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America, He's for You!

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https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/97dfdf40-e466-0135-4ad8-0050569601ca-1
No Copyright - United States (RightsStatements.org)

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.

Descriptive Information

Title
America, He's for You!
Composer
Sterling, Andrew B. (Benjamin)  
Lyricist
Sterling, Andrew B. (Benjamin)  
Publisher
Joe Morris Music Co.  
Place of Publication
New York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication
1918  
Date of Copyright
1918-07-09
Physical Description
1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2-3, [1] p.)
Comment
  • This song was neither heavily marketed nor widely performed, but the four printings and the recordings and piano rolls do indicate some interest. Both lyric and music were derivative, and this title suffered in comparison with Sterling's "America, Here's My Boy," which had had considerable success a year earlier.
  • Joe Morris Music Co.
  • 145 W. 45th St.
Historical Note
  • The dedicatees, James and Raymond Sterling, were Andrew B. Sterling's nephews, and they both enlisted in March 1918, serving as privates for about a year and never sent overseas. Possibly it is their photographs that appear on the cover.
  • This is the second of four printings, distinguished by back covers. An initial copyright for the manuscript was registered on June 24, with Alfred Doyle credited as the arranger.
  • At least five recordings and three piano rolls were released. A burst of advertising in July waned quickly after The Billboard printed a negative review on August 3. The handful of performances that followed were exclusively by amateurs.
Musical Note
This march song (marked "Tempo di marcia") is generously larded with syncopation, rat-a-tat-tat fills, and walking bass, but it has some characteristics of a ballad: a slower tempo concludes the verse, the harmony approaches full chromaticism, and rubato and fermatas (with an ossia high note) end the refrain.
Dedication
Dedication
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918  
  • Songs and music  
  • Popular music  
  • Patriotic music  
  • Mothers of Soldiers  
  • Soldiers  
  • Families of military personnel  
  • Songs and music  
  • Recruiting and enlistment  
Subject - Geographic
United States  
Subject - Temporal
1911-1920  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 1] This is just another story / of a mother and three sons, / How she gave them to Old Glory / like a million other ones / And when she sits alone at night to pray, / These are the words that mother has to say:
  • [refrain 1] One bears a gun, and is beating back the Hun / on the banks of the River Marne / The next oldest brother will fight just like the other / whatever battlefield he's on, / The third makes his stand out in No Man's Land / Just like the other two, / There's a baby in the cradle and as soon as he is able / America he's for you."
  • [verse 2] Tho' they may return with Glory / and the cross each hero wears, / There may be another story / of the cross that mother bears / With beating heart she heard her country call, / She did not give them one, she gave them all:
Musical Genre
March song
Repository
Newberry Library
Rights
NoC-US
Rights Description
The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.
Artist
Pfeiffer, E. H. [Edward Henry]  
Printer
p. 3, BR, all upper-case: F. J. Lawson Co.  
Cover Description
Uncle Sam (TR), holding a baby (TL); below are two inset photographs, of an adult soldier (BL), and of a youth in military dress, saluting (BR); the baby's head is also a photograph; the whole is encircled by a vine or necklace. Green and orange on white; signed BR.
Back Cover Description
At top, “Two songs that should be in every home”; samples and covers for After the war is over (© 1917 04 19) and There’s a Service Flag Flying at Our House (© 1917 12 22), with two lists of titles, the whole in an ornate frame with flowers and scrollwork. Unsigned.
Interior Description
Plate numbers: pp. 2, 3, BL: J. M. Co. 624 _ 2
Performance Medium
Voice and piano.  
Original Location
Box 163
Local Identifier
nda163_059
Collection Title
James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
Collection
World War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
TitleAmerica, He's for You!
ComposerSterling, Andrew B. (Benjamin)  
LyricistSterling, Andrew B. (Benjamin)  
PublisherJoe Morris Music Co.  
Place of PublicationNew York (N.Y.)  
Year of Publication1918  
Date of Copyright1918-07-09
Physical Description1 score, voice and piano ([1], 2-3, [1] p.)
Comment
  • This song was neither heavily marketed nor widely performed, but the four printings and the recordings and piano rolls do indicate some interest. Both lyric and music were derivative, and this title suffered in comparison with Sterling's "America, Here's My Boy," which had had considerable success a year earlier.
  • Joe Morris Music Co.
  • 145 W. 45th St.
Historical Note
  • The dedicatees, James and Raymond Sterling, were Andrew B. Sterling's nephews, and they both enlisted in March 1918, serving as privates for about a year and never sent overseas. Possibly it is their photographs that appear on the cover.
  • This is the second of four printings, distinguished by back covers. An initial copyright for the manuscript was registered on June 24, with Alfred Doyle credited as the arranger.
  • At least five recordings and three piano rolls were released. A burst of advertising in July waned quickly after The Billboard printed a negative review on August 3. The handful of performances that followed were exclusively by amateurs.
Musical NoteThis march song (marked "Tempo di marcia") is generously larded with syncopation, rat-a-tat-tat fills, and walking bass, but it has some characteristics of a ballad: a slower tempo concludes the verse, the harmony approaches full chromaticism, and rubato and fermatas (with an ossia high note) end the refrain.
DedicationDedication
Subject - Topic
  • World War, 1914-1918  
  • Songs and music  
  • Popular music  
  • Patriotic music  
  • Mothers of Soldiers  
  • Soldiers  
  • Families of military personnel  
  • Songs and music  
  • Recruiting and enlistment  
Subject - GeographicUnited States  
Subject - Temporal1911-1920  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 1] This is just another story / of a mother and three sons, / How she gave them to Old Glory / like a million other ones / And when she sits alone at night to pray, / These are the words that mother has to say:
  • [refrain 1] One bears a gun, and is beating back the Hun / on the banks of the River Marne / The next oldest brother will fight just like the other / whatever battlefield he's on, / The third makes his stand out in No Man's Land / Just like the other two, / There's a baby in the cradle and as soon as he is able / America he's for you."
  • [verse 2] Tho' they may return with Glory / and the cross each hero wears, / There may be another story / of the cross that mother bears / With beating heart she heard her country call, / She did not give them one, she gave them all:
Musical GenreMarch song
RepositoryNewberry Library
RightsNoC-US
Rights DescriptionThe organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.
ArtistPfeiffer, E. H. [Edward Henry]  
Printerp. 3, BR, all upper-case: F. J. Lawson Co.  
Cover DescriptionUncle Sam (TR), holding a baby (TL); below are two inset photographs, of an adult soldier (BL), and of a youth in military dress, saluting (BR); the baby's head is also a photograph; the whole is encircled by a vine or necklace. Green and orange on white; signed BR.
Back Cover DescriptionAt top, “Two songs that should be in every home”; samples and covers for After the war is over (© 1917 04 19) and There’s a Service Flag Flying at Our House (© 1917 12 22), with two lists of titles, the whole in an ornate frame with flowers and scrollwork. Unsigned.
Interior DescriptionPlate numbers: pp. 2, 3, BL: J. M. Co. 624 _ 2
Performance MediumVoice and piano.  
Original LocationBox 163
Local Identifiernda163_059
Collection TitleJames Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
CollectionWorld War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music

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