Scottish Singer songwriter Al Stewart would make a great history teacher. He turns songs into history lessons and history lessons into songs.
Our Song of the Day, “Last Day of June 1934” tells the story of the events of June 30 when Adolph Hitler solidified his power as dictator of Germany.
On that date, Hitler claimed to have killed 61 of his enemies. Historians say it was closer to 500. He called the consolidation “The Night of the Long Knives.”
Among the dead were Ernst Rohm, head of the stormtroopers, as well as former chancellor Kurt von Schleicher. Not long after, President Hindenburg died. Hitler’s generals agreed to merge the powers of the presidency with that of chancellor, giving him total power.
Al Stewart recorded the song for his 1974 album. “Past, Present and Future.” It’s a history lesson of pre-war Europe and beyond.
One song, “Laughing into 1939,” is about a young man celebrating the new year, without realizing the continent would soon be at war. “Roads to Moscow” is about a Russian soldier who fights his way from Moscow to Germany only to be imprisoned by Stalin.
Stewart said he read 40 books researching for that 8-minute recording.
Stewart’s non-history songs were more popular. “Year of the Cat” reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Two years later, “Time Passages” reached number seven.
Song of the Day is a co-production of WGCU and Sheldon Zoldan. This week's Song of the Day was edited by Simon Dunham.
