Anne E.'s Journal Sept 12- Girls and Airplanes

ANNE E.'S JOURNAL - September 12th, 2007 - The story behind the song "Girls and Airplanes"

September 12, 2007
I’m not exactly sure how I came to write the song Girls and Airplanes. I do know that one night I searched “Rosie the Riveter” on the internet. I found a web site that told a story about The Rosie the Riveter Memorial erected in 2000 and the Rosie the Riveter Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond California. Richmond was the home of the Kaiser Shipyards during WWII. Many women living in the U.S. worked at the shipyards during the war. The population of Richmond increased from a predominantly white community of 23,600 residents to a diverse population of over 100,000 people within a year. The memorial and park were erected in order to recognize the women who worked on the Home Front. The memorial is the first in the nation to honor and celebrate the contributions of American Women to the World War II Home Front. To read more visit: http://www.rosietheriveter.org

I also found available a video/documentary on these women, these “Rosies”. I ordered it. Between ordering and receiving the video I wrote the song. When I did receive the video I used it to check myself and what I had written. I wanted to see if there were any details I might add or anything I had gotten wrong. I was pretty much on spot with it. It is just a great video. It’s many different women telling their stories. They’re amazing. Such courage and sacrifice. Many of them began to wake when their journey began.

So “Girls and Airplanes” is a story about and a tribute to those women. Many of them left their homes, some their families to work. Many of them worked full time while still raising their families. It’s interesting because the government really pushed these women to do such a thing. And the women responded. But often they were guilted into working very long hours and a very long week. What’s interesting is that when the men returned from the war the women were whisked out of the factories. They could no longer find work. They were at that point every bit as qualified as the men but the companies were loyal to the men and placed them back into jobs. The women went back home. I contended for a long time now, that the rise in martini consumption that took place in the 1950's had a lot to do with women feeling squashed. They had their taste of independents and then had it taken away. I think it caused some major depression. Just a theory. I’m sticking to it.


	ANNE E.'S JOURNAL - September 12th, 2007 - The story behind the song "Girls and Airplanes"
		September 12, 2007 I’m not exactly sure how I came to write the song Girls and Airplanes. I do know that one night I searched “Rosie the Riveter” on the internet. I found a web site that told a story about The Rosie the Riveter Memorial erected in 2000 and the Rosie the Riveter Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond California. Richmond was the home of the Kaiser Shipyards during WWII. Many women living in the U.S. worked at the shipyards during the war. The population of Richmond increased from a predominantly white community of 23,600 residents to a diverse population of over 100,000 people within a year. The memorial and park were erected in order to recognize the women who worked on the Home Front. The memorial is the first in the nation to honor and celebrate the contributions of American Women to the World War II Home Front. To read more visit: http://www.rosietheriveter.org I also found available a video/documentary on these women, these “Rosies”. I ordered it. Between ordering and receiving the video I wrote the song. When I did receive the video I used it to check myself and what I had written. I wanted to see if there were any details I might add or anything I had gotten wrong. I was pretty much on spot with it. It is just a great video. It’s many different women telling their stories. They’re amazing. Such courage and sacrifice. Many of them began to wake when their journey began. So “Girls and Airplanes” is a story about and a tribute to those women. Many of them left their homes, some their families to work. Many of them worked full time while still raising their families. It’s interesting because the government really pushed these women to do such a thing. And the women responded. But often they were guilted into working very long hours and a very long week. What’s interesting is that when the men returned from the war the women were whisked out of the factories. They could no longer find work. They were at that point every bit as qualified as the men but the companies were loyal to the men and placed them back into jobs. The women went back home. I contended for a long time now, that the rise in martini consumption that took place in the 1950's had a lot to do with women feeling squashed. They had their taste of independents and then had it taken away. I think it caused some major depression. Just a theory. I’m sticking to it.