“In the Mood” is Glenn Miller’s 1939 hit song, a recognizable tune that’s sure to get you on your feet. This recording is one of the pinnacle songs of this time, and Miller’s biggest instrumental hit and most-requested number. As popular as it was, “In the Mood” can’t take credit for the riff that makes the tune so familiar, and Glenn Miller can’t take credit for writing it. The song has a slur of repeated arpeggios throughout, which was seen exactly in multiple other pieces in the decade before. Why did Miller’s version become such a hit over the others? Well, that answer may come down to race. Most other bands with the riff were black, and back then, black musicians weren’t allowed to play in big ballrooms. This may also be why black saxophonist, Joe Garland, didn’t get the credit he deserved for actually writing the song.
Genna is an Elementary Education and Liberal Studies Major at Rowan University from Egg Harbor Township, NJ. Music is a huge part of her life, she both listens and plays all different types of music. Her favorites are folk rock and hip-hop, but she enjoys all music. She plays the piano and the saxophone, and her favorite piece to play is “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin with her community band in the summer. When she isn’t listening to or playing music, she is spending time with college friends or tutoring at the Rowan Writing Center.