The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #81174   Message #3976590
Posted By: GUEST,D Web
13-Feb-19 - 10:56 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: 'You, You Sons of Moses' Anti-Semitic
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 'You, You Sons of Moses' Anti-Semitic
I first heard this song in elementary school in about 1963, in Los Angeles. I'm Jewish, and all but one of my classmates was not. One of the non-Jewish boys, named Craig, sang the lyrics thus:

All you sons of Davey,
Join the Jewish Navy,
Fight fight fight for Palestine!

Drop your f*****g Torah,
Don't just dance the hora,
Fight fight fight for Palestine!

Onward, onward, onward we will go,
Eating lox and bagels as we go.

Men of circumcision,
Make the right decision,
Fight fight fight for Palestine!

I was impressed that (a) Craig knew what Torah was and (b) ditto hora. It turned out that Craig's father was Jewish, although scarcely ever mentioned it, let alone practiced Judaism. I am guessing his old man taught him the song.

The use of "go" twice in the break is kind of clunky. But I must say that the second verse, however irreverent (and yes, little 9-year-old Craig really dropped the F-bomb, although neither of knew what the word meant), actually contains some insight--i.e., don't hide yourself in your books, don't dance as though there's no urgency ... the time has come to take concerted action!