Lead Belly sings about Mr. Hitler (1942)

David Pescovitz 10:00 am Tue Mar 26, 2019

My favorite blues singer Huddie William Ledbetter (1888-1949), aka Lead Belly, sung about traditional blues topics like relationships, prison, and poverty, but he also wrote about current events and newsmakers of the day, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Jean Harlow to the Scottsboro Boys. In 1942, Lead Belly wrote this tune, "Mr. Hitler." Here are the lyrics:

Hiltler started out in 1932
Hiltler started out in 1932
When he started out, he took the homes from the Jews

We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down someday.
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground someday.

When Hitler started out, he took the Jews from their homes
When Hitler started out, he took the Jews from their homes
That's one thing Mr. Hitler you know you done wrong.

We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down someday.
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground someday.

You ain't no iron, you ain't no solid rock
You ain't no iron, you ain't no solid rock
but we American people say "Mr. Hitler you is got to stop!"

We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down someday.
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground someday.

Mr. Hitler we're gonna tear your playhouse down
Mr. Hitler we're gonna tear your playhouse down
you been flyin' mighty high, but you're on your last go round.

We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down someday.
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground someday.

Mr. Hitler, you know you ain't so keen
Mr. Hitler, you know you ain't so keen
But we American people say you're the biggest liar they ever seen.

We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down
We're gonna tear Hitler down someday.
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground
We're gonna bring him to the ground someday.

(Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)

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