I Wonder When I'll Get To Be Called A Man
by Big Bill Broonzy recording of 19 from , When I was born into this world, this is what happened to me I was never called a man, and now I'm fifty-three I wonder when, I wonder when, I wonder when will I get to be called a man Do I have to wait till I get ninety-three? When Uncle Sam called me, I know'ed I'd be called a real McCoy But I got none of this, they just called me soldier boy I wonder when, I wonder when, I wonder when will I get to be called a man Do I have to wait till I get ninety-three? When I got back from overseas, that night we had a ball Next day I met the old boss, he said "Boy get you some overalls" I wonder when, I wonder when, I wonder when will I get to be called a man Do I have to wait till I get ninety-three? I've worked on the levee camps, and axer gangs too Black man's a boy, don't care what he can do I wonder when, I wonder when, I wonder when will I get to be called a man Do I have to wait till I get ninety-three? They said I was uneducated, my clothes were dirty and torn Now I've got a little education, but I'm still a boy right on I wonder when, I wonder when, I wonder when will I get to be called a man Do I have to wait till I get ninety-three? __________ Note 1: origin: from the old French word levée, act of raising, from lever to raise. An embankment for preventing flooding, or a river landing place, also, a continuous dike or ridge (as of earth) for confining the irrigation areas of land to be flooded. A levee camp therefore is a work camp for building or improving dikes to prevent rivers from flooding the land, primarily in the Mississippi Delta area.
