This song is from the Almanac Singers-----Pete, Woody, Millard Lampell, Josh White, Butch Hawes, Bess Lomax Hawes (of the National Endowment for the Arts) and, on occasion, several other folks like Burl Ives. The song was on a album of 78 rpm records and all the songs were against U.S. involvement in World War 2 --- a perfectly logical pacifist point of view. After Pearl harbor (and after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union) another album of songs that supported the war was issued with things like "Ruben James", "The Soldier's Sweetheart", etc. It became clear, with the passing of time, that we had to put stuff aside and take care of the damn cancer that was threatening the world. The Spanish Civil War would've been the proper place to end Hitler. The Lincoln and International Brigades knew that. But it took getting hit over the head with a 2 x 4 to get the stupid mulke's attention.

tune: "Jesse James"

It was on a Saturday night -- the moon was shining bright,
When they passed the conscription bill,
And the people all did say from many miles away
It was the president and his boys on Capitol Hill.

Chorus) Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt,
We damn near believed what he said,
He said, "I hate war and so does Elanore,
But we won't be safe 'til everyone is dead."

I was stnading by his side when my poor old father died,
And I swore to war I'd never go,
Now I'm wearing army jeans and I'm eating army beans,
And I'm told that John Paul Getty loves me so.

Well, I've been all over this land just an honest working man,
No clothes to wear and not much food to eat,
Now the army foots the bill --- buys me clothes and feeds me swill
Gets me shot and put's me underground six feet.

Ch) Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt,
We damn near believed what he said,
He said,"I hate war and so does Elanore,