The Songs of Childhood

Singing to your children has been a common tradition around any family for hundreds if not thousands of years.  In the case of the two songs I chose, the first can be seen as either making light of bad things, or accepting that bad things happen and the second is about royalty from England and finding love.  Through listening to these songs, one can see how the depressed nature of the Great Depression seeps into children's songs.  Either you look to a distant land to stories about kings and love, a form of escapism, or you make light of what depressing things you have, such as a dead pig and family.

Full songs for added context:

References:

Coffin, A. (1939). "Old Sam Finley had a pig". Forms part of: W.P.A. California Folk Music Project collection. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017701489/

Graham, G (1939). "King William was King James' son". Forms part of: W.P.A. California Folk Music Project collection. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017701537/