Airplanes flying 'cross the land and sea,
Everybody flying but a Negro like me.
Uncle Sam says, "Your place is on the ground,
When I fly my airplanes, don’t want no Negro 'round."
The same thing for the Navy, when ships go to sea,
All they got is a mess boy’s job for me.
Uncle Sam says, "Keep on your apron, son,
You know I ain’t gonna let you shoot my big Navy gun."
Got my long government letter, my time to go,
When I got to the Army found the same old Jim Crow.
Uncle Sam says, "Two camps for black and white,"
But when trouble starts, we’ll all be in that same big fight.
If you ask me, I think democracy is fine,
I mean democracy without the color line.
Uncle Sam says, "We’ll live the American way,"
Let’s get together and kill Jim Crow today.