The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #170078   Message #4113196
Posted By: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
13-Jul-21 - 06:52 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: We Are Americans Too
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Are Americans Too
'We Are Americans Too,' Says Handy
NEW YORK–(ANP)–Introduced over the station WMCA Saturday the song, “We Are Americans Too”, published by the Handy Brothers Music company, strives to focus national attention on the part Negroes are playing in American life.

Words and music were written by Andy Razaf, Eubie Blake and Charles L. Cooke. Orchestrations and quartet arrangements by Cooke are also available.”
[The Phoenix Index (AZ) 31 May 1941, p.7]

Notes: Words and music appear in Unsung Americans Sung, Handy, W.C., New York: ASCAP, 1944. Both the book and the sheet music run about U$400-500 on Ebay &c. Seems a lot of libraries have had their copies stolen in the last few years.

I've found bits and pieces of the W.C. Handy lyrics that are not in the Nat King Cole '56 take but nothing close to controversial. Also, while still nothing to suggest it was banned, not exactly a hit either. The discography jumps straight from '41 to '56; nothing in between as yet.