emotional burdens. Songs like “Rosie the Riveter” and “She’s a Bombardier” (though American in origin) had parallels in Canadian song culture. Female performers such as Irene Besse, Eleanor Collins, and Juliette joined radio revues and canteens, singing of perseverance and longing with conviction and flair.

While some wartime songs reinforced traditional gender roles—women as faithful sweethearts waiting for their soldier boys—others acknowledged the changing social fabric. CBC’s programming often included performances by women in uniform or those working in war-related industries, offering musical proof of their participation in Canada’s total war effort.

Overseas, Under Fire: Troop Shows and Battlefield Broadcasts
Canadian soldiers stationed abroad relied on music for emotional relief. Portable radios, gramophones, and live performances by military bands or visiting entertainers brought pieces of home to the front lines. The Canadian Army Show, established in 1942, toured Europe with variety acts, comedians, and musicians such as Jack Kane and the Army Band. Recordings of Canadian vocalists—like contralto Portia White—also made their way into troop camps, though most music overseas was shared live or via BBC broadcasts.

Songs like “I’ll Be Seeing You” or “You’ll Never Know” became deeply meaningful, carrying the emotional weight of separation, hope, and the dream of return. These recordings were often passed between soldiers and their families, physical links forged in vinyl and shellac.

Legacy and Remembrance
The music of World War II in Canada remains a vital part of the country’s cultural memory. Unlike World War I, whose songs often faded into obscurity, many of the Second World War’s musical artifacts—both Canadian and international—continue to be played, recorded, and commemorated. From V-E Day celebrations to Remembrance Day ceremonies, songs like “Land of Hope and Glory” or “This Is Worth Fighting For” still carry emotional resonance.

Today, historical recordings, radio transcripts, and digitized 78s preserve this wartime soundscape for future generations. The Sounds of World War II playlist on CitizenFreak.com offers a curated selection of Canadian and Canadian-issued recordings from the era—some patriotic, some playful, all rich with historical meaning. It includes tracks like:

“Comin’ In on a Wing and a Prayer” – Canadian issue by the Ink Spots

“Lili Marlene” – beloved on both sides of the front, including English-Canadian versions

“The Maple Leaf Forever” – revived in wartime patriotic recordings

“I’ll Never Smile Again” – The Canadian-born success of Ruth Lowe and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

“When the Lights Go on Again (All Over the World)” – a symbolic wartime farewell

These songs, and many like them, offer insight into the lived experiences of Canadians during the global conflict: their fears, their hopes, and the sonic tools they used to carry on.

“In the din of industry, in the clatter of arms, it is often the quiet strains of a familiar song that lift a nation’s spirit.”
— CBC wartime broadcast, 1944

-Robert Williston

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