Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' album version
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Did you carry a great big gun
Did you go to the jungle, did you stay in school
Or were you a fortunate son
Did you ever see Jimi or Janis
And did you go to Woodstock too
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Daddy tell me what did you do
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Were you just like Oliver North
Or did you have a football injury to milk for all it was worth
Did you see the Beatles on the Sullivan Show
Did you watch them walk on the moon
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Daddy tell me what did you do
Well I know it was so long ago and your memory fades away
But were you in Ohio on that day in May
Did you dance to the music like Sly and the Family Stone
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Did you go or stay at home
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Did you join the National Guard
Did you give 'em hell like Vice President Quayle
Did you burn your draft card
Did you write any good protest songs
Did you smoke marijuana too
What did you do in the war now Daddy
Daddy tell me what did you do
Oh, what did you do Daddy
Now
Come on
Whoa!
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR is a song written by Joe Grushecky and released on Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' 1995 album American Babylon. Bruce Springsteen produced the entire album except the title track, and he participated in the recording of most of the songs. He plays guitar and sings backup vocals on WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR.
The above lyrics are for Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' album version of WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR as released in 1995.
In late October and early November 1993, Bruce Springsteen (with Toby Scott recording and Bob Clearmountain mixing) produced a recording session for Joe Grushecky at Thrill Hill Recording (Springsteen's home studio) in Beverly Hills, CA. Off the session, two tracks would be released on Grushecky's next album, American Babylon: CHAIN SMOKIN' and NEVER BE ENOUGH TIME. Springsteen played guitars, keyboard, and percussion on the first track, and guitar on the second. In addition to Springsteen, Grushecky's backing band for this session consisted of musicians organized by Springsteen that he is believed to have utilized for some of his own scattered studio sessions during the period: Zack Alford on drums, Jerome Smith on bass, and Leon Pendarvis on keyboards. Although originally planned as a "one-off", this session with Grushecky turned out to be the start of a major side project undertaking for Springsteen.
Around February 1994, Springsteen (with Toby Scott recording and Bob Clearmountain mixing) produced a further recording session for Joe Grushecky at Thrill Hill Recording. Off the session, one track would be released on American Babylon: HOMESTEAD, a song Springsteen and Grushecky had co-written together during the previous few months. Springsteen played guitar, harmonica, and mandolin on the track. In addition to Springsteen, Grushecky's backing band for this session consisted of musicians organized by Springsteen that he was utilizing for his own scattered studio sessions of the period: Shayne Fontaine on guitar, Zack Alford on drums, TM Stevens on bass, and Leon Pendarvis on keyboards.
Around August 1994, Springsteen (with Toby Scott recording and mixing) produced a further recording session for Joe Grushecky at Thrill Hill Recording (Springsteen's home studio) in Rumson, NJ. Off the session, five tracks would be released on American Babylon: DARK AND BLOODY GROUND (with Springsteen playing guitars and sharing harmony vocals), LABOR OF LOVE (with Springsteen playing guitars and mandolin), WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR (with Springsteen playing guitar), BILLY'S WALTZ (with Springsteen playing mandolin), and ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (with Springsteen playing guitar). The first was co-written by Springsteen and Grushecky. In addition to Springsteen, unlike the previous two sessions held on the west coast, the backing musicians for the east coast sessions consisted of The Houserockers, Grushecky's own Pittsburgh-based band.
Around October 1994, Springsteen (with Toby Scott recording and mixing) produced a further recording session for Joe Grushecky at Thrill Hill Recording. Off the session, three tracks would be released on American Babylon: COMIN' DOWN MARIA, TALK SHOW, and NO STRINGS ATTACHED. The Houserockers were again the session's backing band. But contrary to previous sessions, Springsteen did not play on any of these three recordings, although his wife Patti Scialfa provided backing vocals on the first track.
Although the album was essentially completed at this stage, and filed with the US Copyright Office on 13 Dec 1994, Grushecky had trouble finding an interested record company. "We got turned down by everybody, I mean everybody. That's another reason why it took so long [for release]; I didn't have any funding," Grushecky commented in an interview. "Right around the turn of the year [Dec 1994 - Jan 1995] Pinnacle UK became involved and we knew we had a home for the project".
The final overdubbing/mixing sessions for American Babylon took place around April 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, and the album was released in October 1995 on Pinnacle Records, and reissued in 2004. The album's title track, AMERICAN BABYLON, is the only one not produced by Bruce Springsteen.
Excerpts from all American Babylon tracks (except TALK SHOW and BILLY'S WALTZ) appear on American Babylon In Conversation, a UK-only promotional CD featuring interviews with both Grushecky and Springsteen recorded on 29 Aug 1995 at Cheers in Long Branch, NJ.
Other versions of WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR were also officially released.
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR was performed 6 times during the 6-date-long October Assault Tour with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. The song was the opener of Springsteen's set on all 6 dates. The live 20 Oct 1995 version was first officially released in 2009.
Bruce Springsteen appeared at a total of six Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers concerts at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2010, 2011, and 2014. WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR was performed on 04 Nov 2010 and 05 Nov 2010.
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR was performed off-tour on 22 Jul 1995 at Tradewinds in Sea Bright, NJ, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR was performed off-tour on 02 Mar 1998 at Nick's Fat City in Pittsburgh, PA, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
Most info about the recording sessions is taken from Brucebase.
If you have any corrections or additional info about this song or the American Babylon recording sessions, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR on this website:
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR [Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' album version]
