In this episode, Lili Redman and Tom Carradine explore the rich history of wartime songs, focusing on the song 'The Deepest Shelter in Town.' They discuss the impact of music during World War II, the life of performer Florence Desmond and the role of entertainers in boosting morale. The conversation delves into personal anecdotes about their experiences on the London cabaret scene, the Blitz and it’s effect on Britain, ARP (air raid precautions) and even the sex workers of London during WW2. To listen to all the songs mentioned in the episode please visit their Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN REFERENCES Nellie Wallace “Under the Bed” (1929) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtWvFJWZAug Sally in Our Alley (1931) https://m.ok.ru/video/2989760187060 Florence Desmond’s Hollywood Party (1933) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p32znXVIqSI&t=8s Holborn Empire http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/westons.htm Vivienne Hole https://www.cwgc.org/stories/stories/civilian-vivienne-hole-ensa-entertainment-s-national-service-association-every-night-something-awful/ Dunsborough House https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/dunsborough-park-the-elegant-surrey-home-once-owned-by-a-daredevil-aviator-who-had-an-affair-with-shirley-bassey-153415 Anderson Shelters https://andersonshelters.org.uk/ Morrison Shelters https://andersonshelters.org.uk/other-shelters/morrison-shelters/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 00:55 Opening Chat and Catch Up 03:30 Exploring Florence Desmond's Career 06:36 The Impact of World War I on Music Hall 07:30 The Influence of Noel Coward 08:30 Florence Desmond on Film 11:32 Impersonations and Their Popularity 12:12 The Dark Side of Fame: Lead Poisoning and Its Consequences 13:13 Café de Paris: A Legacy of Performance 14:48 The Impact of War on Theatre: The Story of Applesauce 15:52 The Tragic Fate of the Hoblorn Empire 16:43 Royal Appearances: Theatre and the Royals 17:13 The Role of Entertainment During War: ENSA and Its Performers 18:45 A Tragic Loss: The Story of Vivian Fair 19:53 Life After War: Florence's Continued Stardom 20:41 Love and Loss: Florence's Marriages 21:06 Dunsborough: A Home of Hospitality and Celebrities 22:25 The Life of Charles Hewesden: A Daring Aviator 22:40 The Song Behind the Story: Leslie Julian Jones 23:35 The Blitz: A Historical Context 26:45 Anderson Shelters: The Homefront's Response to Bombing 29:22 The British Spirit: Defiance in the Face of Adversity 29:39 The Morrison Shelter: A Grim Necessity 30:46 Public Shelters: A Social Experiment 32:10 Underground Shelters: A Unique Experience 33:28 Looking at the Song: “The Deepest Shelter in Town” 34:24 Sex Work in Wartime London 36:30 “Lost” Songs from the 1940s 38:10 Lyric Analysis 40:49 The Craft of Comedy in Wartime Songs 43:30 Other Listening Recommendations 47:52 “Mentioned in Dispatches” 49:54 Outro SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS You can follow the podcast on social media: http://instagram.com/warsongspod https://www.facebook.com/warsongspod Find more information about Lili Redman here: https://liliredman.com/https://www.instagram.com/lili__redman/ https://www.facebook.com/ScalaLil Or Tom Carradine here: https://www.tomcarradine.com/https://www.instagram.com/tomcarradine https://www.facebook.com/mrtomcarradine CONTACT THE PODCAST If there's a wartime song that you think they should discuss, or if you have a personal or family story connected to one, drop them a line at [email protected]  to be "Mentioned in Dispatches". LISTENING LINKS Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ktQ4nyudmPRLcCNyNxEfv?si=ac9e1babe6834f2b Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-a-to-z-of-wartime-song/id1806037318 If you’ve enjoyed this episode Lili and Tom would be grateful if you’d leave a review and make sure you’ve subscribed and turned on notifications so you’ll never miss an episode.