Ballad Of October 16th

Ballad of October 16th - Almanac Singers

Written by：Millard Lampell

It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shing bright

They passed the conscription bill

And the people they did say for many miles away

'Twas the president and his boys on capitol hill

Oh Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt

We damned near believed what he said

He said I hate war and so does Eleanor

But we won't be safe 'till everybody's dead

When my poor old mother died I was sitting by her side

A promising to war I'd never go

But now I'm wearing khaki jeans and eating army beans

And I'm told that J P morgan loves me so

I have wandered o'er this land a roaming working man

No clothes to wear and not much food to eat

But now the government foots the bill

Gives me clothes and feeds me swill

Gets me shot and puts me underground six feet

Oh Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt

We damned near believed what he said

He said I hate war and so does Eleanor

But we won't be safe 'till everybody's dead

Why nothing can be wrong if it makes our country strong

We got to get tough to save democracy

And though it may mean war

We must defend singapore

This don't hurt you half as much as it hurts me

Oh Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt

We damned near believed what he said

He said I hate war and so does Eleanor

But we won't be safe 'till everybody's dead