Imagine going to the theaters today to see the newest romantic comedy with your favorite stars and watching as they burst into a beautiful song about their growing love for each other. Or maybe they find themselves suddenly surrounded by singing side characters who helpfully guide them along their story. Heck, they might just want to take a break to boogie to the newest hit tune!
In 1941's Sun Valley Serenade, a young Milton Berle walks up to popular bandleader Glenn Miller to request they stall for time with a song. Happy to oblige, Miller instructs his orchestra to begin with "Chattanooga Choo Choo," telling the musicians to "run it down again." With Miller on trombone, the horns provide an impressively accurate facsimile of a steam train as they start the cheerful tune. Berle can't help but shimmy his shoulders around as he watches the charming performance! After the film's release, the song became so popular that it not only won the Academy Award for Best Song, it also became the first ever Gold Record the following year with over 1.2 million sales!
Immediately following that success, Miller was eager to join the war force to help our troops fighting overseas in World War II. Too old to enlist, he instead formed a civilian band to entertain the soldiers with jazzy, modern renditions of traditional military tunes. Sadly, just 2 years later in 1944, Miller's plane mysteriously disappeared over the English Channel on his way to perform for the men stationed in Paris. The tragedy baffled the world, but his music will live on in our hearts forever.
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