What Kind of an American Are You?
| "What Kind of an American Are You?" | |
|---|---|
 Sheet music cover of "What Kind of an American Are You?" | |
| Song | |
| Released | 1917 |
| Label | Broadway Music Co. |
| Composer(s) | Albert Von Tilzer |
| Lyricist(s) | Lew Brown and Charles R. McCarron |
"What Kind of an American Are You?", also known as "What Kind of American Are You?", is a World War I era song released in 1917. Albert Von Tilzer composed the music. Lew Brown and Charles R. McCarron wrote the lyrics.[1] The song was published by Broadway Music Co. of New York, New York. On the cover is a gray drawing of Uncle Sam pointing. A map of the United States is featured on the lower half of the cover.[2] The song was written for voice and piano.[3]
The sheet music can be found at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.[3]
Analysis
[edit]The song urges Americans (specifically immigrants[4]) to use this war to prove their loyalty to the United States; whether that may be by fighting or by simply standing behind the US's actions. For those who show no support, this question is posed: "What are you doing over here?" It upholds the "us-against-them" mentality; the "them" in this case is Germany.[5] The chorus is as follows:[6]
- What kind of an American are you?
- It's time to show what you intend to do
- If they trample on Old Glory will you think that they are right,
- Or will you stand behind your land and fight with all your might?
- What kind of an American are you?
- That's a question you'll have to answer to
- If the Star Spangled Banner don't make you stand and cheer,
- Then what are you doing over here?
References
[edit]- ^ Vogel, Frederick G. (1995). World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 267. ISBN 0-89950-952-5.
- ^ Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music. Vol. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 773. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
- ^ a b What kind of an American are you?. OCLC 72437572. Retrieved January 19, 2016 – via WorldCat.
- ^ Fields, Arthur. "What Kind of an American Are You?". The March to War. Archeophone Records. Retrieved January 19, 2016.[dead link]
- ^ Seubert, David (April 4, 2007). "Cylinder Radio: Popular Songs of World War I". Cylinder Audio Archive. University of California, Santa Barbara Library. Archived from the original on May 25, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
- ^ "What kind of American are you?". loc.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
External links
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