What Kind of an American are You?

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]

"What Kind of an American are you?"
Sheet music cover of "what kind of American are you?"
Song
Released1917
LabelBroadway Music Co.
Composer(s)Albert Von Tilzer
Lyricist(s)Lew Brown and Charles R. McCarron

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 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
  1. 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.
  2. Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 773. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
  3. What kind of an American are you?. OCLC WorldCat. OCLC WorldCat. OCLC 72437572. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  4. Fields, Arthur. "What Kind of an American Are You?". The March to War. The March to War. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  5. "Popular Songs of World War I". UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive. UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  6. "What kind of American are you?". Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 January 2016.


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