With the 3D version of "
Glee" coming out this summer, it seems like a good time to look at the long tradition of musicals about musicals, or musicals about musical people. Story lines about musicians add a dose of realism when characters break out in song! It's also a little easier for musicians who have been thrust into the role of an actor to pull off their "character" when that character is virtually identical to themselves.
There have been a few instances of this in opera, most notably
Die Meistersinger von Nürmberg, by Richard Wagner. It's the story of a master singers (Meistersinger) who compete for a grand prize: marriage to Eva, the town goldsmith's daughter.
The Jazz Singer of 1927 was the first musical film about a musician and also the first film
with music. Based on a Broadway play, it featured Al Jolson as the son of a Jewish cantor who wanted to sing "jazz" instead of following in his father's footsteps. You can
watch it for free at
archive.org, a site that archives historic materials in all formats.
42nd Street (1933) A chorus girl takes over for the star of a Broadway show. Busby Berkeley's stunning choreography adds to the glamor of the story.
The Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), is another of the early films featuring choreography by Busby Berkeley. The story combines romance with a plot about staging a Broadway production. Music by Harry Warren includes the song, "We're in the Money."
The Gold diggers in Paris (1938) is the third Busby Berkeley film about the ambitious theatrical troupe. In this installment, they are invited to put on a show in Paris.
Blues in the Night, 1941, features Jimmy Lunceford's band and a series of musical numbers interwoven throughout the story of a blues band's travels and travails.
The Gang's All Here (1943) is another Busby Berkeley film, this time focusing on a chorus girl and her love interest, a
sargeant shipping out during
World War II.
Toast of New Orleans (1950) is about an opera star and an unlikely talent (Mario Lanza) discovered in the bayou.
Star is Born was a vehicle for Judy Garland in 1954 and the 1976
remake showcased Barbra Streisand.
The Blues Brothers, (1980) featured John Belushi, Dan Akroyd as musicians reuniting their old band for a good cause. Famous musicians appearing in the film include Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Cab Calloway.
Fame, about fictional characters attending the real-life High School of Performing Arts in New York.
The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), with Michelle Pfeiffer as a singer who enlivens the act of piano-playing brothers (Jeff and Beau Bridges).
Saawariya (2007) is a Bollywood (India) musical about a musician and his new love.
Straight from the Heart (2005) is another Bollywood film about a musician, this time a devoted father.
Dreamgirls, (2006) Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx & Eddie Murphy star in this story about a 1960s R&B all-girl trio.
Burlesque, with Cher and Christina Aguilera, portrays the showgirl lifestyle.
Many musical films from the earliest days of 'talkies' to today have been profiles of actual musicians. The "biopic" is a classic film genre now, as is the musical film. Some famous films based on musicians:
The Great Caruso (1951),with famous singer Mario Lanza portraying Enrico Caruso, one of the first stars of the recording era.
Walk the Line tells the story of Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter.
'Round Midnight: Real-life jazz saxophone player
Dexter Gordon portrays John Coltrane
Ray (2004), based on the life of Ray Charles, starring Jamie Foxx, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the blind musician.
La Vie en Rose (2007) about French singing sensation, Edith Piaf.
The Runaways (2010) is about rocker Joan Jett's early career as a musican.
Burlesque, with Cher and Christina Aguilera, portrays the showgirl lifestyle.
Pirate Radio is about radio airplay for controversial rock music.
For more information, go the the Reference collection on the First Floor and take a look at
Hollywood Musicals Year by Year. Click
here to see a list of all musical films available on DVD in the Educational Resources Collections.
After a long semester and seemingly endless Finals Week you may want to kick back with some holiday music. For compact discs to check out, go to CardCat's advanced search, select "Compact Discs, audio" as the format, and then type the holiday of your choice. The Music Collection has over 250 CDs of Christmas music and several CDs of music for Hannukah and Solstice celebrations.
The Music Collection has CDs of music from all around the world, including the many musical traditions of Latin America. You can find music in CardCat or by using the Libraries' Mediafinder for World Music or the Media Finder for Musical Recordings (Other than Classical). 
or to a page that links to the Ball State catalog (CardCat), WorldCat, or the Interlibrary Loan request form.
Last year, over 1,000 items were added to each part of the collection (recordings, scores, and books) last year: recordings, scores, and books. Compact disc additions include the latest popular music, major label classical stars, and reissues of classic performances. The Educational Resources Collections also added many music DVDs, including operas and Hollywood musicals.
Naxos Music Library has announced the addition of EMI Classics and Blue Note to the labels it streams. Currently, there are almost 800,000 tracks available already. Both of these labels will provide major contributions to the selection.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's autobiographical novels described pioneer life in late Nineteenth Century Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas. She never forgot the songs they sang or the music "Pa" played on his violin (fiddle). Many of the tunes were well-known to fiddlers and are still played today. Ball State Libraries' Music Collection and Educational Resources Collections have all the materials you need to immerse yourself in the stories and music of the books.
Compact Discs: 
"The U.S. Air Force" is, appropriately enough, the title of the official song of The U.S. Air Force. Better known as "Into the Wild Blue Yonder," the song by Robert MacArthur Crawford was originally written in 1939 titled as "The Army Air Corps."
The "Marine's Hymn" is the oldest of the service songs. Legend credits the lyrics to a Marine on duty in Mexico during the Mexican-American War. The two famous opening lines, "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli," refer to the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War and the Battle of Derne in 1805 during the First Barbary War. The tune is taken from the "Gendarmes' Duet" from Jacques Offenbach's Gedevieve de Brabant. Additional verses commemorate later wars and battles the Marines have fought.
"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and is also used as the Navy ceremonial song, though it is still unofficial. Written in 1906 by Lt. Charles A Zimmerman with lyrics by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles, "Anchors Aweigh" was first played during the 1906 Army-Navy football game. The original lyrics were later rewritten to reflect the entire Navy and not just the football team and their fans, including the famous third verse (below): 
"The Army Goes Rolling Along" is based on field artillery First Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Edmond L. Gruber's "The Caisson Song," composed as a morale booster for his field artillery unit while stationed in the Philippines in March, 1908. A caisson is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart used to carry artillery ammunition, but now is used mainly in funerals. Reworked lyrics, reflecting the whole Army and not just the field artillery, were written by Harold W. Arberg and dedicated on Veterans Day, 1956. 
"Semper Paratus" ("Always Ready") is both the name of the official Coast Guard song and also their motto. The original music lyrics were written by Captain Francis Saltus van Boskerck in the 1920s. The current lyrics were written by Homer Smith in 1943. In 1969, the first line of each verse was changed.
You can also search artists as "authors" in CardCat, or songs as keywords. The Weather Channel posts their playlists here. The Music Collection has compact discs by many of the artists listed.
