Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, just about a few years, and some months ago
United States come, and voted for war
Sammy called a man from the East and the West
Get ready boys, we got to do our best
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, with president Wilson sittin' on the throne
Making loss for everyone
Didn't call the black man to lay by the white
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Ice on the landing, getting to {rage?}
Getting no better but the same old thing
Cents on the dollar, ride the train
Rates getting cheaper, take a ride again
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Measure your boiler, measure your wheat
Half a pound of sugar for a person a week
Folks didn't like it, they blamed uncle sam
Have got to save the sugar for the poor in'a France
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, boys whooped the Germans, home at last
Woulda' brought the kaiser but they run too fast
Coulden't blame the kaiser for'a leaving the land
Uncle Sammy had to save the skin'a most evil man
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Tax getting heavy, time to pay
Half the boys all across the sea
Blood and water up to their knees
Faced the kaiser for'a you and me
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, just about a few years, and some months ago
United States come, and voted for war
Sammy called a man from the East and the West
Get ready boys, we got to do our best
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, with president Wilson sittin' on the throne
Making loss for everyone
Didn't call the black man to lay by the white
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Ice on the landing, getting to {rage?}
Getting no better but the same old thing
Cents on the dollar, ride the train
Rates getting cheaper, take a ride again
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Measure your boiler, measure your wheat
Half a pound of sugar for a person a week
Folks didn't like it, they blamed uncle sam
Have got to save the sugar for the poor in'a France
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Well, boys whooped the Germans, home at last
Woulda' brought the kaiser but they run too fast
Coulden't blame the kaiser for'a leaving the land
Uncle Sammy had to save the skin'a most evil man
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Tax getting heavy, time to pay
Half the boys all across the sea
Blood and water up to their knees
Faced the kaiser for'a you and me
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Everybody wailed (when the war was on)
Well they registered everybody, when the war was on
Contributed by Pluck - 2022/9/2 - 08:35
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
"When the War Was On" is a call and response blues song recorded in 1929 by Blind Willie Johnson and Willie B. Harris, who is thought to have been his first wife. Johnson plays bottleneck guitar, and sings throughout in his 'growl' (false bass) voice; Harris sings soprano.
The war referred to is World War I (1914–18). The lyrics reference U.S. President Wilson (1913–21) and the German Kaiser; the United States entered the war in 1917.
Unusually for Johnson, the song deals with a temporal rather than a spiritual subject.
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Da un commento del video :
This actually sounds more like a war protest song than gospel