We here in America (rightly, I think) tend to focus on how our music influenced the rest of the world, but there have always been outside influences that helped to form our own sense of who we were. 

Most obviously, Europe during the two world wars gave us plenty to consider, with the better musicians and songwriters coming up with material that told us plenty about the cultural unrest of that continent. With this series of shows, we will take a glance at some of the most influential European artists of that time, and the music that eventually proved to be quite influential on American culture as well. 

Featured tracks include: 

1) Moritat – Lotte Lenya

2) Mack the Knife- Louis Armstrong

3) Mack the Knife – Bobby Darin

4) Alabama Song – Lotte Lenya

5) Alabama Song – The Doors

6) Pirate Jenny (Surabaya Jenny) – (partial) – Lotte Lenya

7) Pirate Jenny – Nina Simone

8) Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife – Marianne Faithful

9) Speak Low – Tony Bennett

10) Lost in the Stars – Tony Bennett

11) What Keeps Mankind Alive – Tom Waits

12) September Song – Willie Nelson