Topic: William & Versey Smith--We'll All Be Happy When the Boys Come Home

[mcelroy]

Hi ya all,
Jerone Paxton performed "We'll All Be Happy When the Boys Come Home" at Centrum. I've been searching unsuccessfully for the lyrics and music. The only thing I've found is that it was written by Great Howard in 1918. Does anyone out there have any info on this some?
Thanks,
Greg on Vashon

[Mike Brosnan]

well, uhh...
i actually got a vid of jerron's performance at the festival.  i wasn't sure if it was okay to youtube it since i actually thought he wrote the song.  if it's an oldie i guess it's okay to post it then, huh?  any thoughts?
mike

[waxwing]

Why don't you ask Jerron. He has a myspace page where you could contact him. Did you get the Dodo Bird bit?

You might want to ask Centrum, too. I remember hearing Peter talking worriedly about folks posting stuff to youtube without getting artists' or Centrum's permission, but I don't remember if they came to any resolution.

All for now.
John C.

[Mike Brosnan]

hey wax,
i actually did ask jerron via myspace about a week ago.  no reply yet.  i was wonderin'... umm... if he would even get the message.  maybe i'll ask peter too.  i'd rather not post it unless i know jerron is okay with it.   the more i think about it, the more i think he updated a verse or two. 
no dodo.  just "the boys".
mike

[Cleoma]

Hi folks, Jerron didn't write the song -- it's an old one that comes from William and Versey Smith.  Certainly seems apt for these times!
And I would definitely get a person's permission before posting their performance on YouTube. This is just common courtesy. 
Suzy T.

[Bunker Hill]

Hi folks, Jerron didn't write the song -- it's an old one that comes from William and Versey Smith. 

"Everybody Help The Boys Come Home", reworked by Blind Willie Johnson as "When The War Was On" and as a religious outing by Sister Cally Fancy, "Everybody Get Your Business Right". There's probably others but these come more readily to mind. Any offers?

[mcelroy]

Thanks for the info all. I did find lyrics to Everybody Help the Boys Come Home which is very similar. Also email Jarron.
Greg

[Mike Brosnan]

hello again,
sorry if i seemed too casual about posting jerron's version of this song.  i noticed that a bunch of his stuff is already up on youtube, so i started to think it was okay.  i asked around before i took any video and was told that it wasn't an issue.  didn't get the chance to check with individual performers.  jerron's "boys" is the only complete song that i recorded.  just got a few snippets of some other things. 
i'll wait to hear from jerron before i put it out into the universe, but i did just listen to his version for the 3rd or 4th time.  jerron's version is quite similar to the lyrics i just found online (see below).  he drops some lines, throws "blood, sand and oil" in place of "muddy water" and there's one line about oil prices that i'm guessing he wrote. 
great song.  i'll have to track down the older versions.  so sad that this kind of history still repeats itself...
mike

Everybody Help the Boys Come Home

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHORUS
Everybody help the boys come home (3 times)
We'll rest everybody when the war (was on)

Secretary writing just as fast as he can
trying to get the news out all over the land

Three cents on a letter we had to pay
Pennies on a postal card going first class
Eight cents on the dollar just to ride the train
Helpin' the government with our might and main

Taxes heavy, but we must pay
Helping the boys over 'cross the sea
In the muddy water up to their knees
Facing the Kaiser for you and me

Three cents on a (verse repeated)

[Now Kaiser say he didn't have no breath
Come all the world sir, come to fly
Grow those wings and just what I mean
Plant you babies in a submarine]

President Wilson was on his throne
Making laws for everyone
Raising the rich and raising the poor
Raising up the taxes from everybody's door

President Wilson came from France
Meeting the doctor now, face to face
All he wanted was a prodigal's chance
We got to go to Germany now to settle the case

[mcelroy]

Mike, thanks. I'll watch for the youtube video.
Greg

[Mike Brosnan]

Jerron gave me the okay!
Here it is folks:

[Bald Melon Jefferson]

 Thanks Mike.... Big man with a small guitar....kinda  conjures-up images of blind lemon up there doesn't he?    And only 19 years old!

Thanks again, Gary

 Now I gotta go look at all those other 65 P. T. videos on youtube!