Robert and Sadye Wier Papers
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Alternative Title
Italy France and England have been fight'n a long long time
Description
World War I- era notated music for voice and piano dedicated to the 92nd Division at Camp Funston. Cover art features a Black soldier marching with a rifle over his shoulder.
Publication Date
1918
Time Period
1910-1919
Subjects
African American soldiers ; Popular music--United States--1911-1920 ; World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music
Keywords
Black soldiers ; sheet music ; World War I ; Wier, Sayde
Geographic Location
Saint Louis (Mo.)
Object Type
text
Format (original)
1 score ([1]. 2-3, [1] p.) : ill
Format (digital)
Digital ID
MFM_MSS_313_1918_012444919 Sheet Music
First Line of Chorus
When Sambo hits the trenches what a difference there will be,
First Line of Song
Italy France and England have been fight'n a long long time
Source
Mississippi State University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Division, Manuscripts Unit, Wier (Robert and Sadye) Papers, Sheet Music
Repository
Manuscripts
Rights
Copyright protected by Mississippi State University Libraries. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required.
Contact Information
For more information about the contents of this collection, e-mail sp_coll@library.msstate.edu.
Recommended Citation
(Wier) Robert and Sadye papers, Division of Archives & Special Collections, Mississippi State University
Comments
Historical Context: This song includes either a title or lyrics, along with a cover illustration that place it in the category of “blackface” performance. With theatrical roots in the West as far back as the 15th century, blackface entertainment “[displays] Blackness for the enjoyment and edification" of non-Black audiences, often through derogatory and racially insensitive means (Strausbaugh, Black Like You, 2006). Blackface’s place in American popular culture began with early 19th century musical performances, featuring white actors “blacked-up” with burnt cork or shoe polish. Performances used dominant stereotypes of African Americans and presented a musical discourse on American racial divisions. Songs relied on lyrics and titles using racial epithets, as well as illustrations that audiences received as both racially “authentic” and entertaining (Lott, Love and Theft, 1993). In the process, blackface songs introduced cultural depictions of African Americans still present in popular culture (Stephen Johnson, ed., Burnt Cork, 2012).