Eisler on the Go

I think this songs refers to Gerhart Eisler and the House of Un-American Activities interviews of suspected Communists. He was arrested and jailed ("Eisler in the jailoe") He eventually fled to Poland on the liner Batory ("Eisler on the boat, Eisler on the ship"). In November 1946, Gerhart Eisler had to appear before the Wood-Rankin Committee ("Eisler back at home, Rankin scratch his head and cry").

I think this is about Hanns Eisler, an Austian composer who was either socialist or communist deported during the McCarthy era. "I don't know what I'll do" I believe refers to Woody wrestling w/ what he would do if forced to testify before the Housse of unAmerican activities.

ozzieron is right about Gerhart Eisler, who was suspected to be a soviet spy. Hanns Eisler, his brother and a pupil of Arnold Schönberg, was therefore also called before the House of Un-American Activities (as Bertolt Brecht, which Eisler often worked with, was too). He left the USA for East Berlin, before he could be deported. He than wrote the music for the national anthem of the DDR (words by Johannes R. Becher: "Auferstanden aus Ruinen").