Ah, the good old days, when everyone knew America was always brave and pure and right! I find this song great fun to listen to, although I wouldn't be able to sing it with a straight face.

Click here to play an mp3 file from The Virtual Gramophone, of a recording by Henry Burr and the Peerless Quartet from 1917.

Lyrics from The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music:

THE MAN BEHIND THE HAMMER AND THE PLOW
"A Song Every American Should Learn"
Harry Von Tilzer. 1917.

1. America, the world is calling you.
America, it needs you badly, too.
The nations o'er the sea cry out for liberty.
The Stars and Stripes can save and make them free.
The sons of Uncle Sam can win the fray;
And here's the man that has to save the day:

CHORUS: It's the man behind the hammer and the plow
Who made this country what it is today.
It's the man behind the hammer and the plow,
The gift of God's creation, the builders of the nation,
Mechanic and the engineer, all honest sons of toil,
The backbone of the world today, the man who tills the soil,
It's up to him to win the battle now,
The man behind the hammer and the plow.

2. America, we know you'll do what's right.
America, you've never lost a fight.
You're bound to do your share and do it on the square,
And when there's peace, at least you will be fair*.
Now, working man, today you have the pow'r
To win for Uncle Sam. This is your hour. CHORUS

[*The sheet music has "square" repeated here; but the recording has "fair." I prefer "fair."]