“Kickin’ Hitler’s Butt: Vintage Anti-Fascist Songs 1940-1944” – An Annotated Playlist (Tracks 4 & 5)
Welcome Back!
While Tracks 2 & 3 focused on Southern gospel vocal groups, today’s tracks feature two fine examples of Chicago Blues. Wikipedia offers some insight into the history of this particular Blues style:
Chicago blues evolved from rural Delta blues following the Great Migration, or the Great Northern Drive, which was both forced and voluntary at times, of African Americans from the southern U.S. to the industrial cities of the north, such as Chicago. Big Bill Broonzy and Muddy Waters directly joined that migration, like many others, escaping the harsher southern Jim Crow laws and in search of better jobs and a more promising life in the North.
First up, We’ll be exploring Track 4: ‘War Time Blues’ by Jazz Gillum.
Next, we’ll discuss Track 5: ‘Hitler Blues’ by Florida Kid.
If you’re joining us for the first time, welcome! While in one way each discussion will build on the last, ultimately I’ve organized the series in a way that allows each post to stand on its own. If you have yet to listen this excellent compilation, this link will take you to my recreation of it in the form of a YouTube playlist. If you happened to give my channel a follow while you’re there, I’d be much obliged : )
If you’d prefer to start at the beginning of this series, here’s a link to the Introduction.
And Now…’War Time Blues’
The Release
This song, along with it’s B-side ‘One Letter Home,’ was recorded in Chicago on December 5, 1941 for Bluebird Records, a subsidiary of RCA Victor. The record was released about a month later.
The Players
Session players are listed as:
Jazz Gillum – Vocals, Harmonica
Horace Malcolm – Piano
Big Bill Broonzy – Guitar
Alfred Ekins or Al Collins – Bass
Jazz Gillum
Though singer and harmonica player William McKinley Gillum (1902-1966) hailed from Mississippi, he made his name in Chicago Blues scene, where he was known as “Jazz” Gillum.
He got his start in music playing on the streets of Charleston for tips, supporting himself with music and odd jobs after running away from home at the age of seven. He moved to Chicago in his early twenties, and the change in location came with a change in fortune, as his career began to take off after hooking up with singer, songwriter, and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy, who was older and already established in the Chicago music scene as a regular contributor at Bluebird Records. He first joined Broonzy on the stage, as part of a two-man act, and then later at Bluebird, where he became known for his role in many popular “Bluebird beat” recordings of the 30s and 40s.
Not long after recording ‘War Time Blues,’ he took a three-year hiatus from music, joining the US Army. His service ended with the war in 1945.
Notable Career highlights include:
– 1938: Recorded one of the earliest Blues songs to feature an electric guitar accompaniment, ‘Reefer Headed Woman,’ with jazz guitarist George Barnes.
– 1940: Recorded the Blues standard ‘Key to the Highway,’ giving the song its now-standard melody and arrangement as an eight-bar (rather than a twelve-bar) Blues.
– 1961: Recorded on albums with Memphis Slim and Arbee Stidham.
The Songwriter
Who wrote ‘War Time Blues’? Depends on who you ask!
The label for the Bluebird single credits Gillum for the song, and it would be simplest to leave it at that. However, Apple Music gives Sonny Boy Williamson I songwriting credit. He did put out a song, also on Bluebird (adding to the confusion) called ‘War Time Blues,’ recorded in May of 1940. But this version, despite having the same name, has no lyrics in common with Gillum’s. The lyrics do share many similarities with the Doctor Clayton song ’41 Blues,’ which was released in January of 1941, almost a full year before Gillum’s recording. It’s likely that Gillum’s track was adapted from both of those previous ones.
And now, let’s have a listen!
Track 4: War Time Blues – Jazz Gillum
Listen & Read
Listen to the song again while reading the lyrics.
The Song: Overview
Structure
12-Bar Blues
V1-V2-V3-V4-V5
Verse 1
War is raging in Europe / On water, land, and in the air / If Uncle Sammy don’t be careful / We’ll all be back over there
Verse 1
Uncle Sam (or “Sammy”) makes an appearance in Verses 1 & 5 as, of course, the US government personified, or more specifically as a mascot for the military. Rather than beating the war-drum in a demonstration of blind nationalism, the singer advises caution. It’s very possible he would rather like to avoid going to war at all (a fate that was unavoidable in the singer’s own life).
Verse 2
The whole world is uneven / From the king to the heathen slave / ‘Cause ol’ Hitler and Mussolini is sendin’ millions to their lonely graves
Verse 2
Here the song touches on social issues beyond the threat of war, such as social inequality. It’s also notable that here we have the first mention of slavery on an album that features a large number of Black performers.
Verse 3 & 4
The songwriter shares the first of a series of ill-wishes for both Hitler and Mussolini. He’d rather see Hitler’s head chopped off and be done with it. The next best thing would be a rapidly-spreading (“galloping”) tuberculosis. And, for Mussolini, cardiac arrest with a side of insanity.
Verse 5
This war would soon be over, if Uncle Sam would use my plan / Let me sneak in Hitler’s bedroom with my razor in my hand
Verse 5
Like in Verse 1, the singer offers some strategic advice to the US military, offering to quite literally take matters into his own hands.
Let’s keep the record spinnin’ with the next track: Hitler Blues by the Florida Kid
The Florida Kid
In all the worldwide web, there’s sadly just not much information available on The Florida Kid.
A 2025 Facebook post by Mojohand.com, which describes itself as “The One Man Blues Boutique,” offers this brief bio:
“The Florida Kid” was the recording alias of a little-known blues singer and pianist named Ernest Blunt…remembered primarily for a striking and topical song called “Hitler Blues,” recorded in 1940 in Chicago.
Beyond that single release, very little is known about Ernest Blunt. No substantial biographical details or additional recordings have surfaced under his name or alias. He stands as a mysterious figure in blues history—one of many regional musicians who briefly entered the studio, captured a moment in time, and then disappeared from the public record. “The Florida Kid” remains a fascinating footnote in the story of American blues.”
The Release
Recorded in 1940, this is the earliest track we’ve encountered so far.
Track 5: Hitler Blues – The Florida Kid
Genre/Style: Blues, Chicago Blues
Year: 1940
Players: The Florida Kid
Listen & Read
Listen to the song again while reading the lyrics.
The Song: Overview
Structure
Six Verses w/ a Chorus
The Lyrics
This song takes a personal, rather than historical or political approach, with Hitler acting almost like a bogeyman looming in the shadows, waiting to strike when you least expect it.
Well, baby, have you heard about Hitler? / Honey do you care? / May be on the way to our country / May heavy-hit us here
Verse 1
The singer is a man addressing a woman. He starts out sweetly, calling her endearing names like “baby” and “honey.”
Because old Hitler, he’s a bad man / Trying to take every country he know / Well, before he take this country, woman / Please be my so-and-so
Chorus
He also uses the impending threat of war as a way to try to get laid. This made me chuckle, bringing to mind the “You don’t want to die a virgin, do you?” line from the movie Independence Day (1996).
Still, there’s something kind of cute about his plea for the woman to “Please be my so-and-so.” He gets a little more forceful in Verse 2, repeatedly demanding to be brought “plenty lovin’,” which is admittedly less cute.
Well, Hitler say he was a man / From his feet to his chest / He don’t bar nobody but / God and Death
Verse 3
There’s almost a sense of admiration for Hitler’s toughness in Verse 3. The phrase “don’t bar nobody” I take to mean something like he doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of, or take any shit from, any living human being.
Hitler got his just-right tanks / His planes and ships / He get over your town / He’ll let his big bomb slip
Verse 4
The final line of Verse 4 hints at a possible euphemism in the same vein as Outkast’s ‘Bombs Over Baghdad.’
Hitler says some of our peoples are white / Says some are brown and black / But Hitler say all Americans to him / Look just alike
Verse 5
While the previous track is the first to mention slavery, this is the first mention of race in the album. There’s obviously a lot to be said on both topics, but I’ll leave those large reflections for a later date.
Well, you better mind how you get drunk / Be careful how you clown / You may wake up one of these mornings / And Hitler be wreckin’ your town
Verse 6
The song ends with some closing words of caution. I appreciate that his message is not to stop getting drunk and clowning—The Kid is no buzzkill. He just asks his countrymen to be a little more mindful in how they go about their intoxicated buffoonery.
Links for ‘War Time Blues’
Song Lyrics – Genius
Artist Page – Wikipedia
Artist Page – Web
Links for ‘Hitler Blues’
Song Lyrics – Genius
Come Back Next Time for Tracks 6 & 8!
Disclaimer
~Content was created without the use of A.I.~
~Media content may be subject to copyright~
~Original content © Adam Astra 2026~
![Woody Guthrie, half-length portrait, facing slightly left, holding guitar] / World Telegram photo by Al Aumuller (1943). Courtesy of Library of Congress.](https://adamastra.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/woody-guthrie-1.jpg)
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