Batter Up

Uncle Sam is at the Plate
The Great Base Ball War Song, 1918
Words by Harry Tighe
Music by Harry Von Tilzer

The sheet music:

Batter-Up – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:

Batter_Up – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. You’d better grab your hat
    It’s time to take your bat
    You know the score is getting awful close
    The Allies and the Huns
    Have made a lot of runs
    But up to now it’s just an even dose
    But it’s getting mighty dark
    And we want to leave the park
    Or there won’t be any supper left at all
    Put Sammy in to hit and let him do his bit
    And watch him knock the cover off the ball

Chorus
Batter up, batter up
Uncle Sam is at the plate
Batter up, batter up
Now you won’t have long to wait
Old Kaiser Bill is pitching boys
And anything he throws
Your Uncle Sam is itching
Just to crack right in the nose
Batter up, batter up
Sammy’s on to every curve
Just wait and watch him get that pitcher’s nerve
When you Uncle hits that pill
Old Kaiser Bill will get the gate
Batter up, batter up
Uncle Sam is at the plate

  1. That German team is rough
    They never get enough
    They’ll hit you with a bomb or submarine
    And we don’t care for that
    We’ll stick to glove and bat
    We’ll win the game and still we’ll play it clean
    There is one thing we can swear
    That the Umpire’s on the square
    And from up above He’s watching every play
    And when the game is done then
    He will be the one to tell
    The loser what he has to pay

Chorus
Batter up, batter up
Uncle Sam is at the plate
Batter up, batter up
Now you won’t have long to wait
Old Kaiser Bill is pitching
And there isn’t any doubt
In just about a minute
They’ll be yelling, “Take him out”
Batter up, batter up
So get ready for the fun
Just hold your breath
And watch for that home run
There is not a chance to lose this game
We’ll win as sure as fate
Batter up, batter up
Uncle Sam is at the plate

Sung here by Vancha March: