I originally was going to add this song to one of the WWI songs threads, but since I discovered there's more than one song that are related here I decided to make a thread.

After Mike Yates made his thread about the Blind Willie Johnson song "Jesus Is Coming Soon" (link), it got me thinking about WWI in other blues songs. After some searching, I couldn't find this song even mentioned on the 'cat, so I've decided to add the lyrics.

Sung by Pink Anderson, a Piedmont Blues singer who traveled around in medicine shows, is the song "The Boys of Your Uncle Sam" or "The Kaiser." Anderson was born in Laurens, SC, in the northwestern portion of the state, and grew up in nearby Greenville and Spartanburg.

Here are some notes about the song copied from a FolkWays album liner notes (link)

The song “The Boys of Your Uncle Sam,” which Anderson also recorded as “The Kaiser,” likely comes from Henry Whitter’s 1923 Okeh recording, “The Kaiser and Uncle Sam,” [instrumental song] or the Ernest V. Stoneman cover “Uncle Sam and the Kaiser,” recorded for Okeh in 1925. Songster Anderson had several pieces in his repertoire associated with these two old time country artists, including Whitter’s “Wreck of Old 97” and Stoneman’s “The Titanic.” Knowledge of such topical pieces was a necessity for the songster.

Listen to a recording of the song by Pink Anderson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9j6hXLbzIw

THE BOYS OF YOUR UNCLE SAM

Old Kaiser said to the soldiers, "Come on, boys, and go
If we conquer Europe, this world is ours, you know
I hear them boys of your Uncle Sam"

Old Kaiser, he said to the soldiers there, "Let's go up to the front"
But the soldier, he said to Kaiser, "You will have to bear the blunt
If you wanna keep peace with your Uncle Sam"

"We have conquered little Belgium and France will soon be ours
And all the rest will surrender with all other powers
I hear the boys of your Uncle Sam"

Old Kaiser said to the President, "I'll kill your vision back"
President said to the Kaiser "You will have to ball the jack
You done gone too far with your Uncle Sam"

Old Kaiser he said to the President "Put a pad in between my knees
And call for my position, I believe I've got the heart disease
I see them lights in Paris now"

"Conquered little Belgium and France will soon be ours
All the rest will surrender with all other powers
I see them lights in Paris now"

#######################################################################################################

A few closing comments:

"Ball the jack" was a black phrase from the turn of the 20th century which originated apparently in black communities. The phrase entered popular culture from a song titled Ballin' the Jack which involved "vigorous hip movements" which was considered at the time both fast and risque (listen to a 1914 recording by the Victor Military Band here, and watch Judy Garland and Gene Kelly dance a version of it here). In reference to the rapid movements of the dance, the President is telling the Kaiser that he'll have to move quickly

The comments on the FolkWays album fail to mention what I have found to be the most likely origin of the song: Charlie Oaks' recording. I haven't been able to find a full set of lyrics or a recording online, but I have found some of it, which I'll add in a later post.