[1] Porter and Riggs, classmates at Yale University, wanted to write a spoof of the patriotic George M. Cohan musicals that were popular at the time.

The cast included Dorothie Bigelow as Polly, Sam Edwards as her father, Clara Palmer as Sarah, John Heath Goldsworthy as Cecil, and Clifton Webb as Percy.

Bigelow laid the blame for its failure on Riggs and his book, while he in turn insisted it was due largely "to the fact that the composer and I consented to complete transformation of the piece to meet the capabilities of its interpreters and the supposed taste of the public."

[4] Despite the quick demise of See America First, G. Schirmer published sheet music for thirteen of its twenty songs, and the Joseph C. Smith Orchestra recorded "When I Used to Lead the Ballet" (which had been written for The Pot of Gold in 1912) and "I've a Shooting Box in Scotland" for Victor.

The theatre critic for the New York Dramatic Mirror observed, "The lyrics are studiously copied after the Gilbertian pattern in the long and complicated rhyme effects achieved.

The critic for The New York Tribune observed that "Gotham is a big town and it may be that the sisters, aunts, and cousins of its Yale men will be sufficient to guarantee prosperity for See America First.