C/401GIR: U.S. Glider Troops

GI Jive: How to Enhance Your Camp with Period Music

CAPTAIN BOB BLECKE, | Updated October 2024

Music can transport people to different times and places. At living history events, period music is a popular way to bring people back in time and create an atmosphere. The 1940’s were the heyday of radio. Much like Netflix and Hulu today, music and radio programs were the way of escaping the day to day, keeping up with news of the world, and participating in the common culture of the times. For people far from home, it was a way to take you back, even briefly. In some places, radio was rebellion – listening to banned music or broadcasts could bring prosecution; using it to communicate with the opposition could result in death.

Recreating the Sounds of the 1940s

So you’d like to add some period sounds to your display/encampment/show. Where should you start? Fortunately, you have many options available for getting that wartime sound.

Streaming music or 1940s radio programs

Pluses:

  • Low effort, do not need to adjust or manage during events
  • Free

Minuses:

  • Modern advertisements
  • Limited playlist, meaning you might hear the same song a 5+ times in a weekend
  • Limited control over what songs/programs are played

Where to find:

Download to a device (MP3 player, Phone, etc.)

This is my preferred method, as I own the media, curate the list, and there are no ads unless I include them.

Pluses:

  • You curate your own list; make it as long as you can afford (no repeats)

Minuses:

  • Cost to acquire
  • Time to manage

Where to find:

Period Record Player

Pluses:

  • Nothing more authentic in camp

Minuses

  • Acquiring and restoring player (cost)
  • Acquiring records (cost)
  • Changing disks after each song or two, which can interrupt presentations

Where to Find

  • Flea market
  • Militaria shows
  • eBay
  • Etsy
  • Private collectors

Options for Broadcasting

iPod, MP3 player, Smartphone

Either streaming or download, these are easily concealable and when paired with a decent Bluetooth or wired accessory speaker can provide better-than period-sound. You can conceal this under a blanket, towel, or other fabric cover with little sound reduction. It is more plausible, of course, if your sound is coming from a radio

Conceal in a Period Radio

Here’s one of mine:

Radio Transmission

Have a legit period, working radio? Why not push your music output through an actual low power AM transmitter? Nothing more convincing than turning on that Philco, or GI Morale Radio, waiting for the 60hz hum to die out and the tubes to warm up, and hearing that vintage sound come out of the speakers (and potentially the speakers of any other radio in range). Why not create an event radio station?

You can get a plans here: https://antiqueradio.org/transmitter.htm

Or a complete kit here: [ DIY ] 655kHz/1310kHz AM Transmitter PCB Parts Set

Military Broadcasts

Military Broadcasts

If you have period appropriate military radio (BC-611/SCR 536 or BC-100/SCR 300 being most common at the Company level) you can get a period appropriate loudspeaker (LS-3) and “broadcast “intercept” military radio transmissions, adding some drama to your display.

Cautions

Not all 40’s music is appropriate for wartime use. The war in Europe was over by May 1945, and in the Pacific by August. Anything recorded after that is 40’s but not wartime. Also consider your audience – there are some popular tunes of the day that would not be suitable for younger or more sensitive listeners of today. Choose, but choose wisely.

I hope this helps get you all started. Happy hunting, and enjoy those tunes!