Stumbled upon a little bit of American history today and feel strangely compelled to share it. So here goes.
Roy Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was known as the "King of Country Music," often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. [from Wikipedia]
Musical clip from 1943:
SMOKE ON THE WATER
There will be a sad day coming
for the foes of all mankind
They must answer to the people
and it's troubling their mind
Everybody who must fear them
will rejoice on that great day
When the power of dictators
shall be taken all away
There'll be smoke on the water
on the land and the sea
When our army and navy
overtake the enemy
There'll be smoke on the mountains
where the heathen gods stay
And the sun that is rising
will go down on that day
For there is a Great Destroyer
made of fire and flesh and steel
Going toward the foes of freedom
they'll go down beneath his wheels
There'll be nothing left but vultures
to inhabit all that land
When our mighty ships and bombers
make a graveyard of Japan
There'll be smoke on the water
on the land and the sea
When our army and navy
overtake the enemy
There'll be smoke on the mountains
where the heathen gods stay
And the sun that is rising
will go down on that day
Hirohito along with Hitler
will be riding on the rail
Mussolini has begged for mercy
as a leader he has failed
But there'll be no time for pity
when that screaming eagle flies
That will be the end of Axis
they must answer with their lives
There'll be smoke on the water
on the land and the sea
When our army and navy
overtake the enemy
There'll be smoke on the mountains
where the heathen gods stay
And the sun that is rising
will go down on that day