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Doom & Gloom: Early Songs of Angst of Disaster 1927 - 1945

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At the turn of the century, driven by science and technology, modern society made itself a promise: to put an end to all the evils of the past, once and for all. Though steadily advancing technology somewhat freed mankind from the horrors of disease, fire, plague, drought, floods and earthquakes, progress also produced new horrors.

Tremendous advancements in transport and a drive towards ever larger capacity and higher speeds unleashed catastrophes on a scale previously unknown. Now a railway crash, a blazing zeppelin or a shipping disaster could inflict not dozens, but hundreds or even thousands of casualties.

A series of disasters in the 1920s and 1930s helped to create a climate of fear that affected the societal psyche in a similar way as today, when wars, fanaticism, terrorism, natural disasters, global warming, bird flu, tsunami, hurricanes and tornadoes all contribute to a gloomy atmosphere of uncertainty and constant dread.

Hillbilly and blues musicians in the 1920s and 30s expressed the general mood in a poignant way. They sang of catastrophes and disasters, whether far away or on their doorstep. They talked of the effects these events had on the lives of ordinary people. They described what happened when disaster struck, as seen through the eyes of the victims.

Perhaps the articulation of these awful events in songs helped to ease feelings of despair, offering a crumb of comfort to those listeners dealing with the brutal reality. This collection expresses the mood of hillbilly & blues musicians during the terrible times of the 1920’s and 30’s – a time wracked by calamity and disaster.