Joe Grushecky - What Did You Do In The War

First performance: 22/07/1995

Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song 10 times:
 
Always together with Joe Grushecky
 
1995-07-22 - TRADEWINDS, SEA BRIGHT
With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers and featuring appearances by guests Steven Van Zandt and Max Weinberg. 
 
 
 
  • In October 1995, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers kicked off the release of their American Babylon album with a six-stop tour dubbed the "October Assault." Introduced as "honorary Houserocker of the week" on the first night, Bruce Springsteen joined the band for the majority of the set on all six dates, playing guitar and sharing vocals with Grushecky. At each show, Springsteen came out for American Babylon's 'What did you do in the war' and remained on stage for the remainder of the set. The fourth date of the mini-tour (20 Oct 1995 in Pittsburgh, PA) was broadcast on radio. Eight songs from the fourth date and two songs from the fifth date (21 Oct 1995 in Pittsburgh, PA) were officially released:
1995-10-17 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. Opening night of the October Assault mini-tour. Listed above are only the songs that Springsteen is on stage for, and that rule remains for the rest of the tour.
 
 
1995-10-18 - TRAMPS, NEW YORK CITY
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. Dion DiMucci and Scott Kempner (formerly of the Del-Lords and Dictators) join Bruce and Joe for a bluesy "The Wanderer". 
 
1995-10-19 - ELECTRIC FACTORY, PHILADELPHIA
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. 
 
1995-10-20 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. 
 
1995-10-21 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. Show features the only known full Springsteen performance of "Gimme Shelter".
 
1995-10-24 - PARK WEST, CHICAGO, IL
"October Assault.": With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. 
 
1998-03-02 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. A lengthy show that is split into two sets. Bruce does not perform during the first set. However following the intermission Springsteen takes to the stage for the entire second set 
 
 
 
2010-11-04 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. First of two shows to celebrate the 15th anniversary of American Babylon.  

2010-11-05 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. Second of two shows to celebrate the 15th anniversary of American Babylon. 
 
 
 

Songinfo

'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 all the album except the title track, and he participated in the recording of most of the songs. He plays guitar and sings backup vocals on the song.
 
  
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Bruce co-wrote some songs with Joe Grushecky
 
He also contributed to other albums with vocals, guitar, harmonica or mandolin
 
Bruce contributed on three albums of Joe Grushecky

1995 : AMERICAN BABYLON 
 
 
 
 
 
2006 : A GOOD LIFE 
 
Is a studio album by Joe Grushecky released on 15 Aug 2006 on Schoolhouse Records. It features Bruce Springsteen on four tracks. He shares vocals and plays guitar with Grushecky on Code of Silence, Is she the one and A Good life, and only plays guitar on Searching for my soul. The primary recording sessions for the album took place at studios in West Virginia. However Springsteen, with Toby Scott engineering, worked only from his New Jersey home studio and overdubbed onto Gruschecky's already completed basic tracks.
 
 
 
2009 : EAST CARSON STREET

is a studio album by Joe Grushecky released in 2009. Bruce Springsteen participated in the recording of three of the album's tracks; he plays guitar on East Carson Street, sings duet vocals and plays lead guitar on Another thin line, and plays lead guitar on Broken wheel.
 
 
 
Performances:
 
1982-07-17 - BIG MAN'S WEST, RED BANK
Iron City Houserockers
 
1984-09-20 - PENNSYLVANIA DECADE, PITTSBURGH
Iron City Houserockers
 
1988-03-20 - CIVIC ARENA, PITTSBURGH
1992-12-16 - CIVIC ARENA, PITTSBURGH
 
1993-11-00 - THRILL HILL WEST, BEVERLY HILLS
Joe Grushecky recording session
 
1994-02-00 - THRILL HILL WEST, BEVERLY HILLS
Joe Grushecky recording session
 
1994-08-00 - THRILL HILL EAST, RUMSON, NJ
Joe Grushecky recording session
 
1994-08-20 - MARZ AMERICAN STYLE, LONG BRANCH
 
1995-04-00 - THRILL HILL EAST, RUMSON
no performance
 
1995-07-22 - TRADEWINDS, SEA BRIGHT
 
1995-10-16 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
rehearsal
 
1995-10-17 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
1995-10-18 - TRAMPS, NEW YORK CITY
1995-10-19 - ELECTRIC FACTORY, PHILADELPHIA
1995-10-20 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
1995-10-21 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
1995-10-24 - PARK WEST, CHICAGO
1996-04-25 - BRIXTON ACADEMY, LONDON, ENGLAND
1996-09-16 - BENEDUM CENTER, PITTSBURGH
1997-12-13 - CHEERS, LONG BRANCH
1998-03-02 - NICK'S FAT CITY, PITTSBURGH
1999-07-09 - HOOLIGANS, LONG BRANCH
2000-04-25 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH
2000-04-26 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH
 
2000-11-03 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2001-11-03 - TRADEWINDS, SEA BRIGHT
Light of Day
 
2002-11-02 - TRADEWINDS, SEA BRIGHT
Light of Day
 
2002-12-04 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH
2003-08-06 - PNC PARK, PITTSBURGH
 
2003-11-01 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2004-07-17 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
 
2004-11-06 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2004-12-02 - HEINZ HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, PITTSBURGH
Concert for Flood Aid
 
2005-07-28 - PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER, PITTSBURGH
 
2006-02-00 - THRILL HILL EAST, RUMSON, NJ
Joe Grushecky recording session
 
2006-06-20 - TWEETER CENTER AT THE WATERFRONT, CAMDEN
 
2006-12-02 - STARLAND BALLROOM, SAYREVILLE, NJ
Light of Day
 
2007-11-14 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH
2008-08-19 - HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, HERSHEY, PA
2009-05-19 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH
 
2010-01-16 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK, NJ
Light of Day
 
2010-11-04 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
2010-11-05 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
 
2011-01-15 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2011-11-03 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
2011-11-04 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
 
2012-01-14 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2012-10-27 - CONSOL ENERGY CENTER, PITTSBURGH
 
2012-10-27 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
Barack Obama Rally
 
2014-01-18 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2014-04-22 - CONSOL ENERGY CENTER, PITTSBURGH
2014-05-22 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
2014-05-23 - SOLDIERS & SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL & MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH
 
2015-01-17 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK
Light of Day
 
2015-07-18 - WONDER BAR, ASBURY PARK
2016-02-23 - QUICKEN LOANS ARENA, CLEVELAND
2016-09-11 - CONSOL ENERGY CENTER, PITTSBURGH
 
2019-09-28 - MONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION MUSEUM, FREEHOLD
Springsteen leaves New York City without Patti, after watching his daughter Jessica competing in an equestrian event, to attend the gala event of the "Springsteen: His Home Town" exhibit. After the private tour Springsteen took the stage, underneath a tent in the backyard of the museum, with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, strapped on a guitar and thanked those in attendance for coming. "I can't stay long," he said. "I've got my family in the city, but I wanted to just come down and thank everybody for supporting the Historical Association… It's nice to be honored in my hometown." Together they played "Light Of Day", and then Bruce left. 
 
 
 

Lyrics

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!