Happy Repeal Day!

Aw, hooey! Happy Repeal Day! This day, 75 years ago, the United States Congress repealed the 18th Amendment - known as the Volstead Act - when Utah became the 36th state to ratify what is now the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution. This restored control of alcohol to the states. Although Andrew Volstead sponsored the bill, the 18th Amendment was the work of the Anti-Saloon League's Wayne Wheeler who conceived and drafted the bill.

Unfortunately I still have not digitized my copy of Bob Miller's "Page Mr. Volstead" (the flip side is "Five Cent Glass of Beer") but hope to do that soon. I'm still saving up for the really good turntable. Lacking any specific tunes related to Repeal Day, and seeing that the ranks of the unemployed continue to swell, I offer two tunes. Charlie Palloy's version of Brother, Can You Spare A Dime, and Chick Bullock's Levee Loungers with Are You Making Any Money?

When I get home I'll try to upload some songs of Prohibition. But for the moment, as the minutes in the work day dwindle, I think I'll go home and have a pint. Or two. Enjoy, just don't drink and drive.




(photo of a bartender 75 years ago today, serving the first two legal beers at a bar in Minneapolis, MN)