We Did It Before and We Can Do It Again Song Lyrics
Origins
At the start of the 2d World War in September of 1939, America was decidedly uninvolved in the conflict. Despite trading and providing supplies to member countries of the Allied forces, the conclusion to become directly involved in the state of war attempt would come up afterward in December of 1941. Later virtually 15 months of strained relationships and a year of planning on the offensive side, Japan ordered an airstrike on the American isle of Hawaii, at the naval base of Pearl Harbor. This attack shook the nation every bit citizens were faced with the first foreign set on directly targeting the Usa since the Get-go World State of war. As give-and-take of the attack spread and reactions began, "Nosotros Did It Before And We Can Practise It Again" was penned by pop songwriters Cliff Friend and Charles Tobias. The composition was written the aforementioned day as the attack, one of the firsts of its kind during American involvement in the state of war (Stickles 158). Just days later, the vocal hit the radio and the ears of America.
Lyrical Content
"We Did It Earlier And We Tin can Exercise It Once more" was written as a direct response to the Pearl Harbor attack. Written in a march-similar style, the song is upbeat, entertaining, and simple plenty for anyone to recollect (Bush 125). The lexicon is uncomplicated, with minimal syllables per word, and few words per sentence. The repeated chorus, "we did it before and we can do it again" is an announcement that the Us has triumphed in confront of adversity before, and if involved, they would once more. A trend throughout the song, numerous threats and warnings are given to dissuade enemies from engaging in gainsay with the U.s.a.. Lyrics like "We'll knock them over and get the guy in the back" and "We'll free the nations that had to kneel and bow their heads to a Nazi heel" play on the intimidation tactic of the song, helping to paint the picture of America as the "top dog" in the war effort. The vocal did not only romanticize the war, but inspired anti-Japanese sentiments in a post-Pearl-Harbor America. Slurs regarded as highly offensive to today's audition were used in the vocal like during the merits, "we'll take the 'nip' out of nipponese and chase them back to their ruby-red trees". The relationship between Americans and Japanese was riddled with strife, specially after America began to block immigrants from inbound the country and stopped all exports of oil to Nippon. After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese people were characterized as dangerous, untrustworthy individuals; they were discriminated confronting and often sent to Japanese internment camps throughout the duration of World War 2. In addition to the Japanese, the song strikes out at other opponents with "We'll put the ax to the Axis quick" and "We'll take the stooge with the jaw of drinking glass and slap him over the brenner pass". The Brenner Pass line is a play on words, referring to a mountain pass in Italy, another Axis fellow member along with Germany and Nihon. The composers apply this language to infantilize and demean the Axis powers. A "jaw of glass", a jaw hands broken, indicates that the fight, or in this example, the state of war will be easily won. And if not, the lyrics reassure, "even though it may take a year or 2 or x, we did information technology before – we'll do it over again". Repeated 16 times through the course of the song, the message is unmistakable: although the opponent will be different, and the war will comport a unlike proper noun, "Nosotros did it before and nosotros can do it again".
Social Context
The ascension of swing and big ring music began in the 1920s, and continued all the manner through World War Two. Several prominent musicians, such as Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw were drafted and brought their music to the warfront. At home, music was frequently used as an escape or every bit a source of comfort. These songs tended to cover hope and optimism. They had simple themes and straightforward titles, a theme that continued in "We Did It Earlier (And Nosotros Tin Do It Again)".
However, the tone and message of these songs changed in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. After the assault, the publishers in Manhattan'southward Tin Pan Aisle rushed the production of an amazing number of songs then that they were printed days or even hours after the news reached the public. "We did it before" was the first of these songs to be played on air, only three days after. Because of its early inflow information technology speedily became one of the start popular state of war-themed songs of the second World War in America. Despite the fact that "We Did It Earlier" is one of many songs revolving around i event, it is much more upbeat and less viciously racist than some of its successors. The attack on Pearl Harbor brought race to the forefront of the public centre in all new means. While anti-German lyrics mainly focused its ridicule solely on Hitler and the Nazis, anti-Japanese sentiment extended to the civilians too as the military. The characteristically straightforward 1940s titles made a reappearance with songs like "Let'southward Take A Rap at the Japs," "We'll Knock The Japs Right Into the Laps of The Nazis," and "Nosotros're Going To Observe A Fellow Who Is Yellow And Beat Him Red White And Blue." While the terminal 2 verses of "We Did Information technology Before (And Nosotros Tin can Exercise It Again)" also independent racial slurs and stereotyping, the overall intent was to remind the people of this country's efforts and to act as a unifying force rather than an accusatory one. A song recorded by Kate Smith (also in Dec of '41) serves as a neat parallel to "Nosotros did information technology before." Information technology's titled: "They Started Somethin' (Only We're Going to End It)," foreshadowing the rising in hostilities that would somewhen atomic number 82 to the catastrophic detonation of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Source: Concrete Characteristics
The sheet music cover shows a depiction of Uncle Sam with his arms raised in a fighting pose, underneath the title and authors of the song. The background is solid red, and Uncle Sam is outlined in blue while wearing ruby and white clothing. In fact, the only colors on the front page are red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. This goes along with the patriotic bulletin of the vocal equally a whole, but was probable a practical characteristic due to the costs and availability of colored inks during the mid- 20th century. Surrounding Uncle Sam are vi blue squares with a large date and script-like text. The appointment and words indicate famous American battles where the United States was a victor. For example, the poster above
Sam's caput reads: "1777, Valley Forge"; a reference to the winter that the continental ground forces spent in valley forge Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary State of war. During this winter, supplies were so low and weather were so terrible that literally a quarter of the army died from disease or starvation. Yet, it was during this time that the troops received the training to go a fighting force strong
plenty to defeat the British Regular army. In short, after a time of extreme hardship, Americans emerged stronger and more unified than ever before. This could be a hopeful allegory for America's shift from the Great Depression into World State of war II. The other five notes continue in this fashion, referencing
other moments of American bravery and victory in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Despite these shining examples, information technology'southward worth noting that the time flow of the Civil War is completely omitted. The designers of the encompass nigh likely felt that a reminder of a major division between the American people would be unwelcome and counterproductive to creating a feeling of unity.
The music inside the cover is in expert condition. The pages are slightly yellowed just there's no tears or damage to the newspaper, and the blackness ink is clearly legible.The only written markings inside are in pencil and for library cataloging purposes. The music itself has parts for vocalization, guitar, and piano. At that place are vi pages in total, including front and dorsum covers, four of them with the actual sheet music. Two extra
verses are printed on the back page. The margins of each folio are filled with text. On the bottom of the first folio is copyright information for Witmark & Sons, the publishers. However, the correct margin contains advertisement for something called a "kaleidophone," which continues onto the left margin of page five. The bottom margins of pages three four and five are taken upwardly by advertisements for other song compilations, 1 of them for children, ane of them of 'pop songs' and one of them of 'American Patriotic Songs.' It is likely that because "Nosotros did information technology before" was such a popular vocal at the time, it
would be profitable for other businesses to utilise this as a kind of piggyback to endeavour and sell similar products. This demonstrates how closely tied commercialization and patriotism were at the time of this song's publication. Businesses were using the war effort to sell their products while keeping civilian morale high. This also represents the ways that propaganda could be easily marketed to the youth. If this could exist used to annunciate "Victor Herberts Piano Albums For the Youth," it'south likely that there were several other albums for the youth that advertised songs as patriotic, if not more so, than this one.
Works Cited
Friend, Cliff, Charles Tobias, Albert Lewis, Eddie Cantor, Joe Quillan, Irving Elinson, John Cecil Holm, George Abbott, Hassard Short, and Vernon Duke. 1941. "We did it earlier : and we tin can practise it again." n.p.: New York : M. Witmark & Sons, c1941., 1941.
Jones, John Bush. The Songs That Fought the War: Popular Music and the Home Front, 1939-1945. Waltham, MA: Brandeis University Press, 2006.
Sickels, Robert. The 1940s. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2004.
Wells, Grand. A. "Music as War Propaganda." Music Equally Propaganda In Earth State of war I. 2004.
Accessed March 06, 2016. http://parlorsongs.com/problems/2004-4/thismonth/characteristic.php.
"What Happened at Valley Forge." Ushistory.org. Accessed March 05, 2016.
http://world wide web.ushistory.org/march/phila/valleyforge.htm.
"WWII In American Music: Pearl Harbor & Reaction." WWII In American Music: Pearl
Harbor & Reaction. July 21, 2012. Accessed March 06, 2016.
http://www.authentichistory.com/1939-1945/iii-music/04-PH-Reaction/index.html.
Monica Bello, Lynelle Freeman, Grace Shim
Source: https://musicpolitics.as.ua.edu/projects/primary-source-projects/primary-source-study-of-we-did-it-before-and-we-can-do-it-again/
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