Friday, December 7, 2007

Coonie Tunes

Today is "Pearl Harbor Day" and though I didn't intend to put any WWII anti Japanese propaganda and stereotyping in this spot, I saw this cartoon and it was the only one that was kind of exciting, and also demonstrates our nation's resolve and mindset in the early months of World War II (blah blah.) But I really enjoyed it because in this cartoon Popeye, who must've been the Jack Bauer of his time, singlehandedly destroys a Japanese battleship. Well with the aid of his trusty spinach of course.
Encyclopedia Obscura has a pretty good diagram of the common Japanese stereotypes of that day as well as a breakdown of this particular cartoon.
Anyway from 1942 here's Popeye in "You're A Sap, Mr Jap"


I don't think it was in existence yet, but I feel that at the end of that people would start the "U-S-A" chant. I mean it's catchy.
And speaking of catchy, apparently that catchy little ditty at the beginning "You're A Sap, Mr Jap" was a real song of that day. Recorded just 16 days after the Pearl Harbor Attacks

You're a sap, Mr. Jap, you make a Yankee cranky
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, Uncle Sammy's gonna spanky
Wait and see before we're done
The A, B, C and D will sink your rising sun*
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, you don't know Uncle Sammy
When he fights for his rights, you'll take it on the lammy
For he'll wipe the Axis right off the map
You're a sap, sap sap, Mr. Jap

You're a sap, Mr. Jap, you make a Yankee cranky
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, Uncle Sammy's gonna spanky
Wait and see before we're done
The A, B, C and D will sink your rising sun
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, oh what a load to carry
Don't you know, don't you know, you're committing hari-kari
For we'll wipe the Axis right off the map
You're a sap, sap, sap, Mr. Jap

You're a sap, Mr. Jap, oh it makes a Yankee cranky
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, Uncle Sam's gonna spanky
Wait to see before we's done
The A, B, C and D will sink your rising sun
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, oh you don't know Uncle Sammy
When he fights for his rights, you'll take it on the lammy
For he'll wipe the Axis right off the map
You're a sap, sap sap, Mr. Jap

You're a sap, Mr. Jap, oh what a load to carry
You're a sap, Mr. Jap, you're committing hari-kari
For we'll wipe the Axis right off the map
You're a sap, sap sap, Mr. Jap


*The "ABCD Powers" were the nations Japan saw as a threat in the Pacific: America, Britain, China and the Dutch

Wow, you learn something new every day.

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