It is the ultimate irony that the Casa Loma Orchestra's first recording session on October 29, 1929 (remember that date?) included their version of "Happy Days Are Here Again". This song was originally an innocent production number for a Broadway show, but it soon became a bitter commentary on the depression. FDR tried to use it as a 1932 campaign song, but the public was not in the mood -- yet. This did not stop songwriters from producing songs of unbounded optimism throughout the decade, and they probably provided a great service in keeping up the the spirits of the American public. Far fewer songwriters commented directly on the effects of the Depression, but some of their numbers such as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" and "Remember My Forgotten Man" are among the most memorable depression songs. We will present a program of both types of numbers from what was probably the most significant popular song-writing decade in American history.