Tell Me Now

Melody -

1917-1918, from the trenches in France

I don't know why I went to war
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I don't know why I went to war or
What dese folks are fightin' for,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

2. I don't know what my brown's a doin'
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I don't know what my brown's a doin',
With all dose bucks around a wooin',
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

3. I don't know why I totes dis gun,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I don't know why I totes did gun,
'Cause I ain't got nothin' 'gainst de Hun,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

4. I don't know why we feeds so pore,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I don't know why we feeds so pore,
When de officer men eats so awful much more,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

5. I don't know if I'll ever git back,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I don't know if I'll ever git back,
'Cause de voodoo's sure God on my track,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

6. I hopes dey surely is a God,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.
I hopes dey surely is a God,
When de grave-digger slaps me in de face wid de sod,
Tell me, oh, tell me now.

This song expresses the sentiments of disillusionment with the war and the will to survive from the point of view of a Southern black man. Anyone have any ideas on why?

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