The Merry Macs - Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition 1942 WW2 video free download

Decca 18498-A - Peaked On US Music Charts At #8 In 1942.

"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" is an American patriotic song written by Frank Loesser and published as sheet music in 1942 by Famous Music Corp. The song was a response to the attack on Pearl Harbor that marked United States involvement in World War II.

The song describes a chaplain ("sky pilot") being with some fighting men who are under attack from an enemy. He is asked to say a prayer for the men who were engaged in firing at the oncoming planes. The chaplain puts down his Bible, mans one of the ship's gun turrets and begins firing back, saying, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition".

The Merry Macs were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. The Merry Macs were an American close-harmony pop music quartet active from the 1920s till the 1960s and best known for the hits "Mairzy Doats," "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" and "Sentimental Journey." They also sang on recordings with Bing Crosby.

Formed to play proms in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the group originally consisted of the three McMichael brothers: tenors Judd (1906-1989) and Joe (1916-1944), and baritone Ted (1908-2001). They were discovered by singer-bandleader Eddie Dunstedter. In 1930 the McMichaels, after performing as The Mystery Trio and The Personality Boys, added a female lead singer, Cheri McKay, and changed their name to The Merry Macs.

In 1936 they appeared on several national radio programs, and Cheri McKay was replaced by Helen Carroll. (McKay trained her successor in the group's singing style.)

Vocal quartets had customarily harmonized like barbershop quartets. The Merry Macs revolutionized vocal harmony with closer harmonic chords. This style inspired other groups, like The Modernaires and Six Hits and a Miss. In 1938 The Merry Macs signed with Decca Records and recorded "Pop Goes the Weasel." The Merry Macs (with Carroll) sang a swing version of "Down by the Old Mill Stream" in the 1939 Vitaphone musical Seeing Red, Red Skelton's first film.

n 1939 Mary Lou Cook (b. 1910) replaced Helen Carroll.

This is the foursome that most listeners know from film appearances. The McMichael brothers and Cook appeared as a specialty act in Hollywood movies, including 1940's Love Thy Neighbor, and Universal Pictures gave The Merry Macs their own feature-film series in 1941. Their most famous film is Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942), an Abbott and Costello comedy in which The Merry Macs offer musical interludes. At the time, Mary Lou was married to actor Elisha Cook, Jr.; evidently there were problems because Mary Lou ended both her marriage and her affiliation with The Merry Macs at about the same time.

Marjory Garland (1923-1991) replaced Mary Lou Cook after Ride 'Em Cowboy was filmed. The Merry Macs continued to score on the hit parade; their rendition of "Mairzy Doats" was a best-seller. Garland, who later married Judd McMichael, remained with the group until the 1960s.

Youngest brother Joe McMichael served in the armed forces and was killed in 1944. He was replaced by Clive Erard, then Dick Baldwin, and finally Vern Rowe. The foursome of Judd, Ted, Marjory and Vern continued performing until they retired from show business in 1964.