The song from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel has been playing in my head all week. The garden is lush with blossoms, the air melodious with birdsong. Who could not sing, dance, and frolic? In the musical, the high spirits of “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” lead into the death and redemption of an unemployed carnival barker who robs to support his wife and unborn child. Joy and woe are woven fine.
Carousel opened on Broadway in April 1945, as World War II was winding down. It was a season of hope. The troops would soon come home to set off a baby boom. Prosperity would replace wartime privation. It was also a season of mourning for the fallen who would never come home, and for their commander-in-chief. President Franklin Roosevelt had died exactly a week before the show opened. The waning of the pandemic brings another season of joy and woe, hope and loss. Instead of blackout curtains, we begin to shed the face masks we wore to protect our communities. Vacation travel and nonessential shopping are making a comeback, as they did after WWII. At the same time, we are mourning the closure of favorite restaurants and bookstores. We grieve loved ones for whom the possibility of vaccination came too late. It doesn’t negate the sorrows to celebrate the joys. I’m off to pull weeds from among the flowers, while “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” plays over and over in my head.
6 Comments
6/7/2021 07:41:45 am
Yes, indeed, June is joy! I'm writing about a different musical for a blog post at Blackbird Writers a little later this month.
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6/7/2021 11:32:10 am
I'm all in suspense. Will you offer a sneak preview of which musical, or shall I just keep an eye open for it (as I will in any case)?
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Jane Aldrich
6/7/2021 09:18:57 am
Loved your comparing this time to after WWII, with "June is Bustin' Out All Over" playing through your head! Enjoy your garden!!!
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6/7/2021 11:37:34 am
Every phase of this pandemic has been calling to mind either historical parallels or personal memories for me, of many national crises and not just the health-related ones. A year ago when people complained that having to mask violated their freedom. I remembered my parents (who lived on the East Coast during the war) talking about using blackout curtains in case of a German attack. Their stories didn't include anyone saying blackout curtains ought to be a personal decision.
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6/7/2021 02:55:17 pm
Very celebratory, Sarah! I realize I've never seen the musical Carousel! Time to remedy that.
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6/7/2021 09:01:26 pm
Have you heard the song, "You'll Never Walk Alone"? Probably the best-known song in the musical. It is a tear-jerker in context, and in my youth was a staple of high school choruses and graduations.
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AuthorI'm a historian who writes novels and literary nonfiction. My home base is Madison, Wisconsin.
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