When I was a small boy, during early WWII, I lived in a rural area of Central California. Rationing was in full flower and almost all essential items were scarce, especially gasoline and rubber. People made a lot of their own clothes, often from muslin feed bags or other "found material." My mother made soap in the back yard, using lye and animal fat. We had chickens, cows and pigs and grew most of our own vegetables. On the radio, we could hear Spike Jones using a slide whistle to great effect with his "City Slickers." Cheap instruments, often homemade, were certainly ubiquitous. The ocarina, or "sweet potato," kazoo, homemade reed flute and cigar box mini-guitar were among them. Everyone needed relief from the tension and fear. Music was one of the outlets many shared in trying to accomplish it. Necessity was the mother of many musical inventions.