What Kind of an American are You?
| "What Kind of an American are you?" | |
|---|---|
 Sheet music cover of "what kind of 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 Pritzker Military Museum & Library.[3]
Analysis
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 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?
External links
References
- ↑ 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. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 773. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
- 1 2 "What kind of an American are you?". OCLC WorldCat. OCLC WorldCat. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ Fields, Arthur. "What Kind of an American Are You?". The March to War. The March to War. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "Popular Songs of World War I". UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive. UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "What kind of American are you?". Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 January 2016.