State Historical Society of Iowa

"Don't Bite the Hand that's Feeding You," 1915

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Morgan, Jimmie, Hoier, Thomas and Leo Feist, 1915

Description 

The war song, "Don’t Bite the Hand That’s Feeding You," was aimed at convincing immigrants of the importance of staying loyal to the United States during World War I. The song was composed by Jimmie Morgan and the lyrics were written by Thomas Hoier. The piece was published in New York in 1915 by Leo Feist. 

 

Original Sheet Music for "Don't Bite the Hand That's Feeding You"

Transcript of Lyrics to "Don’t Bite the Hand That’s Feeding You"

Source-Dependent Questions

  • Who is the targeted/intended audience of this song? Identify the line(s) that best reveal this.
  • What is the songwriter asking of his audience? In other words, what is the purpose of this song?
  • Based on the lyrics of the song, what concern does the songwriter have about certain populations of Americans?

Citation Information