burl ives - song book a5

HERE ARE 115 SONGS from t h e reper to i re of B u r l Ives , t h e songs t h a t h a v e m a d e h i m Amer i ca ' s mos t beloved folk s inger , p r e sen t ed ju s t a s h e s ings t h e m . All t h e words a n d a l l t h e mus ic a r e h e r e , w i t h a n easi ly p l ayab le p i ano p a r t a n d w i t h g u i t a r chords , too — m a k i n g t h i s t h e l a rges t a n d mos t u sab l e book of i t s k ind .

You ' l l find t h e s e B u r l Ives songs wonderful fun t o s ing , a t h o m e w i t h y o u r family or a t pa r t i e s , picnics a n d social ga the r i ngs .

F o r t h i s book h a s a l l k i n d s of songs : love songs , w o r k songs, sea c h a n t i e s , h is tor ica l ba l lads , s ad songs a n d h u m o r o u s songs — dozens of o the r moods a n d s ty les . Some a r e old favori tes , i n B u r l ' s u n i q u e vers ion . M a n y a r e off t h e b e a t e n t r ack . Al l a r e a u t h e n t i c A m e r i c a n songs t h a t a r e h igh ly enjoyab le a n d very s ingable .

Added to t h i s t h e r e a r e B u r l Ives ' own c o m m e n t s about t h e s e songs, showing how t h e y reflect t h e h i s to ry of our vigorous, s ing ing na t ion . And for those w h o w a n t to h e a r j u s t how B u r l s ings t h e s e songs t h e r e is a complete l i s t ing of h i s more t h a n t w o h u n d r e d records , cover ing a lmos t every song i n t h e book.

THE

BURL IVES S O N G B O O K

AMERICAN SONG IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Song Versions by BURL IVES

Text by BURL IVES

Arranged for the Piano by . ALBERT HAGUE

Illustrations by . LAMARTINE LE GOULLON and ROBERT J . LEE

B A L L A N T I N E BOOKS • New York

C o p y r i g h t , 1953 , b y

B U R L I V E S

P r i n t e d in t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s of A m e r i c a

PRINTING HISTORY

FIRST P R I N T I N G OCTOBER, 1953

Published—November, 1953 SECOND P R I N T I N G DECEMBER, 1953

T H I R D P R I N T I N G . J U N E , 1 9 5 7

F O U R T H P R I N T I N G N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 8

F I F T H P R I N T I N G OCTOBER, 1 9 5 9

S I X T H P R I N T I N G A U G U S T , 1 9 6 0

S E V E N T H P R I N T I N G J U L Y , 1961

E I G H T H P R I N T I N G OCTOBER, 1962

N I N T H P R I N T I N G OCTOBER, 1963

T E N T H P R I N T I N G J A N U A R Y , 1 9 6 4

B A L L A N T I N E B O O K S 101 F i f th Avenue N e w York 3, N . Y .

CONTENTS

I N T R O D U C T I O N xi i

C H A P T E R I: Colonial Amer i ca , 1620-1775 . 1 Tobacco 's b u t a n I n d i a n W e e d . 8 L i t t l e M o h e e 10 P s a l m T h r e e 12 Confess J e h o v a h 14 Old H u n d r e d 16 T h e Seven J o y s of M a r y . 18 T h e I n d i a n C h r i s t m a s Caro l 20 M o t h e r Goose N u r s e r y R h y m e s :

H e y Diddle Diddle 22 Fiddle-De-Dee . . . . . . . . . . 23

M r . F rogg ie W e n t A-Cour t ing 24 T h e Ta i lo r a n d t h e M o u s e 26 T h e Fox 28 T h e E s c a p e of Old J o h n W e b b . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

R o u n d s : T h e H a r t H e Loves t h e H i g h W o o d 32 O h , Absa lom, M y Son 32 L e t S i m o n ' s B e a r d Alone 33

Greens l eeves 34 T h e Ridd le Song , 36 T h e Devi l ' s N i n e Q u e s t i o n s . 38 P a p e r of P i n s 40 T h e Golden V a n i t y 42 C a p t a i n Kidd 44 H e n r y M a r t i n 46 E d w a r d . . 4 8 B a r b ' r y Al l en 50 B r e n n a n on t h e Moor 52 Lord T h o m a s a n d F a i r E l i n o r e 55 Lord R a n d a l l 58

T h e Foggy, Foggy Dew 60

P r e t t y Pol ly 62

Rob in . 64

W h y , Soldiers , W h y ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

O n Springfield M o u n t a i n 68

T h e Bold Soldier 70

Y a n k e e Doodle 72

C H A P T E R II : Revo lu t i ona ry Amer i ca , 1775-1790 . . . . 75

W h a t a Cour t H a t h Old E n g l a n d 80

H e a r t of O a k 82

T h e Ba l l ad of t h e T e a P a r t y . 84

T h e Bos ton T e a T a x . 86

F r e e A m e r i c a 8 8

C h e s t e r 90

T h e Rif lemen 's Song a t B e n n i n g t o n 92

T h e B a t t l e of S a r a t o g a 94

T h e Y a n k e e Man-of-War. 96

J o h n n y H a s Gone for a So ld ie r . 98

How H a p p y t h e Soldier 100

Si r P e t e r P a r k e r 102

Cornwal l i s C o u n t r y D a n c e 104

T h e W o r l d T u r n e d Ups ide D o w n 106

M y D a y s H a v e B e e n So W o n d r o u s F r e e 108

C H A P T E R I I I : T h e G r o w i n g C o u n t r y : O n t h e Sea , 1790-1850 111

T h e M a i d of A m s t e r d a m . 114

H i g h B a r b a r e e 116

T h e P i r a t e Song 118

T h e Cons t i t u t i on a n d t h e G u e r r i è r e 120

T h e H o r n e t a n d t h e P e a c o c k . . . . 122

Ye P a r l i a m e n t s of E n g l a n d 124

T h e P a t r i o t i c D igge r s 126

Miss Ba i l ey ' s G h o s t . 128

Blow t h e M a n D o w n 130

A w a y , Rio 132

S h e n a n d o a h 134

T h e D r u n k e n Sa i lo r 136

Hul l aba loo B e l a y . 138 H a u l A w a y , J o e 140 S a c r a m e n t o 142 Rol l ing H o m e . . 144 Blow Ye W i n d s . 146 T h e W h a l e . 148 S o n g of t h e F i s h e s 150 T h e D r e a d n o u g h t . 152 T h e Crocodile Song 154

C H A P T E R IV: Rel ig ious , Profess ional , a n d F o lk S i n g i n g , 1800-1850 156

T h e W a y f a r i n g S t r a n g e r 160 N e a r e r M y God to T h e e 164 W o n d r o u s Love 165 T h e T u r t l e Dove 166 Bi l ly Boy (Engl i sh) 168 Bi l ly Boy (Ir ish) . . 170 T h e Div i l a n d t h e F a r m e r 172 A u n t R h o d y 175 T h e W e e Cooper o' Fife 178 A Bonn ie , W e e L a s s i e 180

Old B l u e 182 Sourwood M o u n t a i n 184 D o w n in t h e Va l l ey 186 Lol ly Too D u m 188 I ' m S a d a n d I ' m Lone ly 190 C a r e l e s s Love 192 S k i p t o M y L o u 194 T u r k e y i n t h e S t r a w 196 G r a n d f a t h e r ' s Clock 199 O ld D a n T u c k e r 202 Kemo-Kimo 204 T h e B l u e T a i l F l y 206 Buffalo G a l s . 208 T h e Abol i t ion is t H y m n 210 N i c o d e m u s • 212

C H A P T E R V : T h e F r o n t i e r s of A m e r i c a , 1800-1850 . . . 215 T h e Y o u n g M a n W h o W o u l d n ' t H o e Corn 220 T h e Sow Took t h e M e a s l e s . . . 222 T h e G r e y Goose 224 P e t e r G r a y . . 226 T h e E r i e C a n a l . 228 T h e P r a t i e s T h e y G r o w S m a l l . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 P a t r i c k o n t h e Ra i l road 232 S w e e t B e t s y F r o m P i k e 234 T h e Ox-Driv ing S o n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 J o e B o w e r s . . . 238 W h a t W a s Your N a m e in t h e S t a t e s ? . . . . . . . . 240 T h e S ioux I n d i a n s 242 T h e H a n d - C a r t Song 244 Old Ros in t h e B e a u 246 B e n Bol t 248 T h e L i t t l e Old Sod S h a n t y . 250 I ' v e Go t N o U s e F o r W o m e n 252 W h e n I W a s S i n g l e . 254 Poor B o y . 256 T h e U t a h I r o n H o r s e 258 T h e Cowboy's L a m e n t 260

T ITLE I N D E X 262

I N D E X O F F I R S T L I N E S 264

G U I T A R C H O R D S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268

L I S T O F B U R L I V E S R E C O R D I N G S 270

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I am not an author i ty on folk songs in the academic sense, bu t I have devoted a g r e a t p a r t of my life to l ea rn ing and s inging the songs of Great Britain and the United States , songs in the English l anguage . As a professional s inger I deliberately chose a l a rge p a r t of my reper toire from these songs.

I learned many of these folk songs as a lad from my pa ren t s and my g randpa ren t s . In la ter years , when I had decided t h a t the re were songs of folk origin to sing publicly, I worked on most of t he major folk song collections. In t ime, people from all over the world sent me songs t h a t the i r pa ren t s or g r a n d p a r e n t s had t a u g h t them. To all these sources I owe my knowledge of the songs in this book.

I t is not possible to acknowledge he re t he help of all those who have contributed, but among the g rea t song collections I would like to mention the Library of Congress and t h e Universi ty collect ions of Harva rd , Missouri, and Virginia. Among the g r e a t individual collectors, I owe a special debt, like all of us who a r e interested in folk songs, to Carl Sandburg , the Lomaxes, and to the English scholar Cecil Sharpe.

There a re as many versions of a folk song as the re a r e people who sing it. These versions a re as good or as bad as t he t a s t e and ability of the singer. All I can say of the versions in this book is t h a t these a re the versions t h a t I sing. The piano accompaniments a r e designed to supplement the mood and quali ty of each song.

The songs in this book were seldom meant , in the i r original form, for piano accompaniment. When I chose Mr. Alber t Hague , one of the most ta lented young musicians of my acquaintance, to m a k e piano a r r a n g e m e n t s for them, I was certain t h a t he would be faithful to their quality. I feel t h a t he has successfully accomplished this. He has kep t the fundamenta l design of each song, in his own words " tr ied to cap ture t he nucleus in its simplest form, harmonically, melodically, and rhythmical ly." H e h a s chosen keys t h a t a r e easy to play on the piano and kept t he r a n g e of melody within t he limit of the ave rage voice.

And I also mus t set down my g ra t i t ude to my wife, Helen Ives, for organiz ing and work ing on the notes with me.

Burl Ives

INTRODUCTION When , a s a s tuden t of s inging , I discovered t h a t t h e r e w e r e m a n y beautiful and excit ing songs in t h e Engl ish l a n g u a g e t h a t nobody sang , t h a t were looked down on a s "folk," I chose t h e m for m y own. They became m y reper to i re . I did no t s ing t h e m because they were folk, b u t because I t h o u g h t t h e m musically beaut i ful and the i r con ten t meaningful , e i ther dramat ical ly , lyrically, o r humorously — always expressive of a genu ine h u m a n value.

Somewhere a long t h e route , a s I came upon t h e idea t h a t th i s music was a neglected p a r t of ou r cu l tura l he r i t age , I b e g a n to organize t h e songs of our count ry into chronological sequence. I became a w a r e t h a t t h e songs m i g h t be impor tant , not only musically b u t historically. A sense of continuity m a k e s a family and a sense of cont inui ty m a k e s a na t ion one family. W h a t be t t e r m e a n s is t h e r e of knowing ourselves for w h a t we a re , a n d our count ry for w h a t i t is, t h a n devotion to t h e he r i t age of pe r t inen t songs t he en t i re na t ion can sing? And t h e songs in th i s book a r e m y selection of songs to s ing, out of t h e vas t body of songs t h a t m a k e up our musical he r i t age .

Because folk songs a r e most often defined a s songs whose or igin we do no t know, and because it will be immediately evident from t h e notes in this book t h a t we do no t know t h e composers of a g r e a t m a n y of t h e songs t h a t t ime and u s a g e pu t in t h e folk ca tegory , I would like to define folk songs as I use t he t e rm. As it happens , t h e question, " W h a t is a folk s o n g ? " is t h e one t h a t I a m mos t f requent ly asked, so t he r e is need for an answer .

Folk music is difficult to define. A t t e m p t s a r e m a d e to define i t b y dis t inguishing it f rom composed music, classical or popular . Sometimes it is defined in t e r m s of t h e place where it can be h e a r d . . . only in t h e home, or a t special small g a t h e r i n g s ; no t in t h e concert hall , music hall , o r on t h e radio. You will also h e a r i t said t h a t t h e in s t rumen t s on which th i s music is played ( the fiddle, t h e accordion, t h e harmonica , o r t h e banjo) a r e nonprofessional ins t ruments .

I t is th i s las t s t a t emen t t h a t leads u s in t h e r i g h t direction, because it points out t h e essential fact t h a t folk music is music played by non-professionals. N o m a t t e r on w h a t i n s t rumen t it is played, no m a t t e r where played, no matter how composed, folk music defined in t e r m s of i ts nonprofessional dimensions h a s indi-

vidual character is t ics imposed by t h e player , changed by the player .

In o ther words, no m a t t e r wha t i ts origin, folk music becomes a p a r t of t h e people, t h e folk, who have molded it and m a d e i t the i r own by imposing the i r individual and collective m a r k upon it. This is t h e essence . . . a people using music as their own personal expression. And this is especially t r u e of folk songs, t h a t p a r t of folk music which h a s in teres ted me.

Now songs are , roughly, of two k inds : "The songs s u n g a t u s " (and we enjoy these as a per formance) and " the songs sung by us . " Of course, these two categories overlap. But i t helps u s t h ink of wha t a folk song is, if we say t h a t t h e folk song is a song s u n g by us. Thus any song, if t aken up by the people of an area , and m a d e a p a r t of thei r s inging and musical expression, becomes a folk song.

Yet this is not all t h a t a folk song is. Fo r t h e ent i re country will s ing a current ly popular t une for a few months and then completely forge t it. A folk song has to have las t ing power. I t mus t convey t r u t h ; be a meaningful personal or social or g roup experience.

You a r e aware by now t h a t I am not g iv ing you a precise definition of a folk song. But this is t h e bes t I can do when I th ink in t e r m s of both pas t and p resen t . . . and I mus t include t h e p resen t in my definition of t h e folk song.

A vital people a r e a s inging people, and a vital people have cu r ren t experiences out of which musical expression mus t come. This musical expression will become a folk song. This is w h a t folk songs of t he pas t were and are . They a r e t h e g r e a t bulk of songs created before t he days of radio by one or more among a g roup of people who shared an experience, l ike pioneer ing wes tward or sail ing in a clipper ship. I t was always a song g rowing out of t he si tuat ion . . . sometimes a good song musically, sometimes not. But in every case an honest musical expression t aken u p by many, and therefore a folk song.

The folk songs in this book a r e from t h e pas t and of t h e present , your he r i t age and mine. They a r e an in tegra l p a r t of t h e cul tural his tory of the Uni ted Sta tes . Above all, t hey a r e very good songs.

COLONIAL AMERICA 1620-1775

F i r s t A r r i v a l s — Song h a s been p a r t of Amer i ca from t h e first. Along w i t h t h e i r g u n s , t h e i r c lo thes a n d bas ic provis ions , t h e e a r l y A m e r i c a n se t t l e r s b r o u g h t over t h e i r mus ic , sac red a n d secu la r .

I n E n g l a n d , educa t ed lad ies a n d g e n t l e m e n k n e w how t o r e a d m u s i c a t s igh t ; i n e ach o t h e r ' s h o m e s t h e y would s p e n d e v e n i n g s s ing ing t h e m a d r i g a l s a n d o t h e r m u s i c of such composers a s Byrd , W e e l k e s , Dowland , a n d Mor ley — e v e r y t h i n g from s imple , l u s t y songs t o i n t r i c a t e coun te rpo in t . Mos t of t h e crowd in a n y t a v e r n could hold t h e i r p a r t s i n a ca t ch or r o u n d . Broads ides , p r i n t e d b a l l a d s on c u r r e n t even t s , w e r e sold a n d s u n g i n t h e s t r ee t s a n d w e r e t r e m e n d o u s l y popu la r . Al l t h i s w a s p a r t of t h e s ing ing h e r i t a g e b r o u g h t over to t h e N e w W o r l d .

T h e A i n s w o r t h P s a l t e r w a s a mus i ca l m a i n s t a y a m o n g t h e N e w E n g l a n d colonis ts . Th i s s m a l l p s a l t e r b r o u g h t over by t h e E n g l i s h S e p a r a t i s t s on t h e Mayflower w a s a book of p s a l m t r a n s l a t i o n s se t t o s imp le t u n e s w i t h o u t h a r m o n y by H e n r y A i n s w o r t h , one of t h e i r g roup , a n d h a d been pub l i shed i n 1612 d u r i n g t h e i r s t a y i n A m s t e r d a m . A i n s w o r t h sa id t h a t s ince "God ' s m u s i c " for t h e p s a l m s — H e b r e w m u s i c — w a s u n k n o w n h e felt a t l ibe r ty t o u s e " m a n - m a d e t u n e s . "

T h e first book t o b e pub l i shed i n A m e r i c a w a s a book of p s a l m s , p r i n t e d i n C a m b r i d g e , Mass . , i n 1640. T h e r e w a s n o m u s i c i n t h e book; a l l t h e p s a l m s w e r e t r a n s l a t e d to be s u n g t o wel l -known h y m n t u n e s of t h e d a y . Bes ides , t h e p r e a c h e r u s u a l l y " l i ned o u t " t h e p s a l m s , c h a n t i n g t h e m for th l ine b y l i n e w i t h t h e congrega t ion r e p e a t i n g e a c h l i ne af ter h i m . T h i s w a s The Bay Psalm Book.

T h i s p s a l m book, first s u n g i n t h e M a s s a c h u s e t t s B a y 1

Colony, w a s n o t u s e d by t h e P l y m o u t h P u r i t a n s u n t i l t h e e n d of t h e cen tu ry . I n t h e in t roduc t ion to The Bay Psalm Book t h e t r a n s l a t o r s exp la ined t h e i r efforts: " I f t h e ve r se s a r e n o t a l w a y s so smooth a n d e l e g a n t a s some m a y des i r e a n d expect , l e t t h e m consider t h a t God ' s a l t a r needs no t ou r pol i sh ings , for w e h a v e respec ted r a t h e r a p l a i n t r a n s l a t i o n t h a n t o smoo th o u r ve r ses w i t h t h e swee tne s s of a n y p a r a p h r a s e , a n d so h a v e a t t e n d e d to conscience r a t h e r t h a n e legance , a n d fidelity r a t h e r t h a n poe t ry , i n t r a n s l a t i n g H e b r e w words i n to E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e , a n d D a v i d ' s poe t ry i n t o E n g l i s h m e t r e . "

T h o u g h t h e re l ig ious influence w a s s t rong i n N e w E n g l a n d a n d e m p h a s i s w a s g i v e n t o sac red mus ic , s t i l l on ly t e n y e a r s af ter t h e l a n d i n g of t h e Mayflower p r i n t e d b roads ides descr ibi n g local e v e n t s b e g a n to a p p e a r i n t h e s t r e e t s . T h e y w e r e mos t ly i n ve r se a n d w e r e assoc ia ted w i t h o r w r i t t e n t o t r a d i t i ona l t u n e s . T h e s e b roads ides w e r e v e r y popu la r i n sp i t e of t h e g e n e r a l t e n o r of t h e B a y Colony a n d i n sp i t e of t h e fu lmi n a t i o n s of m e n l ike Cot ton M a t h e r , t h u n d e r i n g o u t a g a i n s t "foolish songs a n d ba l l ads w h i c h h a w k e r s a n d pedd le r s c a r r y i n t o a l l p a r t s of t h e c o u n t r y . "

B e n j a m i n F r a n k l i n w r i t e s i n h i s Autobiography t h a t , e a r l y i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , w h e n h e w a s on ly n i n e y e a r s old:

" M y b r o t h e r p u t m e on composing occasional ba l l ads . O n e w a s cal led t h e L i g h t h o u s e T ragedy ; t h e o the r w a s a s a i lo r ' s song on t h e t a k i n g of T e a c h (or B lackbea rd t h e P i r a t e ) . T h e y w e r e wre t ched stuff, i n t h e G r u b S t r e e t ba l l ad s ty le ; a n d w h e n t h e y w e r e p r in t ed h e s e n t m e abou t t h e t o w n t o sel l t h e m . T h e first sold wonderful ly , t h e e v e n t b e i n g r ecen t , h a v i n g m a d e a g r e a t noise . . . . "

I n V i r g i n i a a n d t h e Sou th , a m o r e l ibe ra l t r a d i t i o n flouri shed a m o n g t h e p l a n t e r s a n d t i t l ed se t t l e r s . I n t h i s s u n n i e r a n d m o r e easygoing a t m o s p h e r e , p o p u l a r b a l l a d s a n d songs w e r e encouraged a n d t h e m a d r i g a l s a n d t r a d i t i o n a l songs of old w e r e k e p t v e r y m u c h a l ive . I n c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e N e w E n g l a n d mood, h e r e is a n a n n o u n c e m e n t f rom t h e V i r g i n i a G a z e t t e of 1737. T h e r e w e r e t o be ho r se r aces a n d g a m e s a t a ce lebra t ion i n H a n o v e r C o u n t y a n d t h e p a p e r s t a t e s fu r the r :

" T h a t a Viol in b e p layed for b y 20 F idd le rs ; n o pe r son t o h a v e t h e l ibe r ty of p l a y i n g un l e s s h e b r i n g a fiddle w i t h h i m . After t h e pr ize i s w o n t h e y a r e a l l t o p l a y toge the r , a n d each a

2

different t u n e , to be t r e a t e d by t h e C o m p a n y . ... T h a t a handsome e n t e r t a i n m e n t be provided for t h e subscr ibers a n d t h e i r wives; a n d such of t h e m as a r e not so h a p p y a s to h a v e wives m a y t r e a t a n y o the r lady. T h a t D r u m s , T r u m p e t s , Hau tboys , etc. , be provided to p lay a t said e n t e r t a i n m e n t . T h a t a q u i r e of ba l l ads be s u n g for by a n u m b e r of Songs te rs , a l l of t h e m to h a v e l iquor sufficient to c lear t h e i r w i n d pipes. T h a t a pa i r of h a n d s o m e si lk s tockings of one Pis to le v a l u e be g iven to t h e h a n d s o m e s t Young coun t ry m a i d t h a t a p p e a r s in t h e Fie ld . W i t h m a n y o the r W h i m s i c a l and Comical Divers ions too n u m e r o u s to m e n t i o n . "

A m e r i c a ' s F i r s t F r o n t i e r a n d I t s S o n g s — T h e h i s t o ry of A m e r i c a is t h e s tory of t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a se r ies of f ront iers , each of which in t u r n w e n t t h r o u g h severa l s t a g e s u n t i l i t became a p e r m a n e n t s e t t l e m e n t . T h e first f ront ier of Amer i ca w a s t h e E a s t e r n Seaboard . As w a s t h e case w i t h every frontier , t h e new se t t l e r s b r o u g h t w i t h t h e m a c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e , inc lud ing t h e i r mus ic a n d songs .

T h e songs of t h e first A m e r i c a n front ier w e r e t r a n s p l a n t e d songs first s u n g in t h e Br i t i sh Isles. S ince t h e Br i t i sh w e r e t h e first s e t t l e r s to b r i ng t h e i r women to t h i s cont inen t , t h e y no t on ly h a d a n a d v a n t a g e in p e r m a n e n t colonization b u t E n g l i s h b e c a m e t h e p e r m a n e n t l a n g u a g e of t h e colonial towns . T h e colonial m o t h e r s t a u g h t t h e i r ch i ld ren t h e Eng l i sh l a n g u a g e a n d Eng l i sh songs . Eve ry boat b r o u g h t over no t only c u r r e n t gossip a n d news from E n g l a n d b u t w h a t e v e r w a s s u n g a t t h e t i m e . W i t h p e r m a n e n c e c a m e newspape r s , wr i t e r s , a n d , i n t h e t r a d i t i o n of t h e d a y , w r i t e r s of ve r se ba l l ads a bou t e v e n t s h a p pen ing locally. T h i s w a s t h e beg inn ing of t h e w r i t i n g of songs i n t h e colonies.

N o t m a n y songs w e r e w r i t t e n in t h e colonies d u r i n g t h e e a r l y per iod b u t h e r e a n d t h e r e a colonial ac t iv i ty w a s recorded i n a broads ide , p u t i n to song form. T h e F r e n c h a n d I n d i a n W a r , wh ich involved al l t h e colonies, w a s t h e first h is tor ica l even t to cal l for th c rea t ive song w r i t i n g .

T h e r e w a s t h e song, " B r a v e Wol fe , " a b o u t t h e g e n e r a l w h o d ied a t t h e h o u r of victory in t a k i n g Quebec i n 1759:

B r a v e W o l f e , a g a l l a n t y o u t h , d i d c r o s s t h e o c e a n T o f ree A m e r i c a from a l l i n v a s i o n s :

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H e l a n d e d a t Q u e b e c w i t h a l l h i s p a r t y T h a t c i t y t o a t t a c k , b e i n g b r a v e a n d h e a r t y .

B r a v e Wol fe d r e w u p h i s m e n in a l ine so p r e t t y O n t h e p l a i n s of A b r a h a m , b e f o r e t h e c i t y : A d i s t a n c e f r o m t h e t o w n t h e F r e n c h d i d m e e t h i m W i t h d o u b l e n u m b e r s , t h e y r e s o l v e d t o b e a t h i m .

After the battle General Wolfe heard tha t he had defeated Montcalm and that Quebec was his. The last verse of the song runs: "Brave Wolfe replied, 'I die with pleasure.' "

Another song about the French and Indian War was written in 1754 by an officer of the Maryland Independence Company. He composed it to the melody of a current popular English Jacobite song, "Over the Hills and Far Away." The song exhorted:

W h o e ' e r i s b o l d , w h o e ' e r i s f ree, W i l l j o i n a n d c o m e a l o n g w i t h m e , T o d r i v e t h e F r e n c h w i t h o u t d e l a y O v e r t h e h i l l s a n d f a r a w a y .

O n fair O h i o ' s b a n k w e s t a n d M u s k e t a n d b a y o n e t in h a n d T h e F r e n c h a r e b e a t , t h e y d a r e n o t s t a y B u t t a k e t o t h e i r hee l s a n d r u n a w a y .

O v e r t h e r o c k s a n d o v e r t h e s t e e p , O v e r t h e w a t e r s , w i d e a n d d e e p , W e ' l l d r i v e t h e F r e n c h w i t h o u t d e l a y O v e r t h e h i l l s a n d fa r a w a y .

It is not possible for any song book to include all the important and interesting songs. Therefore you will find the text and music of only two songs from this war included, "Why soldiers Why?" — a drinking song that was sung during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, and as late as the Civil War. And, "Yankee Doodle."

This is the most famous song that originated in this war. Its tune was used in ensuing years for many political and social events. It never goes out of fashion. The exact origin of both the tune and the words is the subject of controversy. We know the tune was sung by the Cavaliers in the time of Charles II, to a text which ridiculed two fashionable courtesans of the day:

L u c y L o c k e t l o s t h e r p o c k e t , K i t t y F i s h e r f o u n d i t . N o t a b i t of m o n e y i n i t , O n l y b i n d i n g r o u n d i t .

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W e k n o w t h e t u n e w a s a n d s t i l l i s s u n g i n H o l l a n d a s a harvest song, to doggerel verses that refer to the harvesters' pay: all the buttermilk they could drink and one tenth of the g r a i n t h e y r e a p e d .

Y a n k e D u d e ! , D o d e l d o w n , D i d d l e , d u d e l , l a n t h e r , Y a n k e v i v o r , v o v e r v o w n , B o t e r m i l k u n d t a n t h e r .

T h e word "dood le" refers t r a d i t i o n a l l y t o a du l l -wi t t ed fellow. A s for " y a n k e e , " o n e e x p l a n a t i o n i s t h a t t h e I n d i a n s , i n t r y i n g to p ronounce " E n g l i s h , " go t n o closer t h a n " Y e n g e e . " A n o t h e r e x p l a n a t i o n comes from a n officer i n G e n e r a l B u r goyne ' s a r m y , w h o w r o t e , " I t i s de r ived from a C h e r o k e e word , e a n k k e , w h i c h signifies coward a n d s l ave . T h i s ep i t he t , Y a n k e e , w a s bes towed u p o n t h e r e s i d e n t s of N e w E n g l a n d b y Vi r g i n i a n s for n o t a s s i s t ing t h e m i n a w a r w i t h t h e C h e r o k e e s . "

T h e L i f e H i s t o r y o f T h e s e S o n g s — A l t h o u g h e a c h gene r a t i on p r e se rves from i t s chi ldhood t h e songs w h i c h t h e p reced ing g e n e r a t i o n h a s g i v e n t o i t , t h e songs c r e a t e d i n i t s o w n g e n e r a t i o n t a k e precedence . T h e g rea t -g randch i ld k n o w s less of h i s g r e a t - g r a n d m o t h e r ' s songs t h a n t h e g r a n d c h i l d d id . I n t h i s w a y , songs t h a t dese rve t o b e r e m e m b e r e d i n a n a t i o n ' s song h e r i t a g e c a n eas i ly d i s appea r .

U n t i l ve ry recen t ly , t h e s e songs of colonial A m e r i c a w e r e k n o w n only i n s m a l l a r e a s i n i so la ted p a r t s of o u r c o u n t r y . T h e y w e r e h a n d e d down w i t h i n a fami ly circle o r t o a s m a l l g r o u p . T h e r e w a s n o w a y for t h e m to become k n o w n ove r t h e who le coun t ry ; t h e y w e r e n o t r e a l l y a p a r t of eve ryone ' s h e r i t a g e or t h e n a t i o n ' s g e n e r a l c u l t u r e . T h e s to ry of t h e i r becomi n g k n o w n w a s first t h a t col lectors a n d r e s e a r c h e r s b e c a m e i n t e r e s t e d i n p u t t i n g t h e s e songs i n books , o r do ing scho la r ly s tud ie s of t h e m . A s a second s t age , m a n y s i n g e r s b e c a m e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e s e songs , a n d t h e n over t h e r ad io t h e s o n g s w e r e h e a r d na t i ona l ly . F ina l ly , t h r o u g h e d u c a t i o n a l projects i n t h e schools, w e find t h a t t h i s m u s i c a l h e r i t a g e of A m e r i c a i s a p a r t of e v e r y school ch i ld ' s exper ience .

M a n y of t h e s e colonial songs w e r e rediscovered i n o u r S o u t h e r n A p p a l a c h i a n M o u n t a i n s by t h e E n g l i s h folkloris t Cecil S h a r p e , a l m o s t forty y e a r s ago . O u r o w n L i b r a r y of Congress s e n t o u t i t s collectors a n d t h e y found m a n y ve r s ions

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of the same songs. Harvard and other universities and individual collectors like the Lomaxes have added to this treasury of song. In those parts of the nation where the old Scottish, Irish, Welsh or English songs were not pushed out of singing existence by newer music, these collectors found ten, twenty, and even thirty versions of the same ballad — sometimes with a different tune, sometimes with a different or changed story, but always recognizable and always originating in the same old song. In a few isolated places the ballads were still in existence in what is probably the same form as sung in colonial days. However, we cannot know how the song was sung a t that time: there are no recordings to hear and since the songs were transmitted orally, individual variations must have crept in.

The question must be, which versions of these old songs do we sing? Why these versions? And the answer is simple: the best version can only be determined by musical taste. Historically, one is as good and as important as another. But a song is worthy of singing existence not as an historical piece but as an indissoluble welding of poetry and music .

I t is my hope tha t you will find this value in the songs I have chosen, regretting with me tha t for reasons of space we could not include many more.

T O B A C C O ' S B U T A N I N D I A N W E E D

The Indian plant, tobacco, was introduced into England about 1565. Discussion of the new smoking habit was heated, in pamphlets and song. The smoke was swallowed, hence the reference in the song to drinking tobacco.

To - bac - co'S but a n In - d i a n _ w e e d , g r o w s

g r e e n a t morn, cut d o w n _ a t e v e . I t

shows our de-cay:— we are. , but - clay; think of

this when you smoke to bac - co.

2. The pipe that is so lily-white, Wherein so many take delight,

Gone with a touch; Man's life is such,

Think on this, when you smoke tobacco. 3. The pipe that is so foul within,

Shews how the soul is stained with sin; I t doth require the purging fire.

Think on this, when you smoke tobacco. 4. The ashes tha t are left behind,

Do serve to put us all in mind, That unto dust, Return we must.

Think on this, when you smoke tobacco. 5. The smoke that doth so high ascend,

Shows that our life must have an end; The vapour's gone, Man's life is done.

Think on this, when you smoke tobacco. 9

L I T T L E M O H E E This song about the chieftain's only daughter, Mohee, is a beautiful derivation from the bawdy sailor ballad "The Indian Lass."

1 . A s I w e n t o u t w a l k - i n g , u p -2 . S h e s a t d o w n b e - s ide m e a n d t o o k 3 . " M y p a p - p y ' s a ch ie f - t a in , a n d

on a f i n e d a y , I g o t a w - f u l ho ld of m y h a n d , s a id , " Y o u s u r e b e a r u l - e r b e h e ; I ' m h i s o n - l y

l o n e - s o m e , a s t h e d a y p a s s e d a - w a y . s t r a n - g e r , a n d in a s t r a n g e l a n d . "

d a u g h - t e r , a n d m y n a m e is M o - h e e . "

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I s a t d o w n a - m u s - i n ' , a S h e a s k e d m e t o m a r - r y , a n d I a n - s w e r e d a n d t o l d h e r t h a t i t

l o n e on t h e g r a s s , w h e n w h o s h o u l d s i t b y m e , — g a v e m e h e r h a n d , s a i d , " M y p a p - p y ' s a ch ie f - ta in — n e v - e r could b e , ' c a u s e I h a d m y o w n s w e e t - h e a r t

b u t a s w e e t I n - d i a n l a s s , a l l o - v e r t h i s l a n d . in m y o w n c o u n - t r y .

4. I h a d m y a i n s w e e t h e a r t a n d I k n e w s h e loved m e . H e r h e a r t w a s a s t r u e a s a n y Mohee . So I sa id , " I m u s t l e ave you a n d goodbye m y d e a r , T h e r e ' s w ind i n m y c a n v a s a n d h o m e I m u s t s t e e r . "

5. A t h o m e w i t h r e l a t i ons I t r i ed for t o see, B u t t h e r e w a s n ' t a one l i ke m y l i t t l e Mohee ; A n d t h e g i r l I h a d t r u s t e d p roved u n t r u e t o m e , So I sa i led o 'er t h e ocean t o m y l i t t l e Mohee .

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PSALM III In the seventeenth century, the psalms were translated from Latin into well-known ballad meters in the current languages and set to memorable tunes. The Ainsworth Psalter was published in English for the Separatists, a group of whom called themselves Pilgrims and came to America in the Mayflower. Henry Ainsworth translated 39 songs from the Hebrew and set them "To the gravest and easiest tunes of the French and Dutch songs."

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I laid me down and slept; I wak - ing rose.

For me Je - ho - vah firm - ly up did bear.

For thou-sands ten of folk I will not fear

Which, me be • set - ting, round a - bout en - close.

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CONFESS J E H O V A H

The Pilgrims, landing at Cape Harbor (Cape Cod), may well have sung this hymn of thankfulness from the Ainsworth Psalter when they "fell upon their knees and blessed ye God in Heaven who had brought ye over ye vast and furious ocean and delivered ye from all perils."

Strict rhythm, like a hymn

1. Con - fess J e - ho - vah thank - fill - ly, 2. To Him that spread the earth more high

for He is good; for His mer - cie than wa - ters are; for His mer - cie

con - tin - u-eth for - ev - er. To God of gods con-fesse doe ye, con - t i n -u -e th for - ev - er. To Him that made great lights to bee,

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be-cause H i s boun- t i - ful mer -c ie con - t i n - u - e t h f o r - e v - e r . be - cause H i s boun- t i - fu l mer -c i e con - t i n - u - e t h f o r - e v - e r .

U n - t o t h e L o r d of l o r d s con-fess , b e - c a u s e H i s m e r - c i - f u l k i n d - n e s s The s u n t o h a v e t h e sove-ra ign- t ie b y d a y , f o r H i s be -n igne -mer -c i e

c o n - t i n - u - e t h f o r - e v - e r . T o H i m t h a t d o t h , Him-se l f o n - l y , c o n - t i n - u - e t h f o r - e v - e r . The m o o n a n d s t a r s f o r sove-ra ign- t ie

t h i n g s won-d rous g r e a t ; f o r H i s m e r - c i e c o n - t i n - u - e t h for-ev - e r . b y n i g h t ; for H i s b e - n i g n e - m e r - c i e c o n - t i n - u - e t h for-ev - e r .

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OLD HUNDRED

Definite, but not too slow

1. All peo - ple that on earth do dwell, sing 2. The Lord, ye know, is God in-deed; with-

to the Lord with cheer-ful voice; Him serve with fear, His out our aid He did us make; we are His flock, He

praise forth tell; come ye be-fore Him and re - joice. doth us feed, and for His sheep He doth us take.

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3. O enter then His gates with praise, Approach with joy His courts unto: Praise, laud, and bless His name always, For it is seemly so to do.

4. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

This version of the 100th Psalm is first found in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter of 1561. The tune was originally in the French Genevan Psalter set to the 134th Psalm. Typical of Calvinist tunes, it is simple, with only one note to a syllable, and meant for unison singing.

Prior to the Reformation only Latin hymns were sung in European churches. After 1551, due to the influence of Luther and Calvin, Swiss, French, German, and English psalters appeared. The vigor and liveliness of these early song tunes, their quick tempo, led them to be called "Geneva Jigs." At the end of the seventeenth century the tunes were deliberately lengthened out to make them more solemn. This is the way we find "Old Hundred" sung today.

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The Seven Joys of Mary Versions of this carol tell Mary's joys in up to 25 verses.

Steady , i n 2

1. T h e v e r - y f i r s t j o y t h a t M a - r y h a d , i t 2 . T h e n e x t g o o d j o y t h a t M a - r y h a d , i t 3 . T h e n e x t g o o d j o y t h a t M a - r y h a d , i t

w a s t h e j o y of o n e : _ t o s e e h e r b l e s - s e d J e - s u s w h e n w a s t h e j oy of t w o : _ t o s e e h e r o w n s o n J e - s u s t o w a s t h e j o y of t h r e e : _ t o s e e h e r o w n s o n J e - s u s t o

H e w a s f i r s t h e r s o n , — w h e n H e w a s first h e r s o n , m a k e t h e l a m e t o g o , — t o m a k e t h e l a m e t o g o , m a k e t h e b l ind t o s e e , — t o m a k e t h e b l ind t o s e e .

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P r a i s e God in t h e wi l - d e r - n e s s , a n d g l o - r y b e .

F a - t h e r , Son , a n d t h e H o - l y G h o s t t h r o u g h a l l e - t e r - n i - t y —

4. The nex t good joy t h a t M a r y h a d , I t w a s t h e joy of four;

To see h e r own son, J e s u s C h r i s t To r e a d t h e Bib le o'er: Chorus

5. T h e n e x t good joy t h a t M a r y h a d , I t w a s t h e joy of five;

To see h e r own son, J e s u s C h r i s t To b r i n g t h e dead a l ive : Chorus

6. T h e n e x t good joy t h a t M a r y h a d , I t w a s t h e joy of six;

To see h e r own son, J e s u s C h r i s t R i se from t h e Crucifix: Chorus

7. T h e n e x t good joy t h a t M a r y had , I t w a s t h e joy of seven;

To see h e r own son, J e s u s C h r i s t To w e a r t h e c rown of H e a v e n : Chorus

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THE I N D I A N CHRISTMAS CAROL: A Jesuit priest wrote this carol, translating the

Christmas story into Indian imagery for the Hurons.

The French Jesuits often lived with Indian tribes.

Like a m a r c h , no t too fast

1. ' T w a s in t h e m o o n of w i n - t e r - t i m e w h e n al l t h e b i r d s h a d 2 . W i t h - i n a l o d g e of b r o - k e n b a r k t h e t e n - d e r B a b e w a s 3 . O c h i l d r e n of t h e fo r - e s t f r ee , o sons of M a n - i -

Play left hand like a bass drum, but softly.

f led , t h a t m i g h t - y G i t ch - i - m a n - i - t o u s e n t f o u n d , a r a g - g e d r o b e of r a b - b i t sk in e n -

t o u , t h e H o - l y Child of e a r t h and h e a v ' n is

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an - gel choirs in-stead. Be- fore their light the stars grew dim and wrapped His beau - ty round. The chiefs from far be - fore Him knelt with

born t o - d a y for you. Come kneel be - fore the r a -d i an t boy who

won-d'ring hunters heard the hymn:-gifts of fox and bea -ve r pe l t : _ Je - sus , your king, is born, brings you beau - ty peace and joy.—

J e - sus is born in ex - cel-sis glo - r i - a.

MOTHER GOOSE NURSERY RHYMES

Hey Diddle Didlle

Easygoing

Hey,did-dle , did-dle, the cat and the f id-dle , the

cow jumped o-ver the moon; the lit-tle dog laughed to

see such sport, and the dish ran a - way with the spoon.

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Fiddle - De - Dee

Happy, in 2

F i d - d l e - d e - d e e , f i d -d l e -de -dee , t h e f ly h a s m a r - r i e d t h e

b u m - b l e b e e .

1. S a y s t h e f ly , s a y s h e , " W i l l y o u 2 . Sa id t h e b e e , sa id s h e , " I ' l l l ive 3 . So w h e n p a r - s o n b e e - t l e 4 . O h , t h e f l ies d id buzz a n d t h e

m a r - r y m e ? A n d l ive w i t h m e , s w e e t b u m ble b e e ? " u n - d e r y o u r w i n g . Y o u ' l l n e v - e r k n o w I c a r - r y a s t i n g . "

j o ined t h e pa i r , t h e y b o t h w e n t o u t t o t a k e t h e a i r . be l l s d i d r i n g . D i d y o u e v - e r h e a r so m e r - r y a t h i n g ?

Like many colonial mothers, Mrs. Elizabeth Goose of Boston entertained her grandchildren with nursery songs from England, of which she knew an amazing number. Her son-in-law, Tom Fleet, printed and thus preserved these songs in a collection entitled: SONGS FOR THE NURSERY OR MOTHER GOOSE MELODIES FOR CHILDREN (1719)

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Mr. Froggie Went A-Courting This is one of the oldest and most popular narrative animal songs for children in the English language. It first occurs in a Scottish broadside, 1549, "The Frog Came to the Myl Dur" (mill door).

With a happy beat

1. Mis - t e r F r o g - g i e w e n t a - c o u r t - i n g , a n d 2 . H e w e n t d o w n t o Mis - s y

h e d id r i d e , m m - m m , M i s - t e r M o u s - y ' s doo r , m m - m m , H e

F r o g - g i e w e n t a - c o u r t - i n g , a n d h e d id r i d e , a w e n t d o w n t o Mis - s y M o u s - y ' s door , w h e r e

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sword and a pis - tol by his side, _ mm mm. he had been man-y times be-fore, _ mm mm.

3. "Mis-sy Mous-ey a r e you w i th in , m m - m m ? " "Yes k i n d s i r , I s i t a n d sp in , " m m - m m .

4. H e took Missy Mouse u p o n h i s k n e e , m m - m m , Sa id "Missy Mouse , wil l you m a r r y m e ? " m m - m m .

5. " W i t h o u t m y U n c l e R a t ' s consent , m m - m m , I w o u l d n ' t m a r r y t h e Pres - I -dent , " m m - m m .

6. Unc le R a t l a u g h e d a n d shook h i s fa t s ides , m m - m m , To t h i n k h i s n iece would be a br ide , m m - m m .

7. W h e n Unc le R a t g a v e h i s consent , m m - m m , T h e wease l wro t e t h e p u b l i s h m e n t , m m - m m .

8. N e x t c a m e i n w a s a bumblebee , m m - m m , Danced a j ig w i t h a two-legged flea, m m - m m .

9. T h e owl d id hoot , t h e b i rds t h e y s ang , m m - m m , A n d t h r o u g h t h e woods t h e m u s i c r a n g , m m - m m .

10. W h e r e wi l l t h e w e d d i n g b r e a k f a s t be , m m - m m ? W a y down yonde r i n a hol low t r e e , m m - m m .

11. W h a t wil l t h e w e d d i n g b r e a k f a s t be , m m - m m ? Two g r e e n b e a n s a n d a black-eyed pea , m m - m m ,

12. T h e y a l l w e n t s a i l i ng across t h e l ake , m m - m m . A n d got swal lowed u p by a big, b l ack s n a k e , m m - m m .

IS. T h e r e ' s b r e a d a n d cheese u p o n t h e shelf, m m - m m , If you w a n t a n y more , you can s i ng i t yourself, m m - m m .

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The Tailor and the Mouse Another children's favorite with nonsense syllables, which occur frequently from the fifteenth century on.

Lively, in 2

T h e r e w a s a t a i - lor h a d a m o u s e , H i - d i d - d l e d u m c u m T h e t a i - lor h a d a t a l l s i lk h a t , H i - d i d - d l e d u m c u m T h e t a i - l o r h e c h a s e d h i m o-ver t h e lea , H i -d id -d l e d u m c u m

feed - a T h e y l ived t o - g e t h - e r in o n e house , f eed - a T h e m o u s e h e a t e i t , f a n - cy t h a t , f eed - a T h e l a s t of t h a t m o u s e h e n e v e r d id s e e .

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H i d i d - d l e d u m c u m f e e d - a . H i d i d - d l e d u m , c u m

t i n - t r a m , t a n - t r u m , t h r o u g h t h e t o w n of R a m - s e y ,

H i - d id - d le d u m , c o m e o - v e r t h e l ea ,

H i d id - d l e d u m c u m f e e d - a.

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T H E F O X Lively

1. Fox went out on a chil - ly night, (2.) ran till he came to a great big bin, where the (3.) grabbed the grey goose by the neck,

prayed for the moon for to give him light, for he'd ducks and the geese were put there - in. " A

throwed a duck a - cross his back.

man-y a mile to go that night a - fore he reached the cou-ple of you will grease my chin a - fore I leave this

He did-n't mind their quack, quack, quack, and their legs all dan-gling

town - o, town - o, town-o, he'd man-y a mile to town - o, town - o, town-o, a cou-ple of you will down - o, down - o, down-o, he did-n ' t mind their

go that night a - fore he reached the grease my chin a - fore I leave this quack, quack, quack, with their legs all dan - gling

town - o 2. He town - o ; 3. He down - o.

4. Then old mother Flipper-Flopper jumped out of bed, Out of the window she cocked her head, Crying, "John! John! The grey goose is gone

And the fox is on the town-o!"

5. Then John, he went to the top of the hill, Blowed his horn both loud and shrill; The fox, he said, "I better flee with my kill Or they'll soon be on my trail-o."

6. He ran till he came to his cozy den, There were the little ones eight, nine, ten. They said, "Daddy, better go back again,

'Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o." 7. Then the fox and his wife without any strife,

Cut up the goose with a fork and knife; They never had such a supper in their life

And the little ones chewed on the bones-o."

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T H E ESCAPE OF OLD JOHN W E B B About 1730 John Webb and Bill Tenor were freed from jail in Salem, Mass., in a raid described in a 20 verse broadside.

Definite, in 4

1. There were nine to guard the Brit - ish ranks and There was e igh t -y weight of good Span-ish iron be -

2. They mount-ed their horse and a - w a y did ride (and And then they called for a room to dance (and

five to guard the town a - bout, and tween his neck-bone and his knee, but who but they rode gal - lant - l y ) , — un -who but they danced mer - ri - ly), _ and

two to stand at _ ei - ther hand, and B i l - I y took John-ny up u n - d e r his arm and til they came to the riv - er bank, and

the best danc - er a - mong them all was

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one to let old __ ten - or out. lugged him a - way right _ ar t - ful - ly.

there they a - l ight-ed right__, mer - ri - ly. old John Webb who was just set free.

And

CHORUS:

Bil-ly broke locks, and Bil-ly broke bolts, and Bil-ly broke all t ha t

he came nigh, . un - til he _ came to the

dun-geon door, and tha t he broke right man - ful - ly.

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THREE ROUNDS

Lords and ladies, tinkers and blacksmiths, all were used to singing in parts in 17th and 18th century England. Catches and rounds were particularly in favor since the music was lively and easy to remember.

THE HART HE LOVES THE HIGH W O O D

Lively

The har t , he loves the high wood, the hare, he loves the

hill, the knight, he loves the bright sword, the la - dy loves her will.

OH, ABSALOM, MY SON

Slow

Oh, Ab - sa - lorn, my son, my son, oh,

A b - sa - lom, my son, my son, would to God — I had

died for t h e e , - m y — son, would to God I had died for

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thee, my son. Oh, Ab - sa - lom, my son,- my —

son, oh, Ab - sa - lom, my son, my son.

LET SIMON'S BEARD ALONE

With dignity

Let Si - mon's beard a - lone, a - lone, let - Si-mon's beard a -

lone ;— 'Tis no dis - grace to Si - mon's face, for_

he had nev-e r one; — Then mock not, nor scoff not, nor

jeer not, nor sneer not, but rath - er him be - moan.

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GREENSLEEVES Not too fast, in 2

1. A las, my love, you— do me wrong to _ 2. I have been read - y a t your hand to _ 3 . I bought thee ke r - che r s - to thy head, that —

cast me off dis - cour-teous-ly, and I have loved grant what-ev - er you would crave, I have both wag-èd — were wrought fine and gal - l an t - l y , I kept thee both a t—

you so long de - light-ing— in your_ c o m - p a - n y . life and land your— love and_ good will—. for to have,

board and bed, which— cost my—purse well— fa-vour 'd-ly.

CHORUS:

Green - sleeves was— all my joy,

Green - sleeves was_ my delight. Green - sleeves was my

heart of gold. and_ who but La - d y _ Green - sleeves.

4. I bought thee petticoats of the best, The cloth so fine as might be; I gave thee jewels for thy chest, And all this cost I spent on thee. Chorus:

5. Thy smock of silk, both fair and white, With gold embroidered gorgeously; Thy petticoat of sendal right,* And these I bought thee gladly. Chorus:

6. They set thee up, they took thee down, They served thee with humility; Thy foot might not once touch the ground, And yet thou wouldst not love me. Chorus:

7. Well I will pray to God on high, That thou my constancy mayst see, And that yet once before I die Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me. Chorus:

8. Greensleeves, now farewell! adieu! God I pray to prosper thee! For I am still thy lover t rue, Come once again and love me. Chorus: *Thin silk

T H E RIDDLE SONG

Traditional riddle songs describe a knight who offers marriage if his love can answer the three questions in verse 1:

When she these questions answered had The knight became exceeding glad And after that 'tis verified He made of her his lovely bride. So now fair maids, all adieu, This song I dedicate to you, And wish you thus may constant prove Unto the man you do love.

G e n t l e ( r h y t h m only softly indicated)

1. I gave my love a cherry that has no stone. I 2. How can there be a cherry that has no stone? How 3. A cherry when it 's bloom-in' it has no stone. A

gave my love a chick-en that has no bone. I can there be a chick-en that has no bone? How

chick-en when it's peep-in ' it has no bone. A

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gave my love a ring that has no end. I can there be a ring that has no end? How ring when it's roll-in' it has no end. A

gave my love a ba - by with no cry - in', can there be a ba - by with no cry - in'? ba - by when it's sleep-in' there's no cry - in'.

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THE DEVIL'S NINE QUESTIONS

Mummer's dances that pictured the devil trying to win a soul were done to a singing dialogue of which this is an example.

Free in delivery

1. You must a n s w e r me ques-tions nine,. sing 2. What is whit- er than the milk? sing 3. Snow is whit - er than the milk, sing

nine - ty nine and nine-ty, to nine - ty nine and nine-ty, and nine - ty nine and nine-ty, and

see if you're God's or one of mine, and what is soft - er than the silk? and down is soft - er than the silk, and

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you are the weav - er's bon - ny. you are the weav - er 's bon - ny.

I am the weav - er 's bon - ny.

4. What is higher than a tree? And what is deeper than the sea?

5. Heaven is higher than a tree. And Hell is deeper than the sea.

6. What is louder than a horn? And what is sharper than a thorn?

7. Thunder is louder than a horn. Death is sharper than a thorn.

8. What's more innocent than a lamb? And what is meaner than womankind?

9. A babe's more innocent than a lamb. She-devil is meaner than womankind.

10. You have answered my questions nine. You are God's own and none of mine.

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Paper of Pins

An Americanized version of an English courtship game, reThe Keys of Canterbury " to be both sung and acted out.

With feeling

I'll give to you a pa-per of pins, and

that 's the way our love be - gins, If you will mar - ry

me, me, me, if you will mar - ry me.

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2. I'll not accept a paper of pins If that's the way that love begins

And I won't marry you, you, you. 3. I'll give to you a little lap dog

To carry with you when you go abroad If you will marry me, me, me.

4. I'll not accept a little dog To carry with me when I go abroad

And I won't marry you, you, you. 5. I'll give you a house and land,

Twenty-five cattle and one hired man, If you will marry me, me, me.

6. I'll not accept your house and land, Twenty-five cattle and one hired man,

Oh, I'll not marry you, you, you. 7. I'll give to you a dress of red,

Stitched all around with golden thread, If you will marry me, me, me.

8. I'll not accept your dress of red, Stitched all around with golden thread,

I'll not marry you, you, you. 9. I'll give to you a key to my chest

And all the money that I possess, If you will marry me, me, me.

10. Yes, I'll accept the key to your chest And all the money that you possess,

Yes, yes, I'll marry you, you, you. 11. Ha, ha, ha, money is all,

A woman's love is nothing at all; No, I'll not marry you, you, you.

The Golden Vanity An early ballad first printed as "Sir Walter Raleigh Sailing in the Lowlands."

With feeling

1. There was a ship that sailed all 2, Then up stepped our cab - in boy, and

on the Low-land sea, and the name of our ship was the bold - ly out-spoke he, and he said to our cap-tain, "What

Gold - en Van-i - ty, and we feared she would be tak-en by the would you give to me, if I would swim a-long side of the

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Span-ish en - e - my as she sailed in the Low-land, Span -ish en - e - my, and sink her in the Low-land,

Low-land, Low, as she sailed in the Low-land sea. Low-land, Low, and sink her in the Low-land sea?"

3. "Oh, I would give you silver, and I would give you gold, And my own fairest daughter your bonny bride shall be, If you will swim alongside of the Spanish enemy And sink her in the lowland, lowland, low.

4. Then the boy he made him ready and overboard sprang he, And he swam alongside of the Spanish enemy, And with his brace and auger in her side he bored holes three, And he sunk her in the lowland, lowland, low.

5. Then quickly he swam back to the cheering of the crew, But the captain would not heed him, for his promise he did rue, And he scorned his poor entreatings when loudly he did sue, And he left him in the lowland, lowland, low.

6. Then quickly he swam round to the port side, And up unto his messmates full bitterly he cried, "Oh, messmates, draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide, And I'm sinking in the lowland, lowland, low.

7. Then his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died, And they stitched him in his hammock which was so fair and wide, And they lowered him overboard and he drifted with the tide, And he sank in the lowland, lowland, low.

C A P T A I N K I D D Kidd, a New York privateer captain, hunt-ed pirates for English and American authorities. They hung him in London in 1701.

Medium, in 2

1. Oh, my name was Wi l l i am Kidd, as I sailed, as I 2. Oh, my p a r - e n t s taught me well, as I sailed, as I 3 . Oh, I mur-dered Wil-liam Moore, as I sailed, as I

sailed, my name was Wil-liam Kidd, as I sailed, my sailed, my p a r - e n t s taught me well, as I sailed, my sailed, I mur-dered Wil-liam Moore, as I sailed, — I—

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name was Wil-liam Kidd, God's laws I did for - bid, and most par- ents taught me well, t o — shun the gates of hell, but a -mur-dered Wil-liam Moore, and I left him in his gore, not —

wick - ed - ly I did, as I sailed, as I sailed, gainst them I re - belled, as I sailed, as I sailed,

man - y leagues from shore, as I sailed, as I sailed.

4. "Oh I steered from sound to sound, as I sailed, as I sailed, I steered from sound to sound, and many ships I found, And all of them I burned, as I sailed, as I sailed.

5. And being cruel still, as I sailed, as I sailed, And being cruel still, my gunner I did kill, And his precious blood did spill, as I sailed, as I sailed.

6. I was sick and nigh to death, as I sailed, as I sailed, I was sick and nigh to death and I vowed with every breath To walk in wisdom's ways, when I sailed, when I sailed,

7. My repentance lasted not, as I sailed, as I sailed, My repentance lasted not, my vows I soon forgot, Damnation was my lot, as I sailed, as I sailed.

8. To the execution dock I must go, I must go, To the execution dock, while many thousands flock, But I must bear the shock and must die, and must die.

9. Take a warning now by me, for I must die, for I must die, Take a warning now by me and shun bad company, Lest you come to hell with me, for I must die, I must die.

Henry Martin

Based on the true story of Andrew Barton's three sons (1476),

Waltz

There were three broth-ers in mer-ry Scot-land, in

mer-ry Scot - land there were three; and

they did cast lots which of them_ should go, should

go, should go and — turn

rob - ber all on the salt sea.

2. The lot it fell upon Henry Martin, The youngest of all the three, That he should turn robber all on the salt sea, etc. For to maintain his two brothers and he.

3. He had not been sailing but a long Winter 's night, Par t of a short Winter 's day, Before he espied a stout lofty ship, etc. Come a-riding down on him straight-way.

4. "Hello, hello," cried Henry Martin, "What makes you sail so nigh?" "I 'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London town, etc. Will you please for to let me pass by?"

5. "Oh no, oh no," cried Henry Martin, "That thing it never can be, For I have turned robber all on the salt sea, etc. For to maintain my two brothers and me."

6. "Then lower your topsail and bow down your mizzen, Bow yourselves under my lee, Or I shall give to you a fast-flowing ball, etc. And cast your dear bodies down in the salt sea."

7. With broadside and broadside and at it they went, For fully two hours or three, 'Til Henry Martin give to her the death shot, etc. And straight to the bottom went she.

8. Bad news, bad news to old England came, Bad news to old London town, There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away, etc. And all of her merry men drowned.

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E D W A R D This ballad, like the other narrative ballads that follow, was collected in the southern Appalachian Mountains by the English scholar Cecil Sharpe. There songs from England survived for hundreds of years.

Melancholy, but with motion

1. What makes that blood on the point of your knife? My 2. It is too red for your old gray mare, my 3. It is too red for your old coon dog, my

son, now tell to me I t is the blood of my son, now tell to me I t is the blood of my son, now tell to me It is the blood of my

48

old_ gray mare who plowed the fields_ for old__ coon dog who chased the fox for broth - er John who hoed the corn for

me, me, me, who plowed the fields for me. me, me , me, who chased the fox_ for me. me, me, me, who hoed the corn for me.

4. Wha t did you fall out about, my own dear son? My son, now tell to me. Because he cut yon holly bush Which might have been a tree, tree, tree, Which might have been a tree.

5. What will you say when your father comes home, When he comes home from town? I'll set my foot in yonder boat, And I'll sail the ocean round, round, round, I'll sail the ocean round.

6. When will you come back, my own dear son? My son, now tell to me. When the sun it sets in yonder sycamore tree, And tha t will never be, be, be, And that will never be.

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Barbara Allen The most popular ballad of the western world, found in hundreds of versions,

Plaintive (free in delivery)

1. In Scar-let town where I was born,— there 2. 'Twas in the mer - ry, mer-ry month of May,— when

was a fair maid dwell-in', made green buds they were swell-in'-, sweet

ev - 'ry youth cry well - a - day, and her Wil-liam on his death - bed lay for the

name was Bar - b'ry Al-Ien. love of Bar - b'ry Al- len.

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3. He sent his servant to the town, To the place where she was a-dwellin', Cried, ''Master bids you come to him, If your name be Barb'ry Allen."

4. Then slowly, slowly she got up, And slowly went she nigh him, And when she pulled the curtains back Said, "Young man, I think you're dyin'."

5. "Oh, yes, I'm sick, I'm very very sick, And I never will be better, Until I have the love of one, The love of Barb'ry Allen."

6. "Oh, ken ye not in yonder town In the place where you were a-dwellin', You gave a toast to the ladies all But you slighted Barb'ry Allen."

7. "Oh yes, I ken, I ken it well, In the place where I was a-dwellin'; I give a toast to the ladies all, But my love to Barb'ry Allen."

8. Then lightly tripped she down the stairs, He trembled like an aspen. 'Tis vain, 'tis vain, my dear young man, To hone for Barb'ry Allen,

9. She walked out in the green, green fields. She heard his death bells knellin'. And every stroke they seemed to say, "Hard-hearted Barb'ry Allen."

10. Her eyes looked east, her eyes looked west, She saw his pale corpse comin'; She cried, "Bearers, bearers, put him down That I may look upon him."

11. The more she looked, the more she grieved, Until she burst out cryin'; She cried, "Bearers, bearers, take him off, For I am now a-dyin'!"

12. "Oh, father, oh, father, go dig my grave, Go dig it deep and narrow. Sweet William died for me today; I'll die for him tomorrow."

13. They buried her in the old churchyard, Sweet William's grave was nigh her, And from his heart grew a red, red rose, And from her heart a brier.

14. They grew and they grew o'er the old church wall,

Till they couldn't grow no higher, Until they tied a true lover's knot, The red rose and the brier.

BRENNAN ON THE MOOR The ballad of Brennan, Robin Hood of the Irish scene, was popular in the colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Free in delivery, with mounting excitement

1. I t 's a - bout a fierce high-way man my sto - ry I will 2. It was up - on the King's high-way old Bren-nan he sat

tell. His name was Wil - ly Bren-nan, and in down. He met the mayor of Moor-land five

Ire - land he did dwell. 'Twas up - on the King's— miles out - side of town. Now the May - or, he knew

52

moun-tain he be - gan his wild ca - reer, and Bren-nan, and, "I think," says he, "your

man-y a rich gen-tle-man be-fore him shook with fear, Oh, it 's name is Wil-lv Bren-nan, you must come a - long with me." Oh, i t ' s

CHORUS: steady, like a dirge

Bren-nan on the moor, Bren-nan on the moor,

bold, gay, and un -daunt-ed stood young Bren-nan on the moor.

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3. Now Brennan's wife was a-going down town Some provisions for to buy. When she saw her Willie taken She began to weep and cry. Says he, "Hand me that ten penny,' ' And as soon as Willy spoke She handed him a blunderbuss From underneath her cloak.

Chorus 4. Now Brennan got his blunderbuss,

My story I'll unfold. He caused the mayor to tremble And to deliver up his gold. Five thousand pounds were offered For his apprehension there, But Brennan and the pedlar To the mountain did repair.

Chorus

5. Now Brennan is an outlaw All on some mountain high. With infantry and cavalry To take him they did try, But he laughed at them and he scorned at them Until it was said By a false-hearted woman He was cruelly betrayed.

Chorus 6. They hung Brennan at the crossroads;

In chains he swung and dried. But still they say that in the night Some do see him ride. They see him with his blunderbuss In the midnight chill; Along, along the King's highway Rides Willy Brennan still.

Chorus

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Lord Thomas and Fair Elinore

This Scottish ballad came over with 7,000 followers of B o n n i e Prince Charlie settling North Carolina after his defeat in 1745.

Waltz, steady rhythm

1. Lord Thom - as rose ear - ly one morn - ing in 2. "The brown girl has house_ and

May and dress'd him - self in blue, land, fair El - i -nore, she has none.'

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say-mg,"Moth-er, I 'm go - in' to get mar-ried to -"There - fore— I charge you with my

day, and I want ad - v i ce_ from you.— bless-ings,- go bring the brown _ girl home."

3. He rode 'til he came to fair Elinore's gate, Rattled at the ring; There was no one more ready than she To arise and let him in.

4. "What 's the matter, Lord Thomas?" she cried, "What 's the matter with you?" "I 've come to invite you to my wedding. Ain't that good news to you?"

5. "Oh, mother, shall I go to Lord Thomas's weddin', Or shall I tarry at home?" "Therefore, I charge you with my blessings, You'd better tarry at home."

6. She dressed herself in her best And most of her dressings were green, And every village that she rode through, They took her to be some queen.

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7. She rode 'til she came to Lord Thomas's gate Rattled at the ring; There was no one more ready than he To arise and let her in.

8. He took her by the lily white hand And led her in the hall, And seated her there a t the head of the table Amongst the gentlemen all.

9. "Is this your bride, sits here by your side? I 'm sure she's wonderful brown. You might have married as fine a young lady As ever the sun shone on."

10. The brown girl, she had a knife. It was both long and sharp. She pierced it into fair Elinore's side, And it entered into her heart.

11. "What ' s the matter, fair Elinore?" he cried, "What ' s the matter with you?" "Oh, don't you see my own heart 's blood A-trickling down my side?"

12. He took the brown girl by the hand And led her in the hall; And there with a sword cut off her head And dashed it against the wall.

13. Saying, "Here's the death of three true lovers, God send their souls to rest; And bury the brown girl at my feet And fair Elinore a t my breast."

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Lord Randall

A Scottish ballad, found its earliest text in 1707, "Lord Randall"probably came to America about 1745.

Very free in delivery

1. Where have you been all the day, Ran-dall , my son? 2. What have you been eat- ing there, Ran-dall , my son? 3. Where did she get them_ from, Ran-dall, my son?

Where have you been all the day, my pret - ty one? I've What have you been eat - ing there, my pre t - ty one? Where did she get them_ from, my pret - ty one? From

been to my sweet-heart 's, Moth-er, I've been to my Eels and eel broth, Moth-er, eels and hedg - es and ditch - es, Moth-er, from hedg-es and

58

sweet-heart 's, Moth-er; eel broth, Moth-er; ditch - es, Moth-er;

Make my bed soon, for I 'm

sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down.

4. Wha t was the color of their skins, Randall, my son? Wha t was the color of their skins, my pretty one? Spickled and spackled, Mother, Make my bed soon, for I 'm sick to my heart, and I fain

would lie down.

5. Wha t will you leave your brother, Randall my son? What will you leave your brother, my pretty one? My gold and silver, Mother, Make my bed soon, for I 'm sick to my heart, and I fain

would lie down.

6. What will you leave your sweetheart, Randall, my son? What will you leave your sweetheart, my pretty one? A rope to hang her, Mother, Make my bed soon, for I'm sick to my heart, and I fain

would lie down.

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THE FOGGY, FOGGY DEW This ballad, still sung in the west of England today, exists in many American versions, some suggestive, some chaste. It originally stems from Suffolk.

Free in delivery

1. When I was a bach-'lor, I lived all a - lone , I 2. One night she knelt close by my side when

worked at the weav-er's trade; and the on-ly, on-ly thing that I did I was fast a - sleep, she threw her arms a -

that was wrong, was to woo a fair young maid. I round my neck, and then be - gan to weep. She

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Slow rhythm, in 4

wooed_ her in the win-ter-time, part of the sum-mer, wept,— she cried, she tore her hair, ah, me! what could I

too; and the on-ly, on - ly thing that I did do? So all night long I

that was wrong, was to keep her from the fog-gy, fog-gy dew. held her in my arms, just to keep her from the fog-gy,fog-gy dew.

3. Again I am a bachelor, I live with my son, We work at the weaver's trade; And every single time that I look into his eyes, He reminds me of the fair young maid. He reminds me of the wintertime, Par t of the summer, too, And of the many, many times that I held her in my arms, Just to keep her from the foggy, foggy dew.

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PRETTY POLLY An English ballad called "The Gosport Tragedy," current in England and the Colonies in 1710, was the source of this song. The subject of the sailor who stabs his mistress was a frequent one in ballads.

With a steady beat

I court-ed p r e t - t y Pol - ly the live - long_

night, I court-ed pret - ty Pol - ly the live - long

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night, then left her next morning be - fore i t was light.

2. "Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me, Before we get married some pleasures to see."

3. She jumped on behind him and away they did go; Over the hills and the valley below.

4. They went a little further and what did they spy; A new dug grave with a spade laying by.

5. "Oh,Willie, oh,Willie, I 'm 'fraid of your way; I'm afraid you will lead my poor body astray."

6. "Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, you've guessed about right; For I slept on your grave the best part of last night."

7. He throwed her on the ground and she broke into tears; She throwed her arms around him and trembled with fear.

8. There's no time to talk now, there's no time to stand; He drew out his knife all in his right hand.

9. He stabbed her in the heart and the blood it did flow; And into the grave pretty Polly did go.

10. He put on a little dirt and he started for home; Leaving no one behind but the wild birds to moan.

11. A debt to the devil Willie must pay; For killing pretty Polly and running away.

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ROBIN One of the most popular song versions on the taming-of-the-shrew theme.

Happy, in 2

1. Rob-in, he mar-ried a wife from the West, 2. When she got up, she got up in haste, 3. When she churned she churned in a boot,

mop - i - ty, mop - i - ty, mo, no; 1. 2. 3. in

she turned out to be none of the best,-went to the cup-board be - fore she was laced with a stead of a c r a - d l e she put in her foot,

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high - jig - jig - i - ty top and pet - ti - coat,

Rob- in a thrush cried mo - no - no.

4. She made her cheese upon the shelf, When it turned, it turned of itself.

5. The cheese fell out upon the floor, Jumped up on its feet and ran out of the door.

6. It ran 'til it came to Wakefield Cross, She followed after upon a white horse.

7. This song was made for gentlemen, If you want any more, I will sing it again.

WHY SOLDIERS WHY?

Forcefully, in 4

1. How stands the glass a - round? For shame, ye take no 2. Why,— sol-diers, why should we be m e l - a n -3. 'Tis but vain, ( I mean not to up -

care, my boys; how stands the glass a - round? Let chol - y, boys? Why, sol-diers , why? Whose

braid you, boys), 'tis but vain for

mirth and w i n e — a-bound, The trum - pe t s— bus - ' ne s s ' t i s - , t o — die. What? sigh - ing? so l -d ie rs t o _ com - plain; should next cam -

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http://to_.com

Gossip says General Wolfe sang this song the night before his victory and death at Quebec in 1759. The song be-came known throughout the colonies as "Wolfe's Song."

sound! The col - ors fly - ing_ are, my boys, to Fie! Drink on, drown fear, be_ jol - ly, boys; 'tis paign send us to Him that made you, boys, we're

fight, kill, or wound, con - tent with our hard fare, my he, you or I; cold, hot, wet, or dry, we're free from pain; but should we re - m a i n , - a

boys, on the cold ground. a l - w a y s bound to fol-low, boys, and scorn to fly.

bot - tle and a kind land - la - dy cures all a - gain.

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ON SPRINGFIELD MOUNTAIN

Unique among folk songs this song was originally written in 1761 as an elegy to the tune of "Old Hundred." It tells of the sad death of Timothy Myrick, twenty-two and engaged to marry, who was bitten by a rattlesnake in Farmington, Massachusetts. The melody we find here was written in 1840, when the song was performed on the stage as a comic song, "The Pesky Sarpint, a pathetic ballad."

On Spring-field Moun-tain there did dwell a love - ly

CHORUS

youth, I knowed him well Ray goo too

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Slow

day - noo - ay, ray too di - noo - ay, too di

nay hoo - i too di noo.

2. He scarce had mowed half round the field When an ug-lye serpent bit his heel. Chorus

3. They took him home to Mol-lye dear Which made her feel so ve-rye queer. Chorus

4. Now Mol-lye had two ruby lips With which the pizen she did sip. Chorus

5. Now Mol-lye had a rotten tooth And so the pizen killed them both. Chorus

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T H E B O L D S O L D I E R

The British professional soldier was much in evidence during the wars of the colonial period. Captain Miles Standish and Captain John Smith were typical of such soldiers of fortune.

Bright, in 2

1. Sol - dier, o sol-dier, a - com-in' from the plain. 2. Sol - dier, o sol-dier, it 's I would be thy bride, but for 3. took her to the par-son, and, of course, home a - gain;

Court - ed a la - dy through hon-or and through fame. Her fear of my fa-ther some dan-ger might be - tide. Then he

there they met her fa-ther and sev-en a r m - è d men. Let us

beau-ty shone so bright that it nev-er could be told. She pulled out sword and pis-tol and he hung 'em by his side,

fly,"_ said the la-dy, " I fear we shall be slain." "Hold your

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al - ways loved the sol - dier be-cause he was so bold, swore he would be mar-ried, no mat-ter what be-tide. Fa - l a -hand, said the sol - dier, "Nev-er fear a -ga in ."

C H O R U S :

la - la , Fa - la - la - la - la, F a - l a -

la - la, Fa - la - la - la. 2 3. Then he

4. T h e n h e pulléd ou t sword a n d pistol a n d h e causéd t h e m to r a t t l e ;

T h e l ady he ld t h e horse wh i l e t h e soldier fought i n b a t t l e . "Hold your h a n d , " sa id t h e old m a n , "do no t be so bold; You sha l l h a v e m y d a u g h t e r a n d a t h o u s a n d pounds of gold."

5. " F i g h t on!" sa id t h e lady, " t h e por t ion is too s m a l l " "Hold y o u r h a n d , " sa id t h e old m a n , "you c a n h a v e i t a l l . " T h e n h e took t h e m r i g h t s t r a i g h t h o m e a n d h e cal led t h e m

son a n d dea r , No t because h e loved t h e m b u t only t h r o u g h fear .

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YANKEE DOODLE

In the early fall of 1758, during the French and Indian War, a British army surgeon, Dr. Richard Schuckburgh, who had s p e n t most of his life in America, was encamped with General Abercrombie on the old Van Rensselaer estate, near Albany. Provincial troops were mobilizing there. Their rustic appearance was so ludicrous that Dr. Schuckburgh, who was quite a wit, wrote a song referring to the colonials as "Yankee Doodles."

Comfortable, in 2

1. If, Yan-kees, you would have a song, a deuc-èd na - t i on 2. Our grand-sires lived a long way off, and if you think to

fine one, then in the cho - rus all a - long I doubt it, and I had on - ly time e-nough, I'd

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CHORUS:

guess you'd like to join one. Then Yan - kee Doo - dle, tell you all a - bout it. Then Yan - kee Doo-dle ,

one and all pass 'round the cho - rus hand - y, for roar a - w a y and keep the chorus hand - y, for

some can sing, and all can bawl Yan-kee Doodle Dan-dy. some can sing, and all can say_ Yan-kee Doo-dle Dan-dy..

3. And now of what might them befall They nothing were afraid in, So took their wives and children all And off they push'd for Leyden.

Chorus: Then Yankee Doodle, one and all, Struck up the chorus handy, As loud as they could sing and bawl Yankee Doodle Dandy.

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4. And there they got a monstrous ship As big as any gunboat And all to fit her for a trip I guess was nicely done to't.

Chorus: Then Yankee Doodle all aboard! Pip'd out the boatswain handy And young and old struck up and roar'd Yankee Doodle Dandy.

5. But now a dreadful storm arose And dang'rous case they stood in, And hail, and rain, and sleet, and snows, Fell thick as hasty puddin'.

Chorus: But foul or fair, we're stout and strong In ev'ry lot we're handy; Then join the chorus, and the song, Of Yankee Doodle Dandy.

6. And now this noble ship, once more As staunch as ever man trod, Approach'd the sandy, desert shore, And landed them on Cape Cod.

Chorus: Then Yankee Doodle, all again Join'd in the chorus handy, And sung aloud with might and main Yankee Doodle Dandy.

7. And ev'ry day for many weeks, Beginning on each Monday, They watch'd and work'd and fought like Greeks, And went to church on Sunday.

Chorus: For Yankee Doodle, heroes great In all good works are handy, In peace, or war, in church, or state, They're Yankee Doodle Dandy.

R E V O L U T I O N A R Y A M E R I C A 1775-1790

"History is what happened and folklore is what people think happened," as Frank Shay put it. Songs about historical events are this kind of history. The advantage these songs have over the carefully selected historical note is an emotional vitality about the event in question. If in singing these songs we find ourselves stirred by this emotion we get a sense of the living history that is a part of our country's heritage.

Songs of the American Revolution meant something in our country's development and mean something today. These songs are interesting, playable and singable. They are important not only for content, but for the spirit that caused them to be written.

The emotional upsurge of the Revolutionary War, the heroes of this time of crisis, the arguments that were heatedly presented on both sides, found expression in song. Some songs have their melodic origin in well-known British tunes of the day, others stem directly from the tradition of New England hymn singing. The songs were learned by word of mouth but they were often printed in the newspapers and broadsides of the day.

Songs were used as a means of bringing others to the Revolutionary cause and of keeping morale high. Barlow, the Hartford poet, entering the Revolutionary Army as Chaplain, wrote: "I do not know whether I shall do more for the cause in the capacity of Chaplain, than I would in that of Poet; I have great faith in the influence of songs; and I shall continue, while fulfilling the duties of my appointment, to write one now and then, and to encourage the taste for them which I find in the camp."

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T h e E v e of t h e R e v o l u t i o n — W i t h t h e first a n n o u n c e m e n t of t h e S t a m p Ac t i n 1765, pa t r io t i c lyr ics b e g a n t o a p p e a r . Organ i za t i ons l i ke t h e Sons of L ibe r ty he lped c r e a t e publ ic d e m o n s t r a t i o n s , te r ror ized t h e B r i t i s h collectors, a n d des t royed t h e i r t a x s t a m p s . O n e of t h e mos t express ive lyr ics of t h i s per iod is t h e " S o n g for t h e Sons of L ibe r ty , " d i s t r i bu t ed a s a b roads ide a n d pub l i shed i n m a n y n e w s p a p e r s . T h e first a n d l a s t of t h e s ix ve r ses r ead :

In story we're told how our fathers of old Braved the rage of the wind and the waves; And cross'd the deep o'er to this desolate shore All because they were loath to be slaves, brave boys. All because they were loath to be slaves.

T h e birthright we hold shall never be sold Bu t sacred maintained to our graves, And before we'll comply we'll gallantly die, For we must not , we will not be slaves, brave boys! For we must not, we will not be slaves.

T h e S t a m p Ac t w a s r epea led i n 1766, b u t t h e n e x t y e a r s a w d u t i e s on g lass , lead, p a i n t e r ' s colors, pape r , a n d t e a . Tens ion g r e w rap id ly . I n Boston a b r a w l developed be tween a n u n r u l y s t r e e t crowd a n d B r i t i s h t roops , a n d four Bos ton ians w e r e k i l led . S t r o n g feel ings magnif ied t h i s inc iden t ( the f a m o u s Boston Massac re ) , w i t h b roads ides l i ke t h e following f a n n i n g t h e f l a m e s :

Unhappy Boston sees their sons deplore T h y hallowed walks were smeared with guiltless gore, While faith was pressed, a mighty savage band With murderous rank has stretched their bloody hand.

No scalding tears from rage and anguish wrung, No speechless sorrow seeking for a tongue For me now weeping world can altered be The flame did glow for victims such as these.

M e a n w h i l e t h e loyal B r i t i sh t roops s t a t ioned i n t h e colonies, w h o r e g a r d e d t h e A m e r i c a n s a s rebe l s , s a n g t h e i r o w n songs a s " O n t h e B a n k s of t h e D e e , " wh ich te l l s of a soldier w h o joined t h e B r i t i s h forces i n A m e r i c a " t o que l l t h e P r o u d Rebe l s . " T h e y a lso s a n g " H e a r t of O a k , " " D o w n D e r r y D o w n " a n d " H o w H a p p y t h e Sold ier , " some of w h i c h t h e colonis ts s e t to words of t h e i r own, express ing opposi te s e n t i -m e n t s . To " H e a r t of O a k , " for e x a m p l e , t h e Bos ton ians s a n g

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t h i s pa rody , one of m a n y ridiculing t h e u n p o p u l a r B r i t i sh s t a t ioned in t h e i r city:

'Twas winter and blue Tory noses were freezing As they marched o'er the land where they ought not to be; The Valiants complain'd a t the Fifers' curs'd wheezing, And wish'd they'd remained on the banks of the Dee,

Lead on, thou paid Captain! T r a m p on, thou proud minions! Thy ranks, base men, shall be strung like ripe onions, For here thou hast found heads with warlike opinions, On shoulders of nobles who ne'er saw the Dee.

T h e N e w E n g l a n d h y m n s t h e m s e l v e s took on a s e c u l a r a n d pa t r io t i c tone , a n d popu la r h y m n s often h a d a n an t i -Br i t i sh s lan t , T h e l eader of t h i s h y m n deve lopmen t w a s W i l l i a m Bi l l ings of Boston (1746-1800), a se l f - taught m u s i c i a n w h o s t a r t e d life a s a t a n n e r . H e founded s ing ing societ ies a n d reformed chu rch m u s i c a n d chu rch choi rs , i n t roduc ing t h e p i t ch p ipe a n d i n s t r u m e n t s to accompany t h e voices. As cont roversy m o u n t e d a n d m e e t i n g s w e r e forbidden, such s ingi n g societ ies se rved bo th a s a p lace w h e r e pa t r io t i c h y m n s could be l e a rned a n d w h e r e c u r r e n t e v e n t s w e r e discussed a n d ac t ion w a s qu ie t ly o rgan ized .

I n 1770 t h e first of Bi l l ings ' books of h y m n s appea red , e n g r a v e d by P a u l Reve re . I t s t i t l e page r ead :

The New England Psalm-Singer, or American Chorister, Containing a Number of Psalm-Tunes, Anthems and Canons In Four and Five Parts. (Never before published.) Composed by William Billings, A Native of Boston, In New England, Math. XXI, 16, "Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings

hast Thou perfected Praise," James V, 13 "Is any merry? Let him sing Psalms."

"O, praise the Lord with one consent, And, in this grand design, Let Britain and the Colonies Unanimously join."

Boston, New England, Printed by Edes and Gill.

Bi l l ings ' pa t r io t ic h y m n s a p p e a r e d in t h i s a n d five subseq u e n t vo lumes .

T h e poet , t h e sa t i r i s t , a n d t h e w r i t e r of songs w e r e so h igh ly r e g a r d e d a s supp ly ing weapons to fight t h e Revolut i ona ry W a r t h a t mos t of t h e wi t s of t h e day employed t h e i r l e i su re i n w r i t i n g pa t r io t i c songs . T h e r e w a s a g r e a t dea l of

cont rovers ia l w r i t i n g in t h e newspape r s , a n d a g r e a t inc rease in t h e n u m b e r of sa t i r i c , d r a m a t i c , poetic b roads ides .

O n e of t h e first of such w r i t e r s w a s Dr . J o s e p h W a r r e n of Boston w h o w r o t e " F r e e A m e r i c a " in 1774 to t h e t u n e of " T h e B r i t i s h G r e n a d i e r . " A n o t h e r g r e a t w r i t e r of t h e t ime , m a n y of whose poems w e r e sung , w a s Ph i l i p F r e n e a u . O n e of h i s w a r songs w r i t t e n in 1776, began :

Hark, Hark, the sound of war is heard, And we must all at tend;

Take up our arms and go with speed Our country to defend.

Our parent s tate has turned our foe, Which fills our land with pain;

Her gallant ships manned out for war Come thundering o'er the main.

T h e Revolutionary War — The W a r b e g a n w i th " Y a n k e e Doodle , " for i t w a s to t h i s melody t h e Br i t i sh t roops m a r c h e d ou t of Boston to t h e relief of t h e i r comrades a t Lex ing ton one Apr i l n i g h t in 1775. Indeed , mos t of t h e ba t t l e s of t h e Revolut i on w e r e descr ibed in verse , a n d a g r e a t m a n y of t h e ve r se s w e r e s e t t o mus i c . Typica l of t h e w i t t h a t w e n t i n to t h e s e ve r se descr ip t ions a r e t h e s e verses s u n g by t h e M i n u t e M e n who p e n n e d t h e Br i t i sh t roops u p in Boston a n d c u t off t h e i r food supply :

How brave ye went out With your muskets all bright,

And thought to be-frighten The folds with the sight;

Bu t when you got there How they ponder'd your puns,

And all the way home How they pepper'd your bums,

And is it not, honies, a comical crack, T o be proud in the face, and be shot in the back?

And what have you got now With all your designing,

B u t a town without victuals T o sit down and dine in,

And to look on the ground Like a parcel of noodles,

And sing, how the Yankees Have beaten the doodles?

I 'm sure if you're wise You'll make peace for a dinner,

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For fighting and fasting Will soon make ye thinner.

W e se ldom h e a r of t h e Tor ies w h o se t t hemse lve s u p a g a i n s t t h e course of t h e Revolut ion, b u t a b o u t one- th i rd of t h e colo n i s t s w e r e loyal is ts . T h e r e w e r e m a n y Tory newspape r s , Tory broads ides , a n d Tory songs . T h e Br i t i sh h a d t h e i r songs f rom ove r seas a n d m a d e u p m a n y on t h e i r c u r r e n t fight. O n e a m u s i n g one from t h e N e w York Gazette r id icu les t h e i r o w n G e n e r a l Howe, whose popu la r i t y w a s s m a l l a n d whose fondn e s s for w o m e n w a s famous .

Awake! Awake! Sir Billy, Heed not a woman's prat t le There 's forage in the plain. Which tickles in the ear Ah! Leave your little filly Bu t give the word for bat t le And open the campaign. And grasp the warlike spear.

A n o t h e r extols t h e B r i t i s h L i g h t In fan t ry , s t a t i o n e d a t N e w York, wh ich w a s m a k i n g sporadic r a i d s on W a s h i n g t o n ' s s to res :

For bat t le prepared in their country 's jus t cause Their King to avenge and support all his laws; As fierce as a tiger, as swift as the roe, T h e British Light Infantry rush on their foe.

T h e W a r ended a s i t h a d b e g u n , t o t h e t u n e of " Y a n k e e Doodle ," b u t t h i s t i m e i t w a s t h e A m e r i c a n A r m y w h o p l a y e d t h e melody .

A t t h e s u r r e n d e r i n 1781, G e n e r a l Cornwal l i s , p l e a d i n g i l lness , d id no t a p p e a r . H i s s u b s t i t u t e , G e n e r a l O ' H a r a , p re p a r e d t o g ive u p h i s sword to G e n e r a l W a s h i n g t o n , b u t w a s re fe r red t o G e n e r a l Lincoln, w h o rece ived t h e s w o r d a n d a t once h a n d e d i t back . A s t h e B r i t i s h so ld iers la id down t h e i r a r m s t h e i r b a n d p l ayed a q u a i n t old E n g l i s h melody e n t i t l e d , app ropr i a t e ly , " T h e W o r l d T u r n e d U p s i d e D o w n . " W i t h e q u a l su i t ab i l i t y t h e C o n t i n e n t a l A r m y ' s b a n d p l a y e d " Y a n k e e Doodle . "

W a s h i n g t o n ' s s t a t e m e n t t o h i s t roops before t h e s u r r e n d e r w a s a beau t i fu l conclusion: " M y b r a v e fellows, l e t n o s h o u t i n g , n o c l amorous h u z z a h i n g i n c r e a s e t h e i r mort i f icat ion. I t i s sufficient t o u s t h a t w e w i t n e s s t h e i r h u m i l i a t i o n . P o s t e r i t y wi l l h u z z a h for u s . "

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WHAT A COURT HATH OLD ENGLAND

Despite the support of Pitt, Burke, and other Englishmen who opposed the Stamp Act, tension heightened between the colonies and England. This satire, sung to the tune of "Down Derry Down," follows the pattern of "Liberty Hall," written by George Stevens of London in 1757.

L i k e a c h a n t

What a court hath Old Eng-land of fol - ly and sin, spite of Then free-dom's the word, both a t home and a-broad; So

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Chat-ham and Cam-den, Bar-re, Burke, Wilkes and Glynn! Not con-out with each scab-bard that hides a good sword! Our

tent with the game act, they taxed fish and sea, and A -fo re - fa - the rs gave us this f ree-dom in hand, and we'll

mer - i - ca drench with hot wa - ter and tea. De r - ry die in de - fence of the rights of the land. D e r - r y

down, down, down der - ry down.

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Heart of O a k Many songs have been written to the original "Heart of Oak" presented here. First sung in London in 1759, the words are by the famous actor David Garrick, the melody by Dr. Boyce.

W i t h d ign i ty

1. Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glo - ry we steer, to 2. Our wor - thy fore-fath - ers, let's give them a cheer, to

add some-thing more to this won - der - ful year; t o — cli - mates un-known did cou - r a - geous - ly steer: through

hon - or we call you, as free men, not slaves, for o - ceans, to des - erts, for free - dom they came, and

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who are so free as the sons of the waves? Heart of dy - ing be-queath'd us their free - dom and fame.

CHORUS:

oak are our ships, heart of oak are our men; we

al - ways are read - y, stead -y, boys, stead -y , we'll

fight and we'll con - quer a - gain and a - gain.

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THE BALLAD of the TEA PARTY

The words of this and the following song, both about the Boston Tea Party, were written long after the event. The melody, first heard in 1730, is from an old sea song, "Come and Listen to My Ditty," or "The Sailor's Complaint"

Steady , in 2

1. Tea-ships near to Bos-ton ly - ing, on the wharf a 2. Armed with ham-mers, ax - e s , chi-sels, wea-pons new for

num - er - ous crew. Sons of free-dom, nev - er dy - ing. war - like deed, toward the tax - èd, freight- ed ves - sels

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then ap - peared in view! With a r ink-tum, dink-turn, on they came with speed. With a r ink-tum, d ink- tum,

fa la l ink- tum, then ap-peared in view, With a fa la link - tum, on they came with speed, With a

rink-tum,dink-tum, fa la link-tum, then ap-peared in view! rink-tum,dink-tum, fa la link-tum, on they came with speed.

3 . Overboard s h e goes, m y boys, h e a v e H o w h e r e d a r k l i n g w a t e r s roa r : W e love o u r c u p of t e a full wel l b u t Love our freedom more . Chorus:

4. Deep , in to t h e s ea descended C u r s e d weed of C h i n a ' s coast ; T h u s a t once o u r fea r s w e r e ended , R i g h t s s h a l l n e ' e r be lost! Chorus:

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THE BOSTON TEA TAX

Steady , i n 2

1. I snum I am a Yan-kee lad, and I 2. And t ' o t h - e r day the Yan-kee folks were 3 . And then a - board the ships we went our

guess I'll sing a di t - ty ; and— if you do not mad a - b o u t the tax-es, and— so we went like ven-geance to ad - min-is- ter, we d id -n ' t care one

re l - i sh it, the more 'twill be the pit- y; tha t In - juns dress'd to split tea chests with ax- es. I t t a r - n a l bit for an - y king or min-is-ter. We

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is, I think I should have been a plague-y sight more was the year of sev 'n-ty-three and we felt real - ly

made a plague-y mess of tea in one of the big-gest

fin-ished man. If _ I'd been born in Bos-ton town, but I grit- ty T h e _ May - or would have led the gang, but dish- es; I mean we steeped it in the sea and

warn ' t 'cause I'm a coun-try man. Bos - ton warn't a ci - ty! treated all the fish - es.

Fol - de - rol - de - ray, Fol-de-

but I warn' t 'cause I 'm a coun-try man. rol - de -ray, but Bos - ton warn' t a ci - ty!

and treat - ed all the fish - es.

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FREE AMERICA

The writer of this song was Dr. Joseph Warren of Boston, one of the original Minute Men. It was he who started Paul Revere off on his famous ride in 1775. He was killed in the first major engagement of the war, Bunker Hill. He used the well-known melody of "The British Grenadier."

Martial ( h e a v y a c c e n t s o n e v e r y h e a t )

1. Born from a world of ty - rants, be 2. Lift up your heads, ye he - roes, and

neath the west-ern sky we'll form a new do - min - ion, a swear with proud dis-dain: that wretch that would en-snare you, shall

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land of lib - er - ty. The world shall own we're lay his snares in vain. Should Eu - rope emp - ty

mas-ters here, then has - t en o n _ the_ day: op -all her force, we'll meet her in_ ar - ray, and

pose, op-pose, op-pose, op - pose, for North A-mer - i - cay. fight and shout, and shout and fight for North A-mer - i - cay.

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C H E S T E R New England congregations sang secular and patriotic hymns as well as religious ones. "Chester," from William Billings' T h e S ing ing M a s t e r ' s Ass i s tan t , 1778, was sung as a marching song from Maine to Georgia.

Like a march (not too slow)

1. Let t y - r a n t s shake their i - ron— rod, 2. Howe and Bur -goyne and Clin - ton,— too, 3. When God in - spired us for__ the fight,

and s lav- ' ry clank- her gall - ing— chains. with Pres-cott and — Corn - wal - l i s — join'd,

their ranks were broke,_ their l ines_were_ forc'd,

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Wel l fear them not; w e _ trust_ in God: to - geth - er plot our— o - ver - throw,

their ships were shel- ter 'd_ i n _ our sight,

New Eng-land's God for - ev - er reigns, in one in - fer - nal league— com - bin'd. or swift- ly driv - en from our coast.

4. T h e foe comes on w i t h h a u g h t y s t r ide , O u r t roops advance w i t h m a r t i a l noise , T h e i r v e t ' r a n s flee before ou r you th , A n d g e n e r a l s yield t o bea rd le s s boys.

5. W h a t gra tefu l offering sha l l w e b r ing , W h a t sha l l we r e n d e r to t h e Lord? Loud ha l l e lu jahs le t u s s ing , A n d p ra i s e H i s n a m e on eve ry chord.

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The Riflemen's Song at Bennington At Bennington, Vt, one of General Burgoyne's foraging detachments was attacked by 800 villagers who rallied in a driving rain to kill or capture the entire British force. L i k e a march

1. Why come ye hith-er, Red-coats, your mind what mad-ness 2. Ye ride a good-ly steed, ye may know a n - o th - er 3 . Tell he who stays a t home, or cross the br in- y

fills? In our val- leys there is dan - ger, and there's mas-ter. Ye for-ward came with speed, but you'll wa-ters, tha t thith - er ye must come,__ like

dan-ger on our hills. Oh, hear ye not the learn to back much fas - ter. Then you'll meet our Moun-tain

bul-locks to the slaugh-ter. If we the work must

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sing - ing of the bu - gle wild and free? and Boys and their lead - er, John - ny Stark, lads who do, why, the soon - er 'tis be - gun, if

soon you'll know the r inging of the ri-fle from the tree, make but lit - tle noise, but who al-ways hit the mark, flint and trig - ger hold but true, the soon-er ' twi l l be done.

CHORUS

Oh, the ri-fle, oh, the ri-fle in our

hands will prove no t r i - f le .

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THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, October 7, 1777. The melody derives from "Brennan on the Moor."

Steady, in 2

1. Come un - to me, ye he-roes, and I the truth will tell — con-2. Be - fore the Ti - con -der- o - ga, full well both night and d a y _ their

cern-ing man-y a sol - dier who for his coun-try fell. Bur-mo-tions we ob - served— be-fore the blood-y f r a y ; — Bur-

goyne, the King's com-mand - er and curs-èd To - ry crew,— with goyne sent Baum to Benn-ing-ton, with Hes-sians there he went,_ to

In-dians and Ca - na - di-ans he up the Cham-plain flew._ He plun - der and to mur - der was ful - ly their in - tent._ Was

94

CHORUS:

up the Cham-plain flew, he up the Cham-plain flew,— with ful - ly their in - tent, was ful - ly their in - t e n t , — to

In-dians and Ca - n a - d i -ans he up the Cham-plain flew, plun-der and to mur - der was ful - ly their in - tent.

3. T h e S e v e n t h of October, t h e y did cap i tu l a t e , B u r g o y n e a n d h i s p roud a r m y w e did ou r p r i sone r s m a k e . A n d v a i n w a s t he i r endeavor ou r m e n to terr ify, T h o u g h d e a t h was al l a r o u n d u s , no t one of u s would fly!

4. Now h e r e ' s a h e a l t h to H e r k i m e r a n d ou r c o m m a n d e r Ga t e s ! To freedom a n d to W a s h i n g t o n w h o m every Tory h a t e s . L ikewise u n t o our Congress — God g r a n t i t long to r e ign — O u r coun t ry , r i g h t s a n d jus t ice forever to m a i n t a i n !

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THE YANKEE MAN-OF-WAR L i k e a m a r c h

1. 'T i s of a gal-lant Yan-kee ship that flew the stripes and 2. It was a clear and cloud-less night, and the wind blew stead-y and 3. There was no talk of short-'ning sail by him who walked the

s t a r s , — and the whis-tling wind from the west nor'- west blew strong,—, as fair - ly o - ver the spark-ling deep our p o o p , — and— under the press of her pon-d'ring jib the

through the pitch-pine spars,_ with her star-board tacks_ a -good ship bowled a - long;_ with the foam - ing seas— be -

boom bent like a hoop!— and the groan - ing wa-ter-ways

board, my boys, she hung up - on the gale; on an neath her bow the fier - y waves she spread,_ and

told the strain that held her stout main tack, but he

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au-tumn night we raised the light on the old head of Kin-sale. bend-ing low her bos-om of snow, she bur-ied her lee, cat-head.

on - ly laughed as he glanced a loft at a white and sil-v'ry track.

4. The n i g h t l y robes o u r good sh ip wore w e r e h e r own topsai ls t h r e e ,

H e r s p a n k e r a n d h e r s t a n d i n g j ib, t h e courses be ing free; Now lay aloft! m y heroes bold, le t no t a m o m e n t pass ! An d roya l s a n d topga l l an t sa i ls w e r e qu ick ly on each m a s t . 5. W h a t looms upon ou r s t a rboa rd bow? W h a t h a n g s

upon t h e breeze? 'Tis t i m e our good sh ip h a u l e d h e r w ind a b r e a s t t h e

old sa l t ee ' s . For by h e r ponderous press of sa i l a n d by h e r escor ts four, W e saw our m o r n i n g vis i tor w a s a Br i t i sh man-of-war. 6. U p spoke our noble cap t a in t hen , a n d a sho t a h e a d

of u s passed, " H a u l s n u g your flowing courses! L a y your topsai l

to t h e m a s t ! " Those E n g l i s h m e n g a v e t h r e e loud h u r r a h s from t h e deck

of t h e i r covered a r k A n d w e answered back by a solid broads ide from t h e deck

of ou r pa t r io t ic b a r k . 7. " O u t booms! O u t booms!" our sk ipper cried, " O u t booms

a n d give h e r shee t , " A n d t h e swiftest keel t h a t ever w a s l aunched shot a h e a d

of t h e Br i t i sh fleet, A n d a m i d s t a t h u n d e r i n g shower of sho t w i t h t h e s tun-sa i l s

ho i s t ing away , Down t h e n o r t h c h a n n e l P a u l J o n e s did s t ee r j u s t a t

t h e b r e a k of day .

97

JOHNNY HAS GONE FOR A SOLDIER Slow, free in de l ivery

1. — Here I sit on But-ter-milk Hill, who could blame me 2. I'd sell my clock, I'd sell my reel, like-wise I'd sell my

cry my fill? And ev - 'ry tear would turn a mill; spin-ning wheel to buy my love a sword of steel;

C H O R U S :

John-ny has gone for a sol - dier. John-ny has gone for a sol - dier.

S h o o - l i e , shoo - l i e ,

shoo - lie too, shoo - lie, sac - ca - rac - ca

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bib - ba - lib- ba boo. If I should die for

Sal- ly Bo-bo-link come bib-ba-lib-ba boo sa - ro - ra.

HOW HAPPY THE SOLDIER

This favorite of the British soldiers during the Revolutionary War was picked up by the Americans; it was sung by both sides in the War of 1812.

Easygoing , i n 2

1. How hap-py the sol-dier who lives on his pay, and 2. He cares not a M a r - n e - d y how the world goes; his

spends half a crown— on six-pence a day; he King finds his quar-ters, and mon - ey and clothes; he

fears nei - ther jus - tic - es, war-rants, nor bums, but laughs a t all sor - row when - ev - er it comes, and

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pays all his debts with a roll of his drums, with a ra t t - l es a - way with the roll of his drums, with a

row de dow, row de dow, row de dow, dow, and he

pays all his debts with a roll of his drums.

3. T h e d r u m i s h i s g lory , h i s joy, a n d de l igh t , I t l e ads h i m t o p l e a s u r e a s wel l a s t o fight; N o g i r l , w h e n s h e h e a r s i t , t h o u g h e v e r so g l u m , B u t p a c k s u p h e r t a t t e r s , a n d follows t h e d r u m . W i t h row d e dow, r o w d e dow, row d e dow, dow; A n d h e p a y s a l l h i s d e b t s w i t h t h e rol l of h i s d r u m s .

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S i r P e t e r P a r k e r Sir Peter Parker, commanding the British man-of-war Bristol , while attacking Charleston received a heavy cannonading from the rebels. His breeches were torn off and his thigh wounded.

Waltz tempo

1. My Lords, with your leave, an ac - count I will 2. With la - bor and toil, un- to Sul - li - van's 3. Dev-il take 'em, their shot came swift and so

give which de - serves to be writ-ten in me-ter : isle I sailed, swift as Fal-staff or Pis - tol, hot, and the cow - ard - ly dogs stood so stiff, Sir,

How the reb-els and I have been pret - ty but the Yan-kees, dod rat 'em, I could - n't get

that I put ship a - bout and was glad to get

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nigh, faith, al-most too nigh for Sir P e - t e r ! Ri at 'em, so ter- rib - ly mauled my poor Bris-tol. Ri out or they would-n't have left me a skiff, Sir. Ri

CHORUS

tu - den di - o , ri tu - den di - ay, Faith, tu - den di - o , ri tu - den di - ay, so tu - den di - o , ri tu - den di - ay, or they

al - most too nigh for Sir Pe - ter! ter - rib - ly mauled my poor Bris - tol._

would-n't have left me a skiff, Sir.

4. Now Cl in ton by l and did qu ie t ly s t and , W h i l e m y g u n s m a d e a t e r r ib l e r u m p u s : B u t m y pr ide took a fall w h e n a wel l -a imèd ba l l P rope l l ed m e a long on m y b u m p u s !

103

C o r n w a l l i s C o u n t r y D a n c e The campaign of Cornwallis in Carolina and Virginia as he fought Marion, Sumter and General Greene reminded an unknown balladeer of the Contre D a n c e . The English dance tune used became very successful as "Pop Goes the W e a s e l . "

Comfortable (with a r a t h e r s t eady bea t )

1. Corn - wal - lis led a coun - try dance the 2. Quoth he, my guards are wea - ry grown with 3. Good Wash-ing - ton, Co - lum-bi - a's son, whom

like was n e v - e r seen, Sir,— Much ret - ro-grade and do - ing coun - t ry danc - es. — They nev - e r a t St. ea - sy na - ture taught, Sir,— Now hand in hand they

much ad-vance, and all with Gen-er - al Green, S i r . - They James had shown at c a -pe r s , kicks, or pranc-es. _ No

cir - cle round in ev - 'ry danc - ing mood, Sir,__ The

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ram-bled up, they ram - bled down, joined hands, and off they men so gal - lant there were seen while saun-t ' r ing on pa -gen - tle move - ment soon con-founds, the Earl 's day draws

run, Sir,— of Gen - er - al Green to Charles-town, the rade, Sir,— or danc - ing o'er the park so green, or near, Sir,— the gen - tle move-ment soon con-founds, the

Earl to Wil - ming - ton, Sir. at the mas - quer - ade, Sir.

Earl 's day draws near, Sir.

4. H i s m u s i c soon forgets t o p lay , h i s feet c a n ' t move no more , S i r ,

A n d a l l h i s m e n now cu r se t h e d a y t h e y j igged t o ou r shore , Sir .

Now, Tor ies a l l , w h a t c a n you s a y . . Cornwal l i s is no g r ipe r , B u t wh i l e your hopes a r e danced away , i t ' s you t h a t

p a y t h e p iper .

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THE W O R L D UPSIDE TURNED D O W N At the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown which ended the Revolutionary fighting in October, 1781, the colonists played "Yankee Doodle" while the British with equal suitability played a quaint English melody, "The World Turned Upside Down." I n 2

If but - ter - cups buzz'd af - ter the bee, If

boats were on land, church-es on sea, if po-nies rode men, and if

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grass ate the cows, and cats should be chased in-to holes by the mouse,

if the m a - mas sold their ba - bies to the gyp-sies for

half a crown, if sum - mer were spring, and the

oth - er way 'round, then all the world would be up - side down.

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MY DAYS H A V E BEEN S O W O N D R O U S FREE

Francis Hopkinson of Philadelphia, (1732-1791), one of our first composers, wrote this song in 1759. Satirist, poet, inventor and painter, Hopkinson became our first Secretary of the N a v y .

M e d i u m , i n 4

My days have been so won-drous free, the lit-tle birds that

fly with care-less ease from tree to tree, were but as blest as

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I, were but as blest as I. Ask the glid - ing wa - ters

if a t e a r , of _ mine in - creased their stream, and

ask the brea thing gales if ev - er I lent a _ sigh to

them,________ if I lent— a sigh to them.

Francis Hopkinson was an intimate of George Washington and took active part in the creation of the United States. He published "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free" in a collection of seven songs dedicated to George Washington in 1778. Washington wrote to Hopkinson from Mt. Vernon on February 5, 1789:

" D e a r Sir: We are told of the amazing powers of musick in ancient times . . . and if I before doubted the truth of their relations with respect to the power of musick, I am now fully convinced of their falsity, because I would not, for the honor of my Country, allow that we are left by Ancients at an immeasurable distance in everything; and if they could sooth the ferocity of wild beasts, charm the powers of Hell by their musick, I am sure that your productions would have had at least virtue enough in them (without the aid of voice or instrument) to melt the ice of the Delaware and Potomack . . .

But, my dear Sir, if you have any doubts about the reception which your work would meet with, you have not acted with your usual good judgement in the choice which you have made of Coadjutor; for should the tide of prejudice not flow in favor of it . . . what alas! can I do to support it? I can neither sing one of the songs, nor raise a single note on any instrument to convince the unbelieveing, but I have, however, one argument which will prevail with persons of true taste (at least in America). I can tell them that it is the production

of Mr. Hopkinson. With the compliments of Mrs. Washington added to mine

for you and yours, I am etc." George Washington

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THE GROWING COUNTRY: ON THE SEA

1790-1850

Songs of t h e Sea a n d t h e W a r of 1812 — Life on the sea, the attitude of the sailor, was reflected in song from earliest colonial times. There were simple songs about sailing, fishing and whaling, common to both the British and the colonial seaman, which because of the personal feeling or special information of their verses were probably sung mainly by men used to sea life. "Rolling Home," "The Whale," and "Maid of Amsterdam" fall into this category. Narrative story ballads about the sea were popular but not written specially for the sailor. He sang the sea story ballad just as he would sing any current song, for entertainment during those few hours aboard ship when he had leisure. These songs, "The Golden Vanity," "Henry Martin," or "High Barbaree," were as familiar to the American sailor as to the colonial seaman, for the American sailor was only the English-speaking sailor with a new national flag.

As we have seen, the American Revolutionary War had its quota of sea songs that reflected events with an immediacy that prose reports can never have. The same is true of the War of 1812, which was particularly rich in songs about the sea. Since it was a war fought over seaman's rights, since it was a war of land reverses and sea victories for America, it follows that the songs about this war sung during the war are ballads of fights at sea: "The Constitution and the Guerriere," "The Hornet and the Peacock." The other songs of the war did not come until later when there was an upsurge of patriotic feeling after the war was over. "Ye Parliaments of England" and "The Patriotic Diggers" fall into this group, along with several new boastful versions of the always present "Yankee Doodle."

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T h e C h a n t y : W o r k S o n g s of t h e S e a — T h e mos t successful p r i va t ee r des ign of t h e W a r of 1812 w a s t h e B a l t i m o r e Clipper . S i m i l a r cl ipper sh ips e s t ab l i shed t h e s u p r e m a c y of A m e r i c a n m e r c h a n t sh ipp ing t h a t las ted u n t i l s u p p l a n t e d b y s t e a m after 1850. T h e s e fast-sai l ing cl ipper sh ips cal led for c rew t e a m w o r k . T h e necess i ty for g r o u p act ion led to a n accented work song whose subject m a t t e r w a s some aspec t of t h e life of t h e sai lor a n d whose function w a s to i n s u r e smooth g r o u p act ion. Th i s work song is cal led t h e chan ty . T h e word " c h a n t y " (pronounced, a n d often spelled, " s h a n t y " ) i s sa id to h a v e h a d i t s or ig in in t h e word " c h a n t , " u sed in t h e ea r ly 1800's to d e s i g n a t e nonre l ig ious a n d Neg ro s ing ing .

T h e c h a n t y worked in t h i s way . T h e song w a s ca l led o u t by a lead s inger , t h e c h a n t y m a n . H e s a n g ou t t h e verses a n d se t t h e t e m p o for t h e job a n d t h e m e n joined in on t h e chorus . T h e emphas ized words in t h e chorus w e r e co-ordinated w i t h a pu l l or h e a v e wh ich w a s to accompl ish t h e work . T h e c h a n t i e s w e r e m e a n t to a m u s e a s wel l a s h e l p in t h e w o r k a n d each c h a n t y m a n m a d e u p verses according to h i s i ngenu i ty . H e s a n g abou t sa i l ing , fishing, wa r , love . . . a n y t h i n g a n d everyt h i n g . A r e m e m b e r e d ve r se from one boa t w a s s u n g on a n o t h e r or in t h e t a v e r n s , a n d so t h e s e w o r k songs of t h e sea w e r e passed on a n d changed , showing t h e v i t a l i t y of t h i s k ind of deve lopmen t .

Different r h y t h m s w e r e necessa ry for different k i n d s of sh ipboa rd work , a n d t h e c h a n t i e s c a n be g rouped in t h e following way :

C a p s t a n c h a n t i e s — A sh ip rode to m a n y fa thoms of c h a i n cable , one end of wh ich w a s fas tened to a whee l on t h e deck, t h e caps t an . B a r s could be i n se r t ed in t h e c a p s t a n l ike t h e spokes of a whee l . To r a i s e t h e ancho r t h e m e n would m a n t h e s e spokes a n d s t a r t w a l k i n g a r o u n d a n d a r o u n d , t u r n i n g t h e c a p s t a n w h i c h pul led u p t h e anchor a n d e v e n t u a l l y b r o u g h t i t on to t h e deck. C h a n t i e s for t h i s w o r k w e r e s u n g a t a m o d e r a t e t e m p o su i t ed to t h e slow t u r n i n g of t h e c a p s t a n .

H a l y a r d c h a n t i e s — T h e y a r d s a n d t h e shee t s h a d to b e pu l l ed u p a n d t h e pace a t wh ich t h i s w a s done depended upon

112

w h e t h e r t h e m e n w e r e fresh or w e a r y a n d t h e inc reas ing w e i g h t of t h e pu l l .

P u m p i n g c h a n t i e s — T h e p u m p s u s u a l l y stood a m i d s h i p s , a n d wooden vessels h a d to b e p u m p e d a l i t t l e each d a y . Alm o s t a n y c h a n t y except t h e ve ry s h o r t h a u l could be a d a p t e d t o t h i s work .

S h o r t h a u l c h a n t i e s — A n y work t h a t needed a se r i e s of quick, s h a r p pu l l s used t h i s t ype of song.

P i s h i n g a n d W h a l i n g — F i s h i n g a n d w h a l i n g , N e w Engl a n d occupat ions from t h e ve ry first, con t inued compara t ive ly u n c h a n g e d t h r o u g h t h e first ha l f of t h e n i n e t e e n t h cen tu ry , even t h o u g h t h e boa t s w e n t f a r t h e r afield, t o t h e S o u t h Pacific a n d A l a s k a n w a t e r s . T h e b ig c h a n g e took p l a c e on t h e c l ipper boa t s . After 1820, d u e t o bad condi t ions , t h e b ig sh ips w e r e l a rge ly dese r t ed by n a t i v e A m e r i c a n s w h o found b e t t e r pay a s h o r e o r w e n t wes t . P r e s s g a n g s a n d boa rd ing m a s t e r s r oun d e d u p a l l k i n d s of ja i lb i rds , g r e e n h o r n s from t h e f a rms , a n d d r u n k s , to m a k e u p t h e c rews . T h e sa i lo rs w h o w e n t back y e a r af ter y e a r t o sea , in sp i t e of t h e i l l - t r e a tmen t t h e y received, w e r e k n o w n a s " p a c k e t r a t s . " T h e y w e r e f amous for t h e i r h a r d l iv ing a n d d r u n k e n n e s s , a n d i t w a s t o t h e m t h e c h a n t i e s belonged.

Tough a s w e r e t h e c a p t a i n s of t h e cl ipper sh ips , t h e i r respec t a n d a d m i r a t i o n for t h e i r boa t s w a s unqual i f ied . One , C a p t a i n George Li t t l e , descr ibed h i s c u r r e n t c o m m a n d a s follows: "Once m o r e t h e n , I a m in c o m m a n d of one of t h e most beaut i fu l models of a vessel t h a t ever floated on t h e ocean — I m e a n a B a l t i m o r e Cl ipper schooner , of one h u n d r e d a n d forty t o n s b u r d e n , w i t h propor t ions a s sc rupu lous ly exac t a s if t u r n e d o u t of a mold. T h e w o r k m a n s h i p w a s in a l l r espec t s a s n e a t l y executed a s if i n t e n d e d a s a beaut i fu l spec imen of cab ine t excellence; h e r s p a r s w e r e i n perfect s y m m e t r y of propor t ions w i t h t h e hu l l , a n d s h e s a t u p o n t h e w a t e r l ike t h e seab i rd t h a t s leeps a t ea se on t h e m o u n t a i n bil low. S h e w a s wel l a r m e d a n d well m a n n e d , a n d , l ike some ae r i a l be ing , a s r epo r t h a d i t , would a t m y call ou t s t r i p t h e wind ."

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The Maid of Amsterdam This song, first appearing in 1608 in a London play by Thomas Heywood — "The Rape of Lucrece" — became very popular with colonial sailors.

Steady, in 2

1. In Am-ster-dam there lived a maid, mark you well what I 2. I took this maid out for a walk, mark you well what I

say, in Am-s te r -dam there lived a maid and say, I took this maid out for a walk,

CHORUS:

she was mis-tress of her trade. we had such a love - ly talk. I'll go no more a

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rov - ing with you, fair maid. A - rov - ing, a -

rov - ing, since rov - ing's been my ru - i - in, I'll

go no more a rov - ing with you, fair maid.

3. H e r eyes w e r e b lue , h e r cheeks w e r e b rown, M a r k you well w h a t I say, H e r eyes w e r e b lue , h e r cheeks w e r e brown, H e r h a i r in r i ng l e t s h a n g i n g down. Chorus

4. I took h e r ou t a n d spen t m y pay , M a r k you wel l w h a t I say, I took h e r o u t a n d s p e n t m y pay , A n d t h e n t h i s m a i d e n j u s t faded away . Chorus

115

HIGH BARBAREE Until 1801 America and England paid yearly tribute to the four Barbary states of North Africa for free passage of merchant ships. This song celebrating the fight of the P r i n c e of W a l e s with one of the Barbary pirates was written by Charles Dibdin, writer of songs for the British Navy .

Steady , in 2

1. There were two loft - y ships from_ old Eng-land 2, "A - loft__ there, a - loft!" o u r _ jol-ly boat-swain

came, blow high, blow low, and so_ sailed we; one cried, blow high, blow low, and s o _ sailed we; "look a

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was the Prince of Lu-ther, and the o th -e r , Prince of head, look a - stern,_ look a - weath-er , look a -

Wales, down a - long the coast of High Bar-ba - ree. lee, cruis-ing down the coast of High Bar-ba - ree."

3. " T h e r e ' s n a u g h t upon t h e s t e r n , t h e r e is n a u g h t upon t h e l ee . "

" B u t t h e r e ' s a lofty sh ip to w i n d w a r d , a-sai l ing fast a n d free."

4. " I ' m no t a man-o-war , no r a p r i v a t e e r , " sa id h e , " B u t I a m a sa l t -sea p i r a t e , a-looking for m y p r e y . "

5. Oh , ' twas broads ide to b roads ide a long t i m e we lay, U n t i l t h e P r ince of L u t h e r sho t t h e P i r a t e ' s m a s t s a w a y .

6. " O h , mercy , oh, mercy , " those p i r a t e s t h e n d id cry, B u t t h e mercy t h a t we g a v e t h e m — w e s u n k t h e m in t h e sea .

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THE PIRATE SONG A picture of the romantic gentleman pirate, such as Lafitte of New Orleans, written in a sentimental mood.

W a l t z

1. My boat's by the tow-er, and my bark's on the bay, and 2. For -g ive my rough mood u n - a c - cus-tomed to sue; I

both must be gone a t the dawn of the day. The woo not, per-haps, as your land-lub - bers do. My

moon's in her shroud, and to light thee a - far on the voice is at - tuned to the sound of the gun that

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deck of the dar-ing's a love-light - ed star. star-tles the deep when the com-bat's be - gun. So,

CHORUS:

wake, la - dy, wake, I am wait-ing for thee, oh, this night or

nev - er my bride thou shalt be, so, bride thou shalt be,

3. T h e F r e n c h m a n a n d Don wil l flee from ou r p a t h , A n d t h e E n g l i s h m a n cower be low a t ou r w r a t h , A n d o u r sa i l s sha l l be g i l t i n t h e gold of t h e day , A n d t h e s e a rob ins s i ng a s w e rol l on ou r w a y . Chorus

4. A h u n d r e d sha l l se rve — t h e b e s t of t h e b r a v e — A n d t h e chief of a t h o u s a n d s h a l l k n e e l a s t h y s lave , A n d t h o u s h a l t r e i g n queen , a n d t h y e m p i r e sha l l l a s t T i l l t h e b lack flag b y inches is t o r n from t h e m a s t . Chorus

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THE CONSTITUTION AND THE GUERRIERE

Free in delivery

1. It oft - times has been told that the 2. The Guer - riere, a frig - ate bold, on the 3. When this frig - ate hove in view, says proud

Brit - ish sea - men bold could flog the tars of foam - y o - cean rolled, com - mand - ed by proud

Da - cres to his crew, "Come, clear the ship for

France so neat and hand-y, oh! But they nev-er found their Da - cres the gran-dee,oh! With as choice a Brit - ish ac-tion and be hand-y, oh! To the weath-er gauge, boys,

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match till the Yan-kees they did catch, oh the crew as a ram-mer ev - er drew, they could get her," and to make his men fight bet-ter, gave

Yan-kee boys for fight-ing are the dan-dy, oh! flog the French-men two to one so hand-y , oh!, them to drink gun - pow - der mixed with bran-dy, oh!

4. The British shot flew hot, Which the Yankees answered not, Till they got within the distance They called handy, oh! Now says Hull unto his crew, "Boys, let's see what we can do, If we take these boasting Britons We're the dandy, oh!"

5. Then the first broadside we poured Carried their mainmast by the board, Which made this lofty frigate Look abandoned, oh! Then Dacres shook his head And to his officers said, "Lord, I didn't think those Yankees Were so handy, oh!"

6. Our second told so well That their fore and mizzen fell, Which doused the royal ensign Neat and handy, oh! "By George," says he, "We're done! And they fired a lee gun, While the Yankees struck up Yankee Doodle Dandy, oh!

7. Then Dacres came on board To deliver up his sword, Loath was he to part with it, It was so handy, oh! "Oh, keep your sword," says Hull, "Why it only makes you dull. Cheer up, let's have a little Bit of brandy, oh!"

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The Hornet and the Peacock

The victory of the American H o r n e t over the British Peacock greatly cheered an American public, gloomy after many land reverses. Later the H o r n e t barely got away from the 74-gun Cornwal l i s by throwing overboard all guns, lifeboats and other movable objects. Thus they escaped the feared British prisons.

W i t h c o m m a n d (free i n del ivery)

1. Ye Dem-os, a t - t end , and ye F e d - e r - a l s , too: I'll CHO. "Sing hub-ber, O bub-ber, cried old Gran-ny Weal, " the

2. This bird it was bred in the land of King George, her 3. King George then says,"To A - mer- i - ca go; the

sing you a song that you all know is true, con -H o r - n e t can tick - le the Bri t - ish bird's tail! Her

feath- ers were fine and her tail ver - y large: she H o r - n e t , the Wasp, is the B r i t - i s h king's foe: Pick them

cern -ing the Hor-net , true stuff, I'll be bail, that stings are all sharp, and they'll pierce with-out fail; suc -

spread forth her wings, like a ship in full sail, and up, my dear bird, spread your wings to the gale." "But be-

rum-pled the Pea-cock and low-ered her tail. cess to our na - vy!" cried old Gran - ny Weal. prid - ed her - self in the size of her tail, (repeat Cho.) ware of these in-sects," cries old Gran-ny Weal, (repeat Cho.)

4. Away flew this bird at the word of command, Her flight was directed to freedom's own land; The Hornet discovered her wings on the sail, And quickly determined to tickle her tail. Chorus

5. So at it they went, it was both pick and stick, The Hornet still working keen under her wing; "American insects," quoth she, "I'll be bail, Will humble the king bird and tickle her tail." Chorus

6. The Peacock now mortally under her wing Did feel the full force of the Hornet's sharp sting; She flattened her crest like a shoal on the whale, Sunk down by her side and lower'd her tail. Chorus

7. Success to brave Lawrence, who well knew the nest Where the Hornet and Wasp with honor still rest. We'll send them a force, and with skill, I'll be bail, Will humble King George and tickle his tail. Chorus

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YE PARLIAMENTS OF ENGLAND Here is a nice summary of American hopes in mid-war. Perry recouped American losses on Lake Erie and, as in the last stanza, the writer still thought we might get Canada. This was before Napoleon's capture freed British forces for American fighting.

I n 2, l ike a m a r c h

1. Ye par- l ia-ments of Eng-land, ye Lords and Com-mons, 2. You first con-fined our com-merce: you said our ships shan't

too, con - sid - er well what you're a - bout, and trade, _ and then im- pressed our sea men, and

what you're goin' to do: you're now at war with used them as your slaves; _ you then in - sult - ed

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Y a n - k e e s , and I'm sure you'll rue the day you Rodg - ers while sail - ing on the main ,— and

roused the sons of Lib - er - ty in North A - mer - i - cay had we not de - clar - èd war, you'd done it o'er a - gain.

3. You t h o u g h t ou r fr igates w e r e b u t few, a n d Y a n k e e s could no t fight,

Un t i l b r a v e H u l l your Gue r r i è r e took a n d b a n i s h e d h e r from s ight .

You ' re now a t w a r w i t h Yankees ; I 'm s u r e you ' l l r u e t h e day

You roused t h e sons of l iber ty in N o r t h Amer i cay .

4. G r a n t u s free t r a d e a n d commerce , don ' t you impress ou r men ,

Give u p all c l a im to C a n a d a , t h e n we ' l l m a k e peace aga in . T h e n , Eng land , we' l l respect you, a n d t r e a t you as a friend. Respect our flag a n d ci t izens, t h e n al l t h e s e w a r s will end.

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THE PATRIOTIC DIGGERS

A war song by Samuel Woodward, composer of "The Old Oaken Bucket."

Medium, in 2

1. En - e-mies, be - ware, keep a prop-er dis-tance, To pro-tect our rights 'gainst your flint and trig-gers

2. Schol-ars leave their schools with pa - tri - ot - ic teach-ers, Bright A - pol-lo's sons leave their pipe and t a - b o r ,

else we'll make you stare a t our firm re - sis-tance; see on yon-der heights our p a - t r i - o t - ic dig-gers.

farm-ers seize their tools, head-ed by their preach-ers, mid the roar of guns join the mar-tial la - bor,

let a - lone the lads who are free-dom tast-ing, Men of ev - ' r y age, col - or, rank, pro - fes-sion, how they break the soil — brew-ers, butchers, bak-ers —

round the em-bat-tled plain in sweet con-cord r a l - l y ,

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don't for-get , our dads gave you once a bast- ing. ar - dent - ly en - gaged, la - bor in suc - ces - sion,

here the doc-tors toil, there the u n - d e r - t a k - e r s . and in free-dom's strain sing the foe's fi - na - le.

CHORUS:

Pick-axe, shov- el, spade, crow-bar, hoe, and bar-row,

better not in - vade, Yan-kees have the mar-row.

3. B e t t e r no t invade , don ' t forget t h e sp i r i t W h i c h o u r dads d i sp layed a n d t h e i r sons i n h e r i t . If you s t i l l advance , friendly cau t ion s l igh t ing , You m a y g e t b y chance a bellyful of fighting! P l u m b e r s , founders , dye r s , t i n m e n , t u r n e r s , s h a v e r s , Sweepers , c le rks , a n d cr iers , j ewele rs a n d e n g r a v e r s , C lo th ie rs , d r a p e r s , p l aye r s , c a r t m e n , h a t t e r s , t a i lo rs , G a u g e r s , s ea le r s , we ighe r s , c a r p e n t e r s a n d sai lors! Chorus

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MISS BAILEY'S G H O S T Steady in 2

1. A cap-tain bold in Hal - i - fax, who dwelt in coun- t ry 2. One night, be-times he went to bed, for he had caught a

quar-ters, se - duced a maid who hanged her - self one fe - ver, said he, " I am a hand-some man and

morn-ing in her gar-ters. — His wicked con-science I'm a gay de - ceiv-er." ~ His can - dle just a t

s m i t - e d him, he lost his stom-ach da i - ly , he twelve o'- clock be - gan to burn quite p a l e - l y , - — a

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took to drink-ing tur-pen-tine and thought up - on Miss Bai-ley._ ghost stepped up to his bed-side and said, "Be - hold! Miss Bai-ley."_

CHORUS:

Oh, Miss Bai-ley, un - for-tun-ate Miss Bai-ley, Bai-ley.

3. " A v a u n t , Miss Ba i l ey , " t h e n h e cried, "you c a n ' t affright m e r ea l ly . "

" D e a r C a p t a i n S m i t h , " t h e ghos t repl ied , "you 've used m e ungen tee l ly .

T h e Coroner ' s q u e s t w a s h a r d w i t h m e because I 've ac ted frailly,

A n d p a r s o n Biggs w o n ' t b u r y m e t h o u g h I 'm a dead Miss Ba i l ey . " Chorus

4. " D e a r M a ' a m , " s a id he , " s ince you a n d I accounts m u s t once for a l l close,

I h a v e a one-pound no te i n m y r e g i m e n t a l s m a l l c lo thes . 'Twil l b r ibe t h e Sex ton for y o u r g r a v e . " T h e ghos t

t h e n v a n i s h e d gai ly , Cry ing , "Bless you wicked C a p t a i n S m i t h , r e m e m b e r

poor Miss Ba i l ey . " Chorus

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BLOW THE MAN DOWN This is the classic topsail halyard chanty. The Black Ball line of which it speaks was founded by a group of Quakers in 1818, and was the first line to take passengers on regular scheduled sailings. These ships soon became famous for quick passages, fighting mates, and the way in which both ship and crew were driven. The use of fists, belaying pins, and flogging was common, and the packets got the name of "Red Hot Blood Ships." "Kicking Jack" Williams was an actual captain of the day.

W a l t z

1. Come all ye young fel - lows that fol - low the 2. I 'm a deep w a - t e r s a i l - o r just in from Hong

sea, to my way haye, blow the man down, and Kong, to my way haye, blow the man down, if you'll

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pray, pay at - ten-t ion and l i s - t en to me, give me some grog,— I'll sing you a song,

give me some time to blow the man down, give me some time to blow the man down.

3. T w a s on a Black Ba l le r I first served m y t i m e , An d on t h a t Black Ba l l e r I was t ed m y p r i m e .

4. 'Tis w h e n a Black Ba l l e r ' s p r e p a r i n g for s e a You 'd spl i t your s ides l a u g h i n g a t s i gh t s t h a t you see .

5. W i t h t i n k e r s a n d ta i lo rs a n d soljers a n d a l l T h a t sh ip for p r i m e s e a m e n on board a Black Ba l l .

6. 'Tis w h e n a B lack Ba l l e r is c lear of t h e l and , O u r Boa t swa in t h e n g ives u s t h e word of c o m m a n d .

7. " L a y af t ," is t h e cry, " t o t h e b r e a k of t h e Poop! Or I ' l l he lp you a long w i t h t h e toe of m y boot!"

8. 'Tis l a rboa rd a n d s t a r b o a r d on t h e deck you wil l sp rawl , For " K i c k i n g J a c k " W i l l i a m s c o m m a n d s t h e B lack Ba l l .

9. P a y a t t e n t i o n to o rders , now you one a n d a l l , Fo r r i g h t t h e r e above you flies t h e B lack Ba l l .

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AWAY, RIO A capstan chanty; referring to the South American trade.

W a l t z

1. The an-chor is weigh'd, and the sails they are set. A-way_ 2. So it 's pack up your don-key and get u n - d e r way. A-way_ 3. We've a jol - ly good ship and a jol - ly good crew. A-way_ 4. We'll sing as we heave to the maid-ens we leave. A-way_ 5. Heave with a will, and heave long and strong. A - way_ 6. The chains up and down now, the bo - sun did say, A - way_

Ri-o The maids we are leav-ing we'll nev - er for-get, Ri-o The girls we are leav-ing can take half our pay, Ri-o A jol - ly good mate and a good skip-per too, Ri-o And you who are lis - ten-ing, good-bye to you, Ri-o Sing the good chor-us, for 'tis a good song, Ri-o Heave up the hawse-pipe, the an-chors a-weigh,

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and we're bound for the Ri-o_ Grande, and a - way

Ri-o, a - way

Ri-o, we're bound_ a - way on this ver-y

day, yes, we're bound for the R i - o — Grande.

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SHENANDOAH A short haul chanty.

Slow, free i n de l ive ry

1. The old Miz-zoo, she's a might-y river. 2. The white man loved an In - dian maiden.

'Way you roll - ing riv-er! The 'Way you roll - ing riv-er! With

In - dians camp a- long her bor-der. no - tions his ca-noe was la-den. A

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way we're bound, a - way, 'cross the

wide Mis-sou-ri.

3. Oh , S h e n a n d o a h , I love your d a u g h t e r , I ' l l t a k e h e r 'cross your ro l l ing w a t e r .

4. T h e Chief d i sda ined t h e t r a d e r ' s dol lars , M y d a u g h t e r you sha l l n e v e r follow.

5. A t l as t t h e r e c a m e a Y a n k e e sk ipper , H e w i n k e d h i s eye a n d h e t ipped h i s f l ipper .

6. H e sold t h e chief t h a t firewater, A n d 'cross t h a t r i v e r h e s tole h i s d a u g h t e r .

7. F a r e you well , I ' m bound to l eave you, O h S h e n a n d o a h I ' l l no t deceive you.

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The Drunken Sailor

A capstan chanty. On the words " W a y Hay and Up She R ises , " the men would stamp loudly on the decks. This led to a whole category of songs known as "stamp and go" chanties.

Brigh t , in 2

Way, hay, up she ris - es, Way, hay, up she ris - es,

Way, hay, up she ris - es ear-lye in the morn-ing!

1. What will we do with the d runk -en sail - or? 2. Put him in the scup-pers with the hose pipe on him,

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What will we do with the drunk - en sail - or? put him in the scup-pers with the hose pipe on him,

What will we do with the drunk - en sail - or put him in the scup-pers with the hose pipe on him.

ear - lye in the morn - ing? ear - lye in the morn - ing!

3. Hois t h i m a b o a r d w i t h a r u n n i n g bowl ine .

4. P u t h i m in t h e b r ig u n t i l h e ' s sober.

5. M a k e h i m t u r n to a t s h i n i n g b r i g h t work .

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H U L L A B A L O O BELAY Shallo Brown was a notorious boarding-house keeper. He lodged sailors, taking three m o n t h s ' pay in advance and working as agent to provide forced crews. Back afloat, the sailors called the first three months "working off the dead horse."

Easygoing , i n 2

1. My moth - er kept a board - ing house, 2. A fresh young fel-low named Shal - lo Brown,

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Hul - la ba - loo, be - lay; Hul - l a - ba-loo, bal -Hul - la ba- loo, be - lay; Hu l - l a - ba-loo, bal -

la, be - lay, and all the board - ers were la, be - lay, fol-low'd my moth - er all

out to sea, Hul - la - ba - loo,_ be - lay. 'round the town, Hul- la - ba - loo,_ be - lay.

3. One d a y w h e n f a the r w a s on t h e c rown M e m o t h e r r a n off w i t h Sha l lo Brown .

4. M e fa the r s ays , " Y o u n g m a n , m e b ' y , " To which I qu ick ly m a d e reply ,

5. M e fa ther s lowly p ined away , Because m e m o t h e r c a m e back t h e n e x t day .

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Haul Away Joe A short haul chanty.

H a u n t i n g l y

1. When I was a lit-tle lad_ and so my moth-er told 2. Lou-is was the King of France be-fore the Re-vo - lu -3. cook is in the gal - ley mak-ing duff so hand -

m e , — way, haul a - way, we'll haul a - way Joe, that t ion,— way, haul a - way, we'll haul a - way Joe. King y, way, haul a - way, we'll haul a - way Joe, and the

if I did not kiss a gal my lips would grow all Lou - is got his head cut off which spoiled his con - sti -cap-tain's in his ca - bin dr ink- in ' wine and

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mold - y. tu - tion.

bran - dy. Way, haul a- way, we'll haul a-way Joe.

CHORUS:

Way, haul a - way, we'll haul for bet-ter weath

er, way, haul a-way, we'll haul a-way Joe.2. King 3.Oh, the

Joe.

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S A C R A M E N T O A chanty based on Stephen Foster's minstrel song, "Camp Town Races ."

Comfortable , in 2

1. Sing and heave, and heave and sing, doo da, 2. Round Cape Horn in the months of snow, doo da,

doo da, heave and make the hand spikes ring, hoo, doo da doo da, if we get there no one knows, hoo, doo da

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CHORUS:

day. Then blow the winds, hi ho, for

Cal - i - for - ni - o, for there's plen-ty of gold, so

I've been told, on the banks of the Sa- cra - men- to .

3. A bu l ly s h i p a n d a bu l ly crew, A bu l ly m a t e a n d a cap ta in too. Chorus

4. F r o m L i m e h o u s e Docks to S idney H e a d W a s neve r m o r e t h a n seven ty days . Chorus

5. W e cracked i t on, a b ig s k i u t e , A n d t h e old m a n felt l ike a swel l galoot . Chorus

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R O L L I N G H O M E A forecastle song and capstan chanty.

Steady, w i t h feeling

1. Up a loft, a - mid the r ig-g ing swift-ly 2. Now, it takes all hands to man the cap-stan, Mis-ter, 3. Full ten thous and miles be - hind us, and a

blows the fa-v ' r ing gale, strong as spring-time in its see your c a - b l e s clear! Soon you'll be sail - ing home-ward

thous - and miles be - fore, an-cient o - cean waves to

blos - som, fill-ing out each bend-ing sail, and_ the_ bound, sir, and for the chan - nel you will steer. See_ your_ waft us to the well - re-mem-bered shore. New-born

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waves we leave be-hind us seem to mur-mur as they rise: we have sheets and crew-lines free. sir, all your bunt- lines o - ver-hauled; are the breez-es swell to send us to our child-hood wel-come skies, to the

tar - ried here to bear you to the land you dear-ly prize, sheer-poles and gear all read - y? Soon for New Eng-land we will steer. glow of friend-ly fac-es and the glance of lov-ing eyes.

CHORUS:

Roll- ing_ home, roll - ing home, roll-ing home, a-cross the sea, roll-ing

home to dear old Eng-land, roll-ing home dear_ land r to thee.

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Blow Ye Winds A forecastle song about whaling ships and their crews.

Comfortable, in 2

1. 'Tis ad-ver-t ised in Bo- ston, New York and Buf-fa -2. They send you to New Bed-ford, a fa-mous whal-ing

lo, five hun-dred brave A m e r - i - cans a -port, and give you to some land - sharks to

CHORUS:

whaling for to go, board and fit you out, s inging: Blow, ye winds, in the

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morn - ing, blow, ye winds, heig - ho,

haul a - way your run-ning gear, and blow; ye winds, heig-ho.

3. T h e y te l l you of t h e cl ipper-ships a - r u n n i n g i n a n d out , A n d say you ' l l t a k e five h u n d r e d s p e r m before y o u ' r e

six m o n t h s out , s i ng ing Chorus

4. A nd now w e ' r e o u t to sea , m y boys, t h e wind comes on to blow;

O n e hal f t h e w a t c h i s s ick on deck, t h e o t h e r ha l f below, s ing ing Chorus

5. T h e Sk ippe r ' s on t h e q u a r t e r d e c k a -squin t in ' a t t h e sa i l s , W h e n u p above t h e lookout s igh t s a m i g h t y school

of wha l e s , s i ng ing Chorus

6. T h e n lower down t h e boa t s , m y boys, a n d af ter h i m we ' l l t r ave l ,

B u t if you ge t too n e a r h i s fluke he ' l l k ick you to t h e devil , s ing ing Chorus

7. An d now t h a t h e is ours , m y boys, we ' l l tow h i m alongside;

T h e n over w i t h our b lubber-hooks a n d rob h i m of h i s h ide , s i ng ing Chorus

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THE W H A L E

Definite, in 4

1. It was in the year_ of _ for - ty - four, in 2. And when we came_to__ far Green-land, to

March, the sec - ond day, that our Green - land cold we came, where

gal - lant_ ship her an - chors weighed, and for there i s — frost and there— is snow, and the

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sea they bore— a way, brave boys, and for might - y whale - fish-es blow, brave boys, and the

sea they bore a way, might y whale fish - es blow.

3. O u r b o s u n w e n t t o t o p m a s t h i g h W i t h h i s s p y g l a s s i n h i s h a n d . " T h e r e ' s a w h a l e ! T h e r e ' s a w h a l e ! T h e r e ' s

a w h a l e f i s h , " h e c r i e d , " A n d s h e b l o w s a t e v e r y s p a n , b r a v e b o y s , A n d s h e b l o w s a t e v e r y s p a n . "

4 . O u r c a p t a i n s t o o d o n t h e q u a r t e r d e c k , A n d a b r a v e l i t t l e m a n w a s h e , " O v e r h a u l , o v e r h a u l , o n y o u r d a v i t t a c k l e s f a l l ,

A n d l a u n c h y o u r b o a t s fo r s e a , b r a v e b o y s , A n d l a u n c h y o u r b o a t s for s e a . "

5. W e s t r u c k t h e w h a l e , a n d a w a y w e w e n t , A n d h e l a s h e d o u t w i t h h i s t a i l . A n d w e l o s t t h e b o a t a n d f ive g o o d m e n , A n d w e n e v e r g o t t h a t w h a l e , b r a v e b o y s , A n d w e n e ' e r d i d g e t t h a t d a r n w h a l e .

6. O h G r e e n l a n d i s a n a w f u l p l a c e W h e r e t h e d a y l i g h t ' s s e l d o m s e e n , W h e r e t h e r e i s f r o s t a n d t h e r e i s s n o w , A n d t h e m i g h t y w h a l e f i s h e s b l o w , b r a v e b o y s , A n d t h e m i g h t y w h a l e f i s h e s b l o w .

S o n g of t h e F i s h e s A forecastle fishing song.

W a l t z , s t e a d y r h y t h m

1. Come all ye bold Fish-er-men, lis-ten to me, I'll 2. First comes the blue fish a wag-ging his tail, he

sing you a song of the fish in the sea. comes up on deck and yells: "All hands make sail!" So

CHORUS:

blow, ye winds, w e s - t e r - l y , wes - ter - ly blow,_ we're

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bound— to the south-ward, so s t e a d - y we go.

3. N e x t come t h e eels w i t h the i r n imb le t a i l s , T h e y j u m p e d u p aloft a n d loosed a l l t h e sa i l s .

4. N e x t come t h e h e r r i n g s w i t h t h e i r l i t t le t a i l s , T h e y m a n n e d s h e e t s a n d h a l y a r d s a n d se t a l l t h e sa i l s .

5. N e x t comes t h e porpoise w i t h h i s s h o r t snou t , H e j u m p s on t h e b r idge a n d yel l s : "Ready , abou t !"

6. N e x t comes t h e swordfish, t h e scourge of t h e sea , T h e o rde r h e g ives is : " H e l m ' s a-lee!"

7. T h e n comes t h e tu rbo t , a s red a s a bee t , H e s h o u t s from t h e b r idge : "S t i ck o u t t h a t foresheet!"

8. H a v i n g accompl ished t h e s e wonderful feats , T h e blackfish s ings o u t n e x t to : "Ri se t a c k s a n d shee t s ! "

9. N e x t comes t h e w h a l e , t h e l a rges t of a l l , S i n g i n g o u t from t h e b r idge : " H a u l t a u t , m a i n s a i l , h a u l ! "

10. T h e n comes t h e m a c k e r e l w i t h h i s s t r iped back , H e flopped on t h e b r idge a n d yel led: " B o a r d t h e m a i n tack!"

11. N e x t comes t h e sp ra t , t h e s m a l l e s t of a l l , H e s ings out : " H a u l wel l t a u t , l e t go a n d haul !"

12. T h e n comes t h e catfish w i t h h i s chuck lehead , O u t i n t h e m a i n c h a i n s for a h e a v e of t h e lead .

13. A long comes t h e dolphin , flapping h i s t a i l , H e yel led t o t h e boa t swa in to reef t h e foresail .

14. Along c a m e t h e s h a r k w i t h h i s t h r e e rows of t e e t h , H e flops on t h e foreyard a n d t a k e s a s n u g reef.

15. U p j u m p s t h e fisherman, s t a l w a r t a n d g r i m , A n d w i t h h i s b ig n e t h e scoops t h e m a l l i n .

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T h e Dreadnought Steady

1. There's a sau - cy wild pack - et, and a pack-et of 2. The time of her sail - ing is now draw-ing

fame; she be - longs to New York, and The nigh; fare - well, pret - ty May, I must

Dread-nought's her name; she is bound to the bid you good - bye; fare - well to old

west - ward where the storm - y winds blow; bound a -Eng - land and all there we hold dear, bound a -

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way in the Dread-nought, to the west- 'ard we'll go. way in the Dread-nought, to the west-'ard we'll steer.

3. Oh , t h e D r e a d n o u g h t is pu l l i ng o u t of W a t e r l o c k dock W h e r e t h e boys a n d t h e g i r l s to t h e p i e r h e a d s do flock; T h e y wi l l g ive u s t h r e e chee r s w h i l e t h e i r t e a r s do flow, S a y i n g , "God b less t h e D r e a d n o u g h t , w h e r e ' e r s h e m a y go!"

4. Oh , t h e D r e a d n o u g h t ' s a-bowlin ' down t h e wi ld I r i s h Sea W h e r e t h e p a s s e n g e r s a r e m e r r y , t h e i r h e a r t s full of g lee , W h i l e h e r sa i lors l ike l ions w a l k t h e decks to a n d fro, She ' s t h e Liverpool packe t , oh, Lord, le t h e r go!

5. Oh , t h e D r e a d n o u g h t ' s a-sai l in ' t h e A t l a n t i c so wide , W h i l e t h e d a r k , h e a v y seas roll a long h e r b lack s ides , W i t h h e r sa i l s n e a t l y sp read a n d t h e Red Cross to show, S h e ' s t h e Liverpool packe t , oh, Lord, le t h e r go!

6. Oh , t h e D r e a d n o u g h t ' s beca lmed on t h e b a n k s of Newfound land

W h e r e t h e w a t e r ' s so g r e e n a n d t h e bo t tom is sand ; W h e r e t h e fish of t h e ocean s w i m r o u n d to a n d fro, S h e ' s t h e Liverpool packe t , oh , Lord, l e t h e r go!

7. Oh, t h e D r e a d n o u g h t ' s a r r i v e d in A m e r i c a once more , W e ' l l go a shore , s h i p m a t e s , on t h e l a n d w e adore , See our wives a n d our s w e e t h e a r t s , be m e r r y a n d free D r i n k a h e a l t h to t h e D r e a d n o u g h t , whe re soe ' e r s h e m a y be .

8. H e r e ' s a h e a l t h to t h e D r e a d n o u g h t , a n d to a l l h e r b r a v e crew

H e r e ' s a h e a l t h to h e r c a p t a i n a n d officers, too T a l k a b o u t y o u r flash p a c k e t s , Swal low Ta i l a n d Black Bal l , B u t t h e D r e a d n o u g h t ' s t h e c l ipper to b e a t one a n d a l l .

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THE CROCODILE SONG A tall tale of the sea, set to an old Irish tune.

Comfortable , in 2

1. Come, list ye, lands-men, all to me, to tell the truth I'm Ship-wrecked I was one sap-py rouse, and cast all on the

2. Oh! I had not long walked a-bout when close a-long-side the While steer-ing close be-side the thing, I saw it was a

bound. What hap-pened to me by shore, so I re - solved to o - cean,— 'twas there — I saw

croc - o - dile, from the end of his nose to the

go-ing to the sea, and the won - ders that I found, take a trip the coun - try to ex - plore. some - thing move like all the earth in mo-tion. tip of his tail he meas-ured five hun-dred mile.

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CHORUS:

To my ri too-ral loo-ral lay, to my ri too-ral lay, to

my ri too-ral lid-dle lol de fol, to my ri too-ral lay.

3. This crocodile, I could plainly see, Was none of the common race, For I had to climb a very tall tree Before I could see his face. Up above the wind was high, It blew such a hard gale from

the south That I let go my hold, you see, And fell into the crocodile's mouth. Chorus: To my ri too-ra loo-ra lay, To my ri too-ra lay, To my ri too-ra liddle lol li fol, To my ri too-ra lay.

4. He quickly closed his jaws on me, He thought to nab a victim; But I slipped down his throat,

you see, That's the way I tricked him. Chorus

5. I traveled on for a year or two, Till I got into his maw, And there were rum cakes not

a few And a thousand pullets in store. Right then I banished all my cares, For grub I was not stinted; And in this crocodile I lived

ten years, Right very well contented Chorus

6. This crocodile being very old At last at length he died, He was six months in catching

cold, He was so long and wide. His skin was ten mile thick,

I think, Or very near about; For I was fully six months or so In a-digging my way out. Chorus

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RELIGIOUS, PROFESSIONAL AND FOLK SINGING

1800-1850

After t h e Revo lu t iona ry W a r a g rowing n u m b e r of songs w e r e composed i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s : a n o n y m o u s ba l l ads , h y m n s , a n d professional songs for t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t field. These songs w e r e t a k e n u p by t h e people a n d s u n g a p a r t from a n y p r i n t e d copies so t h a t t h e i m a g i n a t i o n a n d m e m o r y of t h e s i n g e r s worked on t h e songs to develop t h e m i n t o A m e r i c a n folk songs .

R e l i g i o u s Folk Songs — T h e r e w a s a major r ev iva l i n h y m n s ing ing af ter 1800 a n d g r e a t c r ea t ive e n e r g y w e n t i n to t h e w r i t i n g a n d s i ng ing of n e w h y m n s . M a n y books of songs , h y m n s , a n d sp i r i t ua l s w e r e pub l i shed , composed by such m e n a s I s a a c W a t t s a n d Lowell M a s o n i n t h e field of t r a d i t i o n a l c h u r c h mus ic . I n t h e less formal field of open c h u r c h m e e t i n g s , w h i c h so qu ick ly b e c a m e a p a r t of f ront ier a n d s o u t h e r n life, S i n g i n g Bi l ly W a l k e r b e c a m e t h e i m p o r t a n t composer .

S ing ing Billy, born a W e l s h m a n , pub l i shed in 1835 a book cal led " T h e S o u t h e r n H a r m o n y a n d Mus ica l Compan ion , " con t a in ing 334 songs . Mos t of t h e s e songs w e r e w r i t t e n in a m i n o r mode . T h e y w e r e t h e songs t h a t t h e colored s l aves w e r e t a u g h t by t h e i r s o u t h e r n m a s t e r s , a n d t h e y b e c a m e t h e bas i s , i t i s bel ieved, for t h e N e g r o sp i r i t ua l . S ing ing Bi l ly ' s book w a s t h e one used b y t h e i t i n e r a n t r ev iva l p r eache r s .

Lowell M a s o n of Boston — c a r r y i n g on t h e t r a d i t i o n of W i l l i a m Bi l l ings i n t h e field of h y m n s a n d re l ig ious songs — w a s i n s t r o n g c o n t r a s t to t h e r ev iva l i s t g roups . H e pub l i shed m a n y collections of mus ic , m a d e t r a n s l a t i o n s a n d p u t o r i g ina l t e x t s to old mus ic , a s wel l a s composing m a n y o r ig ina l melo-

156

dies of h i s own. H e is ind i rec t ly respons ib le for t h e w r i t i n g of t h e pa t r io t i c h y m n " A m e r i c a . " H e gave some G e r m a n m u s i c books to t h e Reve rend S m i t h , w h o became e n t h u s i a s t i c over a melody a n d w r o t e t h e words w e now s ing, no t r ea l i z ing t h a t t h e melody h a d a l r eady b e e n chosen by t h e B r i t i s h a s t h e i r n a t i o n a l a n t h e m .

S o n g s from t h e E n t e r t a i n m e n t F i e l d s — After t h e W a r of 1812 professional A m e r i c a n songwr i t e r s b e g a n to flourish. T h e r e w a s S a m u e l W o o d w o r t h who wro te t h e popu la r " H u n t e r s of K e n t u c k y " a n d m a n y o the r songs dea l ing w i t h t h e W a r of 1812. H e wro te seve ra l songs ce leb ra t ing t h e A m e r i c a n vis i t of La faye t t e i n 1824 a n d is p a r t i c u l a r l y wel l k n o w n for such successes a s " T h e Deep T a n g l e d Wi ldwood" a n d " T h e Old O a k e n B u c k e t . "

A n o t h e r professional songwr i t e r w a s t h e E n g l i s h m a n H e n r y Russe l l , who c a m e to t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a s a t o u r i n g concer t s inger a n d r e m a i n e d a s f i r s t o rgan i s t of t h e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h of Roches ter , N e w York. H i s mos t famous songs a r e " W o o d m a n , S p a r e t h a t T r e e , " " T h e Old A r m C h a i r , " a n d "Life on t h e Ocean W a v e . "

T h e mos t prolific a n d popu la r songwr i t e r s of t h e n e x t gene ra t ion , 1830-1850, w e r e H e n r y Clay W o r k , George Root, a n d S t e p h e n Fos te r . The i r m u s i c w a s pub l i shed as shee t m u s i c a n d widely s u n g on t h e v a r i e t y a n d concert s t ages . T h e r e w e r e , of course , o the r songwr i t e r s who ga ined popu la r i t y a n d w r o t e such successes a s " W e W o n ' t Go H o m e U n t i l M o r n i n g , " "Rocked i n t h e Crad le of t h e D e e p , " " T h e H a r d Cider Quick S t e p , " "S top T h a t K n o c k i n g a t M y Door" a n d " T h e Old G u m T r e e , " to n a m e b u t a few t h a t we s t i l l s ing .

Bes ides t h e concer t a r t i s t s w h o t r ave l ed t h e coun t ry a n d popular ized t h e s e songs, t h e r e w e r e a cons iderab le n u m b e r of famil ies w h o t r ave l ed t o g e t h e r a s t roupes . Two of t h e m o s t famous w e r e t h e H u t c h i n s o n a n d t h e B a k e r famil ies . T h e i r family p r o g r a m s included solos, ensembles , a n d bo th vocal a n d i n s t r u m e n t a l pieces . Typica l of t h e r epe r to i r e of t h e H u t c h i n son fami ly w e r e " T h e Old G r a n i t e S t a t e , " " T h e Bache lo r ' s L a m e n t , " " M y M o t h e r ' s B ib le , " " M a n t h e Life B o a t , " a n d " T h e Sp ide r a n d t h e F l y . "

F r o m t h e 1830's on , t h e vaudev i l l e s t a g e e x p a n d e d rap id ly ,

157

f e a t u r i n g comic songs on eve ry k i n d of subject m a t t e r . T h e r e w e r e " N e w York, O h W h a t a C h a r m i n g Ci ty , " " B u y a B r o o m , " " T h e Cork L e g , " " T h e M o n k e y ' s W e d d i n g " ( "The M o n k e y M a r r i e d t h e Baboon ' s S i s t e r " ) , " T h e P e s k y S a r p i n t , " a n d "Springf ie ld M o u n t a i n . " Bobbie B u r n s ' songs a n d Dibd in ' s " S e a S o n g s " found t h e i r p lace too on t h e va r i e ty s t a g e , a n d from t h e r e w e n t in to t h e h o m e s a n d across c o u n t r y w i t h t h e p ionee r s .

T h e m o s t famous a n d be s t - r emembered songs , however , come from t h e m i n s t r e l shows t h a t b e c a m e so popu la r af ter 1832. T h o m a s (Daddy) Rice w a s ac tua l ly t h e first t o s t a r t t h e black-faced t r a d i t i o n w h e n h e a u g m e n t e d h i s v a r i e t y ac t b y i m p e r s o n a t i n g a N e g r o s inge r h e h a d observed on t h e s t r ee t . H e c h a n g e d t h e song h e took from t h e N e g r o in to a song a n d d a n c e cal led " J u m p , J i m Crow," w h i c h ach ieved t r e m e n d o u s popu la r i ty . T h i s led t o N e g r o cha rac t e r i za t ions b y Rice a n d o t h e r s a n d to m a n y songs i n N e g r o dia lect .

I n 1843, four of t h e g r e a t e s t of t h e black-faced p l a y e r s combined a s t h e V i r g i n i a M i n s t r e l s a n d w e n t to N e w York w i t h n e w i n s t r u m e n t a l a n d vocal effects t h a t m a d e a s ensa t i on a t t h e i r d e b u t a t t h e Bowery A m p h i t h e a t r e . T h e r e w a s D a n E m m e t t w h o p layed t h e fiddle, Bi l ly W h i t l o c k w h o p l a y e d t h e banjo, F r a n k Brower w h o c lacked bones a t o n e end , a n d Dick P e l h a m w h o used a t a m b o u r i n e a t t h e o the r . T h e i r fas t -moving p r o g r a m of songs , jokes , dances , a n d i n s t r u m e n t a l spec ia l t i es w i t h t h e u s e of M r . Bones a n d M r . T a m b o u r i n e a s e n d m e n a n d M r . In t e r locu to r a s m idd l e m a n se t t h e form for l a t e r m i n s t r e l shows . T h e V i rg in i a M i n s t r e l s w e r e i m m e d i a t e l y followed by o t h e r s i m i l a r g roups , p e r h a p s t h e m o s t f amous of w h i c h w e r e t h e C h r i s t y Mins t r e l s a n d t h e E t h i o p i a n S e r e n a d e r s .

M a n y of t h e s e m i n s t r e l p l a y e r s wro te t h e i r own songs . D a n E m m e t t , t h e mos t famous, p roduced " D i x i e , " " O l d D a n T u c k e r , " a n d " T h e B l u e Ta i l F ly . " M a n y of S t e p h e n F o s t e r ' s bes t -known pieces w e r e w r i t t e n for t h e s e t r a v e l i n g m i n s t r e l shows . T h e r e w e r e few p laces t h e m i n s t r e l shows d id n o t r e a c h af ter t h e 1840's. A s a r e s u l t a g r e a t m a n y of ou r coun t ry d a n c e t u n e s a n d folk songs a r e ba sed on songs o r i g i n a t i n g w i t h t h e m i n s t r e l g roups .

F o l k B a l l a d s , D a n c e s , a n d S o n g s — I m m i g r a t i o n to

158

A m e r i c a i n t h e e a r l y n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y m e a n t t h e t r a n s p l a n t a t i o n of m a n y t r a d i t i o n a l songs from E u r o p e . T h e Scots , I r i s h , a n d G e r m a n s w h o c a m e over i n such g r e a t n u m b e r s b r o u g h t t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l songs w i t h t h e m . T h e s e b e c a m e a p a r t of t h e s ing ing i n A m e r i c a n c o m m u n i t i e s , w e r e l e a r n e d b y n e i g h b o r s a n d moved w i t h t h e m from t o w n to t o w n . A s t i m e w e n t on t h e s e songs w e r e t r a n s m i t t e d from person to pe r son , from p a r e n t to child, to g randch i ld , w i t h c h a n g e s in t roduced b y each . Often words or t u n e w e r e changed . S o m e t i m e s t h e t u n e would b e forgot ten a n d a n e w one devised for t h e o ld s to ry . S o m e t i m e s t h e t u n e would be r e m e m b e r e d a n d a n e w s to ry found to su i t i t .

T h e s e n e w , or p a r t i a l l y n e w , songs c a m e o u t of t h e exper i ences t h e n e w coun t ry offered. T h e r e w e r e ch i ld ren ' s songs , love songs , ba l l ads , a n d p l a y songs . T h e y h a d t h e i r source in t h e t r a d i t i o n a l songs , i n m i n s t r e l a n d popu la r songs , i n r e l ig ious songs . T h e r e w a s a c rea t ive f e r m e n t a n d e n e r g y w h i c h found express ion i n s i n g i n g a n d p roduced h u m o r , b e a u t y , anecdote , a n d social c o m m e n t .

T h e B r i t i s h C o u n t r y Dances a n d E u r o p e a n folk d a n c e s found a p l ace i n t h e n e w coun t ry . Al l over t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t h e y l e a r n e d t h e C o n t r e D a n c e s w h e r e two l ines w e r e formed a n d da nc ed opposi te e a c h o the r . T h e y l e a r n e d t h e Quadr i l l e , a d r i l l i n q u a d r a n g u l a r format ion , a n d S q u a r e D a n c e s — done i n s q u a r e fo rmat ion . T h e y l e a r n e d J i g s from I r e l and , Ree l s from Scot land , Quadr i l l e s from F rance , a n d H o r n p i p e s from E n g l a n d . T h e d a n c e m a n a g e r , w h o cal led t h e s t eps of t h e d a n c e , a n d t h e d a n c i n g m a s t e r w e r e i n g r e a t d e m a n d .

T h e m o r e re l ig ious c o m m u n i t i e s , of wh ich t h e r e w e r e m a n y , d id n o t a l low d a n c i n g . A s a s u b s t i t u t e , g a m e s b e c a m e t h e social d ivers ion . T h e g a m e s w e r e g r o u p m o v e m e n t s m a d e to songs k n o w n a s P l ay -pa r ty songs . After a t i m e r h y t h m i c popu l a r s o n g s l ike "Old D a n T u c k e r , " "Buffalo G a l s , " a n d "Z ip C o o n " w e r e bor rowed for t h i s pu rpose . T h e songs w e r e c a t c h y a n d provided a n e a s y ve r se form to wh ich n e w l ines could b e m a d e u p .

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T H E W A Y F A R I N G S T R A N G E R

White Spiritual about 1800

Melancho ly wa l tz

I'm just a poor, way-far- ing stran-ger

trav - 'ling through

this world of woe,

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and there's no sick - ness. no toil, no

t rou-ble , in that fair land

to. which I go. I'm

go - ing there to see my

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THE WAYFARING STRANGER

moth-er , I'm go - ing

there no more to roam;

I'm just a - go - - ing o - ver

Jor-dan, I'm just a - go

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ing o - ver home.

The great religious revival in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas brought forth many folk hymns whose subject matter was a personal religious experience. The religious revival meetings were just this . The first verse of this song, of a more general nature , is more often sung than the religious second and third verses:

I know d a r k clouds wi l l g a t h e r ' round m e , I k n o w m y w a y is s t eep a n d rough , B u t b e a u t e o u s fields l ie ju s t beyond m e W h e r e souls r edeemed t h e i r vigil keep . I ' m going t h e r e to m e e t m y m o t h e r , S h e sa id she 'd m e e t m e w h e n I come; I 'm only going over J o r d a n , I 'm only going over h o m e .

I w a n t to w e a r a crown of glory W h e n I ge t h o m e to t h a t b r i g h t land; I w a n t to s h o u t Sa lva t i on ' s s tory , In concer t w i t h t h a t b loodwashed b a n d . I 'm going t h e r e to m e e t m y Sav iour , To s ing h i s p r a i s e for ever more ; I 'm only going over J o r d a n , I 'm only going over h o m e .

The first Camp Meeting was held in the year 1801. Presbyterians and Methodists together held a tremendous meeting in Kentucky which set the revival style. Here the custom of the Mourner's Bench where penitents publicly confessed their sins to the congregation and were prayed over was instituted.

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Nearer My God To Thee The two hymns on this page show two religious trends. "Wondrous Love," sung to the tune of "Captain Kidd" (p. 44), is a camp meeting hymn. "Nearer My God to Thee" is one of Lowell Mason's famous hymns for the established church.

A h y m n

1. Near - er, my God, to Thee, near - er to Thee; 2. Though, like the wan-de r -e r , the sun gone down, 3. There let the way ap-pear steps un - to heav'n;

e'en though it be a cross t h a t - rais-eth me; dark - ness be o - ver me, my— rest a stone,

all tha t Thou send-est me in mer-cy giv'n;

still all my song shall be yet in my dreams I'd be an - gels to beck - on me

near-er, my God, to Thee,

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near - er, my God, to Thee, near - er to Thee.

Wondrous Love

1. W h a t w o n d r o u s love is t h i s , oh! m y soul , oh, m y soul! W h a t wondrous love is t h i s , oh m y soul! W h a t w o n d r o u s love is t h i s ! t h a t caused t h e Lord of b l i ss To b e a r t h e dreadfu l cu r se for m y soul , for m y soul , To b e a r t h e dreadful cu r se for m y soul .

2. W h e n I w a s s i n k i n g down, s i n k i n g down, s i n k i n g down; W h e n I w a s s i n k i n g down, s i n k i n g down; W h e n I w a s s i n k i n g down B e n e a t h God 's r i g h t e o u s frown, C h r i s t la id as ide h i s c rown for m y soul , for m y soul ; C h r i s t la id as ide h i s c rown for m y soul .

3. A nd w h e n from d e a t h I ' m free, I ' l l s ing on, I ' l l s i ng on , A n d w h e n from d e a t h I ' m free, I ' l l s i n g on . A n d w h e n from d e a t h I 'm free, I ' l l s ing a n d joyful be , A n d t h r o u g h e t e r n i t y I ' l l s i ng on, I'll s i ng on, A n d t h r o u g h e t e r n i t y I'll s ing on.

4. To God a n d t o t h e L a m b I wil l s ing , I wi l l s ing , To God a n d to t h e L a m b I wi l l s ing , To God a n d to t h e L a m b , w h o is t h e g r e a t I A m , W h i l e mi l l ions join t h e t h e m e , I wil l s ing , I wil l s ing , W h i l e mi l l ions join t h e t h e m e , I wil l s ing .

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The Turtle Dove During the time of Shakespeare, music was a necessary qualification for ladies and gentlemen. The Turtle Dove was a symbol of love and Turtle Dove songs were current from the middle of the 16th century. Both the old colonial and the new settlers from the British Isles kept this symbol. This song seems to be of American origin except that the symbol of the English turtle dove is used.

W i t h f e e l i n g ( f r ee i n d e l i v e r y )

Poor lit-tle tur-tle dove, set-ting on a pine.

Long-ing for his own true love as I did once for

mine, for mine, as I did once for mine.

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2. I come down t h e m o u n t a i n s i d e I g ive m y h o r n a blow E v e r y w h e r e t h e m p r e t t y g i r l s Sa id yonder goes m y b e a u , m y b e a u , Yonder goes m y b e a u .

3. I w e n t down in t h e va l ley g r e e n To w i n to m e m y love, W h e n I done w i t h t h a t p r e t t y l i t t l e g i r l S h e t u r n e d to a t u r t l e dove, a dove, S h e t u r n e d to a t u r t l e dove .

4. I w a l k e d down t h e s t r e e t t h a t ve ry s a m e n i g h t , O n m y h e a r t w a s a sweet , swee t song Got i n a fight a n d i n ja i l a l l n i g h t A n d every d u r n t h i n g w e n t wrong , w e n t w r o n g , E v e r y d u r n t h i n g w e n t wrong .

5. I w e n t u p on t h e m o u n t a i n s i d e A n d I took a swig of corn P o s s u m w r a p p e d h i s t a i l a r o u n d a b l ackbe r ry b u s h Two m o u n t a i n l ions w e r e born , w e r e born , Two m o u n t a i n l ions w e r e born .

R e p e a t ve r se 1.

BILLY BOY (ENGLISH)

There are two predominant versions of "Billy Boy," Irish and English. Almost three hundred known variants for "Barb'ry Allen" show how fast versions grow.

I n 2, no t too fast

1. Where have you been all the day, my boy Wil - lie? 2. Is she fit to be a wife, my boy Wil - lie?

Where have you been all the day, Wil-lie won't you tell me now? Is she fit to be a wife, Wil-lie won't you tell me now?

I have been all the day court-in' of a la - dy gay, She's as fit to be a wife as a fork fits to a knife,

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but she is too young to be t a k - e n from her moth-er. but she is too young to be t a k - e n from her moth-er.

3. C a n s h e cook a n d c a n s h e spin , m y boy W i l l i e ? C a n s h e cook a n d can s h e sp in , Wi l l i e w o n ' t you te l l m e now? S h e c a n cook, s h e can spin , s h e can do mos t a n y t h i n g , B u t s h e is too young to be t a k e n from h e r m o t h e r .

4. C a n she b a k e a che r ry p ie , m y boy Wi l l i e? C a n s h e b a k e a c h e r r y pie , Wi l l i e w o n ' t you te l l m e now? S h e can b a k e a che r ry pie , qu ick ' s a ca t c an w i n k h i s eye, B u t she is too young to be t a k e n from h e r m o t h e r .

5. Does s h e often go to church , m y boy Wi l l i e? Does she often go to church , Wi l l i e won ' t you te l l m e now? Yes, s h e often goes t o chu rch i n a b o n n e t w h i t e a s b i rch , B u t s h e is too y o u n g to be t a k e n from h e r m o t h e r .

6. C a n s h e m a k e a feather-bed, m y boy Wi l l i e? C a n s h e m a k e a feather-bed, Wi l l i e w o n ' t you te l l m e no w ? She can m a k e a feather-bed, a n d p u t p i l lows a t t h e head , B u t s h e is too young to be t a k e n from h e r mo the r .

7. Did s h e a s k you to come in , m y boy Wi l l i e? Did s h e a s k you to come in, W i l l i e will you te l l m e now? Yes, s h e a sked m e to come in, s h e h a s a d imple i n h e r chin , B u t s h e is too young to be t a k e n from h e r m o t h e r .

8. Did s h e te l l how old s h e i s , m y boy Wi l l i e? Did s h e te l l how old s h e is , W i l l i e won ' t you te l l m e now? S h e ' s t h r e e t i m e s six, seven t i m e s seven, twen ty -e igh t a n d

e leven, B u t s h e is too y o u n g to be t a k e n from h e r mothe r .

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BILLY BOY (IRISH)

The potato crop failure of 1840 in Ireland led to an immigration of many Irish, with their traditional songs, to the United States. Note that the Irish "Billy Boy" is very much like a jig tune.

Br igh t , in 2

1. Where have you been all the day, Bil-ly Boy, Bil-ly 2. Is she fit to be a wife, Bil-ly Boy, Bil-ly

Boy? Where have you been a l l _ the day, me Bil- ly Boy? Boy? Is she fit to b e _ a wife, me Bil-ly Boy?

170

I've been out with Nan-cy Gray, and she's She's as fit to be a wife as a

s tol-en me heart a - way.-fork fits to a knife.

She's me Nan-cy, tick-led me

fan - cy, oh, me charm-in ' Bil - ly Boy.

171

THE DIVIL AND THE FARMER Of Irish and English origin, this version is from our midwest, where Irish immigrants worked on the railroads.

Easygo ing , i n 2

r r 1. A f a rm-e r was plow-ing his field one day, 2. See here , me good man, I have come for your wife,

rite - ful, rite ful, tit - ty - fie - day, a rite - ful, rite ful, t i t - ty - fie - day, see

f a r m - e r was plow-ing his field one day, when the here , me good man, I have come for your wife,

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div - il came up and to him he did say with a she's the bane and tor - ment of your life, with a

rite - fa - la, tit - ty - fie - day, rite - fa - la, tit - ty - fie - day.

rite - ful, rite - ful, tit - ty - fie - day. rite - ful, rite - ful, t i t - ty - fie - day.

3. W h e n t h e y got t h e r e t h e g a t e s w e r e s h u t , Riteful , r i teful , t i t t y fie day ; W h e n t h e y got t h e r e t h e g a t e s w e r e s h u t , W i t h a sweep of h e r h a n d s h e l ay open h i s n u t .

Chorus

173

4. Two l i t t le divi ls were p l ay ing handba l l , Riteful , r i teful , t i t t y fie day; Two l i t t le divi ls w e r e p l ay ing h a n d b a l l , T h e y cried: " T a k e h e r out , daddy , she ' l l ki l l u s a l l . "

Chorus

5. So t h e divi l h e he i s t ed h e r u p on h i s h u m p , Riteful , r i teful , t i t t y fie day ; So t h e divi l h e he is ted h e r u p on h i s h u m p , And back to e a r t h w i t h h e r h e did j u m p .

Chorus

6. "See h e r e m e good m a n , I h a v e come w i t h your wife, Riteful , r i teful , t i t t y fie day ; See h e r e m e good m a n , I h a v e come w i t h your wife, S h e ' s t h e b a n e a n d t o r m e n t of m e l ife ."

Chorus

7. O h t h e y s ay t h a t t h e women a r e worse t h a n t h e m e n , Riteful , r i teful , t i t t y fie day; O h t h e y s ay t h a t t h e w o m e n a r e worse t h a n t h e m e n , T h e y w e n t down to hell a n d got chucked o u t a g a i n .

Chorus

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AUNT RHODY Whether it began as a children's song or a play-party game, used in both ways, here is a song that is completely American in or igin .

Steady, in 2

Go tell Aunt Rho-dy, go tell Aunt Rho-dy ,

go tell Aunt Rho - dy that her old gray goose is

dead. The one that she's been a - sav - in', the

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AUNT RHODY

one that she's been a - sav - in', the one that she's been a •

sav-in ' to make a feath-er bed She died in the

mill pond, she died in the mi l l -pond, she died in the

mill pond, stand-in' on her head. The gos - lings are

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cry - in', the gos - lings are cry - in', the gos - lings are

cryin ' , 'cause their mam-my's dead. Go tell Aunt

Rho - d y , - go tell Aunt Rho - dy, go tell Aunt

Rho - dy that her old gray goose is dead.

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THE WEE COOPER O'FIFE

The early nineteenth century saw many Scots coming over to join those who had arrived in 1745. They too brought their traditional songs.

Gay, i n 2

1. There was a wee cooper wha lived i' Fife, 2. She would - na bake she would - na brew,

Nick - e - ty, nack - e - ty, noo, noo, noo, and Nick - e - ty, nack - e - ty , noo, noo, noo, for

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he had got - ten a gen - t le wife, spoil - ing of her come - ly hue,

Hey, Wil - lie Wal-lack - y, ho, John Dou - gal, a Hey, Wil - lie Wal-lack - y, ho, John Dou - gal, a

lane quo rush - i - ty roe, ro, ro. lane quo rush -i - ty roo, ro, ro. .

3. S h e w o u l d n a card , s h e w o u l d n a spin , Fo r t h e s h a m i n ' o' h e r gen t l e k in ,

4. T h e cooper h a s gone to h i s woo' s h a c k , A n d p u t a s h e e p s k i n across h i s wife's back,

5. I wou ldna t h r a s h for your gen t l e k in , B u t I would t h r a s h m y a i n sheepsk in ,

6. N o w y e w h a t h a e go t t en a gen t l e wife, J u s t send ye for t h e wee cooper o' Fife

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A BONNIE, WEE LASSIE Traditional: Scottish ballad.

Additional verse by MacKinlay Kantor.

W a l t z

1. A bon - nie, wee las - sie whose name it was Nell, 2. " Oh, John-ny, oh, John-ny, I think it a - miss, be-fore 3. He gave her three kiss-es and great was the smack;

lived in a house where her grand-moth-er dwelled.— The go - ing a - way, just to give me one kiss." to her sur - prise he could-n't get his head back. (skip to Chorus)

house it was small, and the win-dows no less, "That I will, Nel- l ie ," he an-swered her true;

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CHORUS:

hav - ing four panes, one need - ed a glass,— that to her sur - p r i s e_ he poked his head through that

(3.) from that

nice l i t - t le win-dow, the cute l i t - t l e win-dow, the hole in the win-dow, that nice l i t - t l e win-dow, that hole in the win-dow, that nice l i t - t l e win-dow, that

sweet lit - tle win-dow where grand-moth-er dwelled, cute lit - tle win-dow where grand-moth-er dwelled, cute lit - tle win-dow where grand-moth-er dwelled.

4. H e r ipped a n d h e tore a n d h e cursed a n d h e swore, G r a n d m a h e a r d t h e racke t , j u m p e d ou t on t h e floor; S h e g rabbed for t h e poker a n d a lick s h e gave one , A n o t h e r l ike t h a t would h a v e b roke h i s backbone , W i t h h i s h e a d i n t h e window, t h a t nice l i t t le window, e t c .

5. S h e lifted t h e ladle from o u t of t h e pot, No b a t t e r e 'e r took t h e b e a t i n g h e got ; H e r a n down t h e road wi th m i g h t a n d w i t h m a i n , W h i l e a r o u n d h i s shou lde r t h e s a s h a n d t h e frame Of t h a t cu te l i t t le window, t h a t swee t l i t t le window, etc.

O L D BLUE

Traditional southern and midwestern United States.

I n 2 , b u t n o t too fast

1. I had an old dog and his name was 2. Chased that 'pos - sum up a ' s im-mon

Blue, and I bet - cha five t r e e ; _ Blue looked a t the

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dol-lars he's a good dog too, say-in',"Come on, 'pos-sum, 'pos- sum looked at me say-in', "Go on,

Blue, mm mm" Blue, you can have some too,"

3. B a k e d t h a t 'pos-sum, good a n d b rown , L a i d t h e m s w e e t po ta toes ' r o u n d a n d ' r o u n d , Say ing , " C o m e on, B lue , You c a n h a v e some too."

4 . Old B lue d ied a n d h e d ied so h a r d , T h a t h e j a r r e d t h e g r o u n d i n m y b a c k y a r d , S a y i n g , "Go on, B lue , I ' m a-comin' too."

5. I d u g h i s g r a v e w i t h a s i lve r spade , A n d I le t h i m down w i t h a go lden cha in , Say ing , "Go on, B lue , I'm a-comin' t oo . "

6. W h e n I ge t t o H e a v e n , first t h i n g I ' l l do, G r a b m y h o r n , a n d I ' l l blow for O L D B L U E , Say ing , " C o m e on, B lue , F in ' l l y got h e r e too . "

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S O U R W O O D M O U N T A I N

Mountain fiddle tune, words t radi t ional .

Steady , l ike a s q u a r e d a n c e

1. C h i c k - e n a-crow-ing on Sour-wood Moun-tain, 2. My true love is a blue - eyed dai - sy, 3 . My true love lives a t the head of the hol - ler, 4. Ducks in the pond, geese in the o -cean ,

hoe dee- ing_ di did-dy - I - day; So man-y pret-ty girls, If I don't ge t— her

She won't come and Dev-il's in wom - an

I can't count 'em, I'll go cra - zy, I won't fol - ler,

if she takes the no-tion,

hoe dee-ing di did-dy - I - day.

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The mountain areas have produced songs , both ballads and dance tune songs, which are among our most effective anonymous folk songs. "Sourwood Mountain," "Down in the Valley," "I'm Sad and I'm Lonely," and "Lolly Too D u m " are all mountain tunes.

Down in the Valley

Traditional mountain song.

W a l t z , gen t l e

1. Down in the val - ley, the 2. Hear the wind blow, love,

val - ley so low, hear the wind blow,

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hang your head o - ver, hang your head o - ver,

hear the wind blow, hear the wind blow.

3. Roses love s u n s h i n e , Viole ts love dew, A n g e l s i n h e a v e n K n o w I love you.

4. If you don ' t love m e , Love w h o you p lease , P u t you r a r m s ' r ound m e , Give m y h e a r t ease .

5. G ive m y h e a r t ease , love, Give m y h e a r t ease , P u t y o u r a r m s ' r o u n d m e , Give m y h e a r t ease .

6. W r i t e m e a le t te r , S e n d i t by m a i l , S e n d i t i n ca re of T h e B i r m i n g h a m J a i l .

7. B i r m i n g h a m J a i l , B i r m i n g h a m J a i l , S e n d i t i n c a r e of T h e B i r m i n g h a m J a i l .

8. Bu i ld m e a cas t l e F o r t y feet h igh , So I c an see h e r As s h e r ides by.

9. A s s h e r ides by, love, A s s h e r i de s by, So I c a n see he r , A s s h e r ides by .

10. Down in t h e va l ley , T h e va l ley so low, H a n g y o u r h e a d over , H e a r t h e w ind blow.

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L O L L Y T O O D U M Traditional mountain dialogue song.

Steady , in 2

1. As I went out one morn-in ' to 2. You bet - ter go wash them dish - es and 3. "O pit - y my con - di - tion, just

take the pleas - ant air, Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum, hush that flat-ter-in' tongue, Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum, like you would your own." Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum,

lol - ly - too-dum - day; as I went out one lol - ly - too-dum - day; you bet-ter go wash them lol - ly - too -dum - day; "O pit - y my con -

188

morn - in' to take the pleas - an t air, I dish - es and hush that f la t - ter - in ' tongue, for you di - tion, just like you would your own: for

o - ver - heard a moth-er a - scold-in' her daugh-ter know that you want to git mar-ried, and that you are too four - teen long years I've been liv - in' a -

fair, Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum, lol-ly-too-dum-day. young, Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum, lol-ly-too-dum-day, lone," Lol-ly - too - dum, too - dum, lol-ly-too-dum-day.

4. "Suppos in ' I w e r e wi l l in ' w h e r e would you g i t y o u r m a n ?

"Lawdy m a s s y , m a m m y , I'd m a r r y t h a t h a n d s o m e S a m , "

5. "Suppos in ' h e should sp i t e you l ike you done h i m before,

" L a w d y massy , m a m m y , I could m a r r y forty m o r e . "

6. " T h e y ' s pedd le r s a n d t h e y ' s t i n k e r s a n d boys from t h e f low, L a w d y massy , m a m m y , I'm a-get t ing t h a t feel ing now!"

189

I ' m S a d a n d I ' m L o n e l y

Traditional " lonesome" tune.

Very free in de l ivery

1. I'm sad a n d — I 'm lone-ly, 2. Young la-dies , t a k e — a warn-ing,

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my heart it will break, for my sweet-heart loves an -take a warn-ing from me: o h , _ don't_ waste your af-

o t h e r ; oh, I wish I was dead. fec - tions on a young man so free.

3. Because he ' l l h u g you a n d he ' l l k iss you A n d he ' l l te l l you m o r e l ies T h a n t h e cross-ties on t h e r a i l road O r t h e s t a r s i n t h e sky .

4. M y cheeks once w e r e r e d L i k e t h e r ed , r ed rose; B u t now t h e y a r e w h i t e A s t h e l i ly t h a t g rows .

5. I ' l l bu i ld m e a cab in O n t h e m o u n t a i n so h igh , W h e r e t h e b lackb i rds c a n ' t find m e O r h e a r m y sad cry.

6. I ' m t roub led , yes , I ' m t roubled , I ' m t roubled i n m y mind , If t h i s t roub le don ' t k i l l m e , I ' l l l ive a long t i m e .

Repeat Verse 1

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CARELESS LOVE

Folk version of Negro, Ohio River packet-boat song.

Not too slow, i n 2

1. Love, oh, love, oh, care-less love. ( 2 . ) love my mam-my and my pap-py, too. — I

Love, oh, love, oh, care-less love. love my mam-my and my pap-py, too I

192

Love, oh, love, oh, care - less love, can't you love my mam-my and my pap - py, too ; gon - na

see, what love has done to me? leave 'em both and go with you.

2. I

3. I t ' s on th i s r a i l road b a n k I s t and , On t h i s r a i l road b a n k I s t and , I t ' s on t h i s r a i l road b a n k I s t and ; I know I'm g o n n a ki l l a r a i l road m a n .

Chorus

193

Skip To My Lou Traditional play-party song.

Brigh t , in 2

1. Flies in the but-ter-milk, two by two, 2. If you can't get a red-bird, a blue-bird 'll do, if you

flies in the but- ter-milk, two by two, can't get a red-bird, a blue-bird 'll do, if you

flies in the bu t - te r -mi lk , two by two, can't get a red-bird, a blue - bird 'll do,

CHORUS:

skip to my Lou, my dar ' wup! She's gone a-ga in , s k i p _

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to my Lou, she's gone a-gain, skip to my Lou, she's

gone a-gain, skip to my Lou, skip to my Lou, my dar - ling.

3. I 've lost m y gir l , now w h a t ' l l I do;

4. I'll ge t a n o t h e r , a be t t e r one too.

5. P a ' s got a sho tgun , N u m b e r 32 —

6. H u r r y u p s lowpoke, do, oh, do .

7. M y g i r l w e a r s a n u m b e r n i n e shoe —

8. W h e n I go cour t ing , I t a k e two.

9. Gone a g a i n , now w h a t ' l l I do —

10. I ' l l ge t a n o t h e r one swee t e r t h a n you.

11. H e ' s go t b ig feet, a n d a w k w a r d , too —

12. K i t t e n in t h e h a y m o w , mew, mew, m e w .

13. I ' l l ge t h e r back in sp i t e of you.

14. W e ' l l k e e p i t u p ' t i l ha l f p a s t two —

15. O n e old boot a n d a run-down shoe .

16. Stole m y p a r t n e r , s k i p to m y Lou.

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TURKEY IN THE STRAW Folk Parody of 1834 hit "Old Zip Coon."

In a gay dance t empo

As—, I was go - in' down the road, a Oh,— I went out to milk, and I d id-n ' t know how; I

tired team an' a heav - y load, I_ crack'd my whip and the milked a goat in - stead of a cow. A mon-key sit-tin' on a

lead - er sprung and says,_ day - day, to the wag - on tongue, pile of straw, a - wink - in' his eye a t his moth-er-in-law.

196

CHORUS:

Tur -key in the straw, tu r -key in the hay; Tur - key in the hay, tur - key in the straw, the

dance_ all night and work— a l l — day; old gray mare won't g e e — n o r — haw;

Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a - high, tuck - a - haw, a n d _

hit 'em up a t u n e _ call'd_ Tur-key in the Straw.

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3. T u r k e y in t h e hay , t u r k e y in t h e s t r aw, T h e old g r a y m a r e won ' t gee no haw; Roll ' em u p a n d twis t ' em u p a h i g h t u c k a h a w , A n d h i t ' em u p a t u n e cal l 'd T u r k e y in t h e S t r a w . Chorus

4. Wel l , I m e t Mis te r Catfish com' down t h e s t r e a m ; S a y s Mis t e r Catfish, " W h a t does you m e a n ? " I c a u g h t Mis t e r Catfish by t h e snout , A n d I t u r n e d Mis te r Catf ish wrong s ide out . Chorus

5. T h e n I come to t h e r ive r a n d I cou ldn ' t ge t across , So I pa id five do l la rs for a n old b l ind hoss . We l l , h e wou ldn ' t go ahead , a n d h e w o u l d n ' t s t a n d s t i l l , So h e w e n t u p a n d down l ike a n old sawmi l l . Chorus

6. A s I c a m e down t h e new-cut road , I m e t Mis te r Bullfrog, I m e t Miss Toad, A n d every t i m e Miss Toad would s ing , T h e old Bullfrog cu t a p igeon wing . Chorus

198

GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK

Henry Clay Work, composer of this song, had great success with sentimental ballads. They were as popular as the comic song on the variety stage and in the home.

A s e n t i m e n t a l ba l l ad

1. My grand - fa - ther's clock was too it was tall - er by half than the

2. In watch - ing its pen - du - lum and in child - hood and man - hood the

large for the shelf, so it stood nine - ty years on the floor; old man him-self, tho it weighed not a pen-ny-weight more,

swing to and fro, man - y hours had he spent while a boy; clock seem'd to know, and to share both his grief and his joy.

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1. It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born, and was 2, For it struck twen-ty-four when he en-ter'd at the door with a

al - ways his treas-ure and pride; bloom-ing and beau-ti - ful bride;

but it stopped short,

CHORUS:

never to go a-gain, when the old man died. Nine-ty

CHORUS:

years with-out slum-ber - ing: tick, tick, tick, tick, his

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life's seconds num-ber- ing: tick, tick, tick, tick, it stopped short,

nev-er to run a-gain, when the old man died.

3. M y g rand fa t e r sa id , t h a t of t hose h e could h i r e , N o t a s e r v a n t so fai thful h e found; F o r i t w a s t e d no t i m e , a n d h a d b u t one des i r e — A t t h e close of each w e e k to be w o u n d , A n d i t k e p t in i t s p lace n o t a frown upon i t s face, A n d i t s h a n d s n e v e r h u n g b y i t s s ide; B u t i t s topp 'd , sho r t , n e v e r t o go a g a i n W h e n t h e old m a n died.

Chorus 201

O L D DAN T U C K E R

Folk version of Dan Emmett's minstrel song .

As fast a s possible, b u t s t eady

1. Went to town the oth - er night to 2, Old Dan Tuck - er come to town

hear a noise and see a fight. rid - ing a bil - ly goat, lead-ing a hound._

All the peo-ples was jump- in ' a - r o u n d , and said, Hound barked and the bil - ly goat jumped, and

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"Old Dan Tuck-er 's a - c o m - in' to t o w n . _ throwed Dan Tuck- er right strad - dle of a stump. Hey, get

CHORUS:

out - a the way for Old Dan Tuck-e r ! Too late to

ge t his s u p - p e r . — Sup-per's o - ver, din-ner's cook-in', Old_

Dan Tuck - er just stand there look-in'.

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OLD DAN TUCKER

3 . O l d D a n T u c k e r , h e g o t d r u n k , J u m p e d i n t h e fire a n d h e k i c k e d u p a h u n k . H e g o t a l i v e c o a l i n h i s s h o e — H o l y g o d e r m i g h t y , h o w t h e a s h e s flew! Chorus

4. O l d D a n T u c k e r i s a fine o l d m a n , W a s h e d h i s f a c e i n a frying p a n , C o m b e d h i s h a i r w i t h a w a g o n w h e e l , R a n a w a y w i t h a t o o t h a c h e i n h i s h e e l . Chorus

K E M O - K I M O This song was taught me by Uncle Mose, a Mississippi boatman, in his late eighties when I was five. It originates from a popular Negro dialect song about 1840.

F a s t a n d s teady , in 2

1, There was a frog lived in a pool, He sure was the b ig -ges t fool, He could dance and he could sing, He could make de woods all ring,

sing song Kit - ty, won't you Ki me oh.

204

CHORUS:

Ke mo, Ki mo, dear, ah ho, Ma hi, ma hon,

Wil - lie, Bil - lie, wink dum, r u m - p a dum-pa doo dah,

milk bag sucked it, sing song, Pat-ty, won't you Ki me oh?

2. Mi lk in t h e da i ry n i n e days old, S ing song Ki t ty , w o n ' t you k i m e oh. F rogs a n d t h e skee t e r s g e t t i n g m i g h t y bold, S ing song Billy, w o n ' t you ki m e oh. F rogs a n d t h e skee t e r s ge t t i ng m i g h t y bold, S ing song P a t t y , won ' t you k i m e oh. The i r legs h u n g ou t for t h e ch ickens to roost, S i n g song P a t t y , won ' t you k i m e oh.

Chorus

205

T h e B l u e - T a i l F l y

Folk version of Dan Emmet's minstrel song.

F r e e i n de l ive ry

1. When I was young I used to wait on my 2. And when he'd ride in the af - ter-noon, I'd 3. One day he ride a - round the farm; the

mas - ter and give him his plate, and fol - low af - ter with a hick - o - ry broom; the

flies so nu - mer -ous they did swarm; one

pass the bot-tle when he got dry, and brush a - w a y the po - ny be - ing ra th -e r shy when bit - ten by a

chanc'd to bite him in the thigh; the dev - il take the

206

CHORUS:

blue-tai l fly. J im-mie crack corn and I don' t care,

Jim-mie crack corn and I don't care, Jim- mie crack corn and

I don't care, my mas-ter 's gone a - way

4. T h e pony r u n , h e j u m p , h e p i tch , H e t h r e w m y m a s t e r i n t h e d i tch . H e died, a n d t h e j u r y wondered w h y — T h e verd ic t w a s t h e blue- ta i l fly.

Chorus

5. T h e y lay h i m u n d e r a ' s i m m o n t ree ; H i s ep i t aph is t h e r e to see : " B e n e a t h t h i s s tone I 'm forced to l ie, A v ic t im of t h e b lue- ta i l fly "

Chorus

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B U F F A L O G A L S Based on the Negro dialect song, "Lubly Fan," 1844.

B r i g h t , i n 2

1. Buf-fa-lo gals,won't you come out to-night, won't you 2. Wich-i - t a gals, ain't you com - in' out to-night, ain ' t you

come out to-night , won't you come out to - night, c o m - i n ' out to -n igh t , ain't you com - in' out to -n igh t ,

Buf - fa - lo gals, won't you come out to - night and Wich- i - ta gals, ain't you com - in' out to - night and

dance by the light of the moon? Oh, dance by the light of the moon? Oh,

208

CHORUS:

won't you, won't you, won't you, won't you ain't you, ain't you, ain't you, ain't you

come out to-night, won't you come out to - night, won't you com - in' out to-night, ain't you com - in' out to - night, ain't you

come out to-night, oh, won't you, won't you, won't you, won't you com - in' out to-night, oh, ain't you, ain't you, ain't you, ain't you

come out to-night and dance by the light of the moon? com - in' out to-night and dance by the light of the moon?

209

THE ABOLITIONIST

HYMN With rising feeling over the slavery issue, the New England churches began singing secular hymns against slavery much as they sang hymns against the British during the Revolution. This popular anti-slavery hymn was sung to the familiar melody of "Old Hundred."

Definite, b u t no t too slow

1. We ask not that the slave should lie as lies his 2. We ask not "eye for eye" that all who forge the 3. We mourn not that the man should toil: 'tis Na- ture ' s

mas - te r : a t his ease, be - neath a silk - en chain and ply the whip should feel their tor - ture, need, 'tis God's de - cree; but let the hand that

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can - o - py, or in the shade of bloom - ing trees. while the thrall should wield the scourge of mas - ter - ship.

tills the soil be, like the wind that fans it, free.

The New England attitude toward slavery is well expressed by a conversation between the Englishman James Fleet, and a Negro reaping wheat on Long Island in 1818: "You work very hard?" "No Sir, I can do much more in the time, but that is of no use." "You are not free, then?" "No Sir, I a slave, I 'longs to Jacob Van

— there." " B u t you black people are very well treated here?" "Oh yes Sir, master very good to me, give me everything he eat self, but no Sunday clothes." "You may live happier than some poor free people?" "That may be true, Sir, but put a bird in a cage, give him plenty to eat, still he fly away."

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N I C O D E M U S

Very free in delivery, in 2

1. Nic - o - de - mus, the slave was of Af - ri - can he was reck-oned as part of the salt of the

2. Nic - o - de - mus was nev - er the sport of the There were none of his mas - ters so bold or so

birth and was bought for a bag - ful of gold; earth, and he died long a - go, ver - y old. lash tho' the bul - lets had oft' cross'd his path. rash as to face such a man in his wrath.

Gentle, in 2

But his last sad re - quest, as they l a i d _ him to But his great heart with kind - ness was filled_ to the

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This folk version of Henry Clay Work's sentimental picture of a Negro slave is little changed from the o r ig ina l . It is in the same sympathetic tradition as Stephen Foster's "Old Uncle Ned."

rest in the trunk of an old hol-low tree: "Wake me brim; he o - beyed who was born to com-mand, and he

up , " was his charge, ' ' a t the first break of day, wake me longed for the morn - in' which then was so dim: 'tis the

up for the great Ju - bi - lee." morn - in' which now is at hand.

There's a

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CHORUS: Like a square dance, in 2

great time com - in' and it 's not far off; been

long, long, long__ on the way, So go and tell 'Li - ge to

hur-ry up home and meet us by the gum tree down in the

swamp for to wake Nic - o - de - mus to - day.

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THE F R O N T I E R S OF A M E R I C A 1800-1850

H i s t o r y a n d social even t s come a l ive w h e n documen ted w i t h example s t h a t r e a c h down to t h e level of ind iv idua l exper ience . W h a t one i m m e d i a t e l y recognizes in a folk song is t h i s bas i c immediacy of pe r sona l exper ience , wh ich g ives t h e song i t s s t r e n g t h . T h e s e songs r e l a t e a s a pe r sona l exper ience w h a t on a l a r g e r scale can b e r e g a r d e d a s a major h i s tor ica l t r e n d or even t . Al l of t h e songs t h a t we h a v e looked a t i n t h e p r ev ious c h a p t e r s w e r e s u n g d u r i n g t h e period of A m e r i c a ' s g r o w t h a n d a r e a p a r t of t h e life of t h a t per iod.

As w e s a w in t h e first p a r t of t h i s book, w h e n t h e A t l a n t i c coas t w a s t h e A m e r i c a n f ront ier i t w a s t h e front ier of E u r o p e a n d t h e songs w e r e t h e songs of E u r o p e w i t h occasional n e w verses to fit a colonial even t . D u r i n g t h e Revo lu t iona ry per iod t h e A m e r i c a n f ront ier crossed t h e Al leghen ies i n to K e n t u c k y , Tennessee , a n d t h e uppe r p a r t of Ohio . Th i s w a s ou r first " W e s t . " T h e songs of t h e s e people w e r e t h e songs of t h e eas t e r n seaboa rd w h i c h w e r e t h e songs of E n g l a n d changed , p e r h a p s , b u t bas ica l ly t h e s a m e .

After t h e Revo lu t iona ry W a r new se t t l e r s pou red across t h e c o u n t r y a n d by 1820 t h e e a s t e r n b a n k of t h e Miss iss ippi w a s t h e w e s t e r n front ier . F l a t b o a t s a n d e v e n t u a l l y s t e a m b o a t s , c a n a l boa t s , a n d r a i l r o a d s — al l t h e modes of t r a v e l — h a d t h e i r h i s to ry of deve lopmen t a n d t h e i r songs to te l l a b o u t i t .

After t h e W a r of 1812 a n e t w o r k of n e w c a n a l s a n d n e w r o a d s g r e a t l y acce le ra ted w e s t w a r d m o v e m e n t a n d connec ted t h e A t l a n t i c w i t h t h e m i d w e s t e r n r ive r s . T h e m e n a long t h e r i v e r s a n d t h e r e s t of t h e c o u n t r y s a n g a b o u t t h i s n e w developm e n t . V a r i e t y h a l l c a n a l songs w e r e publ i shed , s u n g , a n d changed i n t o t h e m o r e eas i ly r e m e m b e r e d vers ions t h a t

215

developed by word of m o u t h a n d a r e to t h i s d a y t h e folk songs of t h e E r i e C a n a l .

H a r d l y h a d t h e cana l s proved t h e i r v a l u e t h a n t h e r a i l r o a d s followed. I n 1828 cons t ruc t ion of t h e B a l t i m o r e a n d Ohio Railroad be tween B a l t i m o r e a n d St . Louis w a s s t a r t e d . T h e ra i l roads expe r imen ted w i t h sa i l s a n d horses , b u t in 1829 t h e first s t e a m locomotive w a s impor ted from G r e a t B r i t a i n . T h e first r a i l r oad song, " T h e Ra i l road C h o r u s , " w a s ded ica ted to t h e d i rec tors of t h e B a l t i m o r e a n d Ohio. A typica l ve rse w e n t :

Singing through the forest, Ratt l ing over ridges, Shooting under arches, Running over bridges, Whizzing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale,

Bless me! this is pleasant A-riding on a rail. Singing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale, Bless me! this is pleasant A-riding on a rail.

B e g i n n i n g in 1821 g r e a t w a g o n t r a i n s w e r e o rgan ized a t F r a n k l i n or Independence on t h e Missour i River . T h e s e w e n t down t h e S a n t a F e t r a i l . By pe rmis s ion of t h e Mex ican Gove r n m e n t , A m e r i c a n s w e r e al lowed to se t t l e in t h e Mex ican province of T e x a s . A t t h i s period, too, t h e Lewis a n d C l a r k expedi t ion opened u p t h e Oregon Te r r i t o ry for s e t t l emen t , preceded only by fishermen, fur t r a d e r s , a n d m i n e r s . Se t t l e r s i n t h e n o r t h w a r d t r e k h a d to pass t h r o u g h t h e t e r r i t o ry of t h e S ioux Ind i ans , w i t h w h o m t h e y h a d m a n y a fight. P o p u l a r songs l ike " J o e Bowers , " parod ies of popu la r songs l ike " S w e e t Be t sy , " a n o n y m o u s ba l l ads l ike "S ioux I n d i a n s " a n d t h e "Ox-Dr iv ing Song , " and m a n y o the r s told ser ious ly a n d h u m o r ously abou t t h e p ioneers a n d the se aspects of t he i r life.

W a r s of A n n e x a t i o n — Amer i ca fought for h e r n e w te r r i to r ies w i t h t h e F lo r ida I n d i a n s , w i t h I n d i a n s across t h e coun t ry , a n d w i t h t h e Mexicans . I n 1814 G e n e r a l J a c k s o n defeated t h e Creeks in A l a b a m a a n d Tennes see . I n 1819 h e fought t h e I n d i a n s in F lor ida , w h e r e t h e r e m n a n t s of t h e C r e e k s joined w i t h t h e Semino les , a n d w e r e defeated. Sold iers

216

of t h e F lor ida W a r h a d t he i r own mins t r e l , Ben jamin Bea l l , whose s tor ies a n d songs h a d g r e a t success a m o n g t h e t roops . O n e of h i s own m e n wro te abou t h i m :

Oh, a jolly brave knight was our Benjamin Beall in the Florida War; As many a jolly bright camp-fire could tell in the Florida War. Oh! the stories he told tha t never grow old And the songs tha t he trolled until reveille rolled, in the Florida War, Made Chiefs and subalterns as merry as bold in the Florida War.

I n t h e midd le 1830's Texas fought for f reedom a g a i n s t S a n t a A n n a , t h e Mexican dic ta tor , a n d became a n i n d e p e n d e n t count ry . T h e m e m o r y of t h e b r a v e s t a n d of David Au s t i n , David Crocket t , a n d J a m e s Bowie, w h o fought for T e x a s independence , w a s r e m e m b e r e d in song:

When sounds the thrilling bugle blast, And "Charge" from rank to rank is passed Then, as your saber-strokes fall fast, Remember the Alamo!

For every wound and every thrust On prisoners dealt by hand accurst A Mexican shall bite the dust. Remember the Alamo!

T h e publ ic s a n g abou t t h e l egenda ry hero , David Crocke t t , to t h e t u n e of " T h e S t a r Spang led B a n n e r " :

He fought, but no valor that horde could withstand; He fell — but behold where the wan victor found him! With a smile on his lips, and his rifle in hand, He lay with his foemen heaped redly around him;

His heart poured its tide In the cause of his pride;

A freeman he lived and a freeman he died; For Liberty struggled, for Liberty bled — May his name and his fame to the last — Go ahead!

I t w a s not u n t i l 1845 t h a t a w a r w i t h Mexico w a s fought to m a k e Texas a s t a t e in t h e Un ion . T h e feelings abou t acquisit ion r a n h i g h a n d t h e r e were m a n y songs to s t i r u p t h e publ ic .

W i t h t h e end of t h e Mexican W a r c a m e t h e acquis i t ion of Cal ifornia , a n d t h e Gold R u s h of 1849, bo th of wh ich insp i red m a n y songs . Cross ing t h e p l a in s to h o m e s t e a d or r a n c h , h a s t e n i n g to Cal i fornia in sea rch of gold, t h e se t t l e r s fash ioned songs to fit t h e even t s .

Medic ine shows, m i n s t r e l shows, cheap ly p r i n t e d song collections (original songs or parodies) t a u g h t t h e se t t l e r s t h e

217

m u s i c t h a t w a s be ing w r i t t e n a b o u t t h e m . T h e N e g r o s l aves w h o accompanied t h e S o u t h e r n w a g o n t r a i n s b r o u g h t t h e i r p l a n t a t i o n melodies , t h e N e w E n g l a n d e r s b r o u g h t t h e i r h y m n s . I n d i a n w a r c h a n t s , t h e g a y re f ra ins of t h e occasional F r e n c h t r a d e r , c a m p m e e t i n g h y m n s , p lay-par ty dances a n d t h e popu l a r m u s i c of t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t h a l l s of t h e E a s t cons t i t u t ed t h e m u s i c of t h e front ier . A n d t h e s e w e r e t h e songs so d iverse ly c rea ted , wh ich g ive u s i n s igh t in to t h e a t t i t u d e s a n d e v e n t s of t h e A m e r i c a n frontier a s i t w e n t w e s t .

The Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn

On the frontier everybody worked; "the young man who wouldn't" is a comic fiction. Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1775 that "America is the land of labor and by no means the English lubberland."

F r e e in de l ivery

1. I'll s ing you a song, and it's n o t v e r - y l o n g ? a -2. He wen t t o the field, and he took a peep in : the

bou t a young man who w o u l d - n ' t hoe co rn . T h e w e e d s and the g r a s s w a s up to h i s ch in , t he

220

r e a - son why, I can't t e l l , fo r w e e d s and the g r a s s , t hey w e r e so h i g h , t hey

t h i s y o u n g m a n w a s al - w a y s wel l . c aused th i s y o u n g m a n for t o s i g h .

3. H e w e n t down to h i s ne ighbor ' s door W h e r e h e h a d been m a n y t i m e s before; P r e t t y l i t t le miss , wil l you m a r r y m e , P r e t t y l i t t le miss , w h a t do you say?

4. We l l , h e r e you a i r a -want in ' for to wed And canno t m a k e your own corn b read . S ing le I be, s ingle I r e m a i n ; A lazy m a n I won ' t m a i n t a i n .

5. Now go down to t h a t cu te l i t t le widder , A n d I hope t h a t you don ' t gi t he r . S h e gave h i m t h e m i t t e n a s s u r e as you ' r e born, Because th i s young m a n wou ldn ' t hoe corn.

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THE SOW TOOK THE MEASLES

The resourcefulness of the frontier settler is humorously set forth in this song. William Cob-bett reported in London in 1818 that in America "every man can use an axe, a saw and a hammer . . . Every farmer is a butcher for market." A possible basis for the " S o w , " "The Herring Song" runs: And what do you think I made of his eyes? 'Twas forty great puddings and fifty great p i e s , Mustards, custards and other fine things. Don't you think I did well with my dear herring?

F r e e i n de l ivery CHORUS

How do you think I b e - g a n in the w o r l d ? I

g o t me a sow and sev- ' ra l oth - e r t h ings . T h e

222

sow took the mea-s les , and she died in the sp r ing .

1. Wha t do you th ink I m a d e of h e r h i d e ? T h e 2. W h a t do you th ink I made of h e r nose? T h e 3. W h a t do you th ink I made of h e r t a i l ? T h e 4. W h a t do you think I made of h e r f ee t ? T h e

ver-y best saddle that you ev-er did r ide ._ Sad-dle o r bri-dle or ver-y best thimble t h a t _ ev-er sewed clothes. Thimble or thread or ver-y best whup that_ ev-er sought sail . _Whup or whup-sock-et, ver-y best pickles that you ev-er did ea t . Pick-les or glue or

a n - y such th ing , the sow took the measles, and she died in the spr ing. a n - y such th ing , the sow took the measles, and she died in the spr ing. a n - y such th ing , the sow took the measles, and she died in the spring. a n - y such th ing , the sow took the measles, and she died in the spring.

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THE GREY GOOSE

Tales of exaggeration, tall tales, were one of the basic elements of frontier humor . The miraculous goose like nBrer Rabbit" is a Negro plantation creation.

R a t h e r fast in 2

1. Las t Sun-day morn-ing, Lord, Lord, Lord , 2. dad-dy went a - h u n t - i n g , Lord, Lord, Lord, oh, my

las t Sun-day morn-ing, Lord, Lord , Lord. 2. Oh, my dad-dy went a - h u n t - i n g , Lord, Lord, Lord.

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3. H e w e n t h u n t i n g for t h e g r e y goose. H e w e n t h u n t i n g for t h e g r e y goose.

4. A n d h e took a long h i s sho t -gun , Yes , h e took a long h i s sho t -gun .

5. A n d a long come a g r e y goose, Yes, a long come a g r ey goose.

6. W e l l i t ' s u p to h i s shou lder , A n d h e pu l led back t h e h a m m e r .

7. A n d t h e g u n w e n t a-booloo, Oh, t h e g u n w e n t a-booloo.

8. H e w a s six w e e k s a-fallin ' , H e w a s six w e e k s a-fallin' .

9. A n d t h e y h a d a fea ther -p ickin ' , O h , y o u r wife a n d m y wife.

10. H e w a s n i n e m o n t h s a-cookin' , H e w a s n i n e m o n t h s a-cookin'.

11. T h e n t h e y p u t h i m on t h e t a b l e , Yes, t h e y p u t h i m on t h e t a b l e .

12. A n d t h e knife cou ldn ' t c u t h i m , No , t h e knife cou ldn ' t c u t h i m .

13. A n d t h e fork cou ldn ' t s t ick h i m , N o , t h e fork cou ldn ' t s t ick h i m .

14. A n d t h e s a w cou ldn ' t c u t h i m , H e b roke t h e s a w ' s too th o u t .

15. So t h e y took h i m to t h e hogpen , A n d t h e hogs wou ldn ' t e a t h i m .

16. A n d t h e l a s t t i m e I see 'd h i m , Oh , t h e l a s t t i m e I see 'd h i m ,

17. H e w a s flying o'er t h e ocean, H e w a s flying o 'er t h e ocean,

18. W i t h a long s t r i n g of gos l ins , W i t h a long s t r i n g of gos l ins .

19. T h e y w a s a l l going u Q u i n k , q u a n k , " T h e y w a s a l l go ing " Q u i n k , q u a n k . "

20. T h a t ' s t h e s tory of t h e g r e y goose, T h a t ' s t h e s t o r y of t h e g r e y goose.

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P e t e r G r a y Folk version of comic song of the early 19th century.

I n 2

1. Once on a time there lived a man, his 2. Now Pe - t e r fell in love all with a

name was Pe- t e r Gray, he lived way down in nice young g i r l , the first three l e t - t e r s

tha t 'ere town cal led Penn - sy l - van - i - a. of her name were Lu - cy An - nie Pearl

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CHORUS:

Blow, ye winds of morning , blow, ye winds, h e i g -

ho, blow, ye winds of

morn - i n g , _ blow, blow, blow.

3. J u s t a s t h e y w e r e abou t t o wed h e r f a the r d id s ay no, A n d consequen t ly s h e w a s s e n t beyond t h e O-hi-o. E t c .

4. W h e n P e t e r h e a r d h i s love w a s lost, h e k n e w no t w h a t to say , H e ' s ha l f a m i n d to j u m p i n t o t h e Susquehan-n i -a . E t c .

5. Now P e t e r w e n t a w a y o u t w e s t to seek h i s for-ti-an, B u t h e w a s c a u g h t a n d scalp-i-ed by a bloody Ind-i-an. Etc.

6. W h e n Lucy h e a r d of t h i s b a d n e w s s h e k n e w no t w h a t t o say . S h e w e p ' a n d w e p ' a n d wep-i-ed h e r poor swee t life a w a y . e tc .

227

THE ERIE CANAL

Sailors by courtesy only, the bargemen of the Erie Canal are described in this song. The job of guiding mules or horses along the tow path was more tedious than dangerous except for the rough frontier character of the life. The canal, finished in 1825, helped open up Illinois, Wisconsin, and M i c h i g a n .

In 2 (s teady r h y t h m )

1. We were f o r - ty miles from Al - ba-ny,— f o r -2. Our c a p - t a i n he came up on deck with a

get it I nev-er sha l l ! What a ter-ri-ble storm we spy glass in his hand,— and the fog it was so

had one night on the E - ri - ee Ca - nal! t a r n - a l ' d thick that he could-n ' t spy the land. The

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E - ri - ee was a - r i s - in', _ the gin was a-gi t - t in ' low,

and I scarce-ly think we'll gi t a drink_ t i l l we

git to Buf-fa - lo, t i l l we git to Buf- fa- lo .

3. O u r cook s h e w a s a g r a n d ol' ga l , S h e h a d a r a g g e d d ress . W e hois ted h e r upon a pole A s a s i g n a l of d i s t ress . Chorus

4. T h e c a p t a i n h e go t m a r r i e d , A n d t h e cook s h e w e n t to ja i l , A n d I ' m t h e on ly son-of-a-gun T h a t ' s left t o te l l t h e t a l e . Chorus

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THE PRATIES THEY GROW SMALL

Crop failure was the cause of the tremendous influx of Irishmen who came over in such large numbers in the early nineteenth century. A popular song of 1844 told about the small potato crop and landlord trouble in Ire land. Because this song touched the heart of a problem we find it preserved in the memory of many Irish famil ies.

Slow a n d s ad

1. Oh, t he p r a - t i e s they grow small o - ve r h e r e , o - ve r 2 . Oh, I wish tha t we were geese, night and morn, night and 3 . Oh,we're t ram-pled in t h e dust, o - ver h e r e , o - v e r

h e r e , oh , the p r a - t i e s t hey grow small, a n d we morn , o h , I wish t h a t we were g e e s e , fo r they h e r e , oh , we're t r a m - p l e d in t he dust, bu t t h e

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dig them in the fal l , and we ea t them coa t s and fly and take the i r ease , and they live and die in

Lord in whom we t rus t will give us crumb for

all, o - v e r h e r e , o - v e r h e r e peace ea t - in' c o r n , e a t - in ' co rn . crust, o - v e r h e r e , o - v e r h e r e .

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P a t r i c k o n t h e R a i l r o a d Songs about "Patrick," the typical Irishman, were frequent as folk songs and on the Variety s tage. The Irish, who did much of the labor on our first railroads, worked together in large groups and amused themselves by conversation, songs, the pun, and the bull.

Easygoing , i n 2

1. In eigh - teen hun - dred and for - t y - one, I 2. In eigh - teen hun - dred and for - ty - two, I

put my cor - d'roy breech-es on, put my co r -d ' roy left the ould world for the new, bad 'cess to the luck that

b r e e c h - e s on to work u p - o n the ra i l - way. brought me through t o work u p - o n the ra i l - way.

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CHORUS:

Bil - ly me - oo, re - eye, re - aye,

B i l - l y m e - o o , r e - e y e , r e - a y e , B i l - l y m e - o o , r e -

eye , r e - a y e , t o work u p - o n the r a i l - way.

3. O u r boss 's n a m e i t w a s T o m K i n g , H e k e p t a s t o r e to r o b t h e m e n , A Y a n k e e c le rk w i t h i n k a n d p e n , To c h e a t P a t o n t h e r a i l w a y .

4. I t ' s " P a t do t h i s , " a n d " P a t do t h a t , " W i t h o u t a s tock ing or c r a v a t , N o t h i n g b u t a n old s t r a w h a t , A n d P a t w o r k e d on t h e r a i l w a y ,

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Sweet Betsy From Pike Here is a humorous parody from P u t ' s Golden Songs t e r of a Variety Hall hit of the 1 8 4 0 ' s , "Vi l l i k ins and his D i n a h . " For all its fun, it shows the difficulties and privations faced by the pioneers every day.

W a l t z

1. Do you re - mem - ber sweet B e t - s y from Pike?_ 2 . soon reached the des-er t where B e t - s y give out,

'Crossed the big moun-tains with he r l o v - e r Ike, _ with down on the sand she l a y rol l - ing a bout,_

two yoke of ox - en, a b i g ya l - ler dog, a Ike , he gazed a t her wi th sobs and with sighs, quoth

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tal l Shang-hai roos t -e r , and one spo t - t ed h o g . _ he, "Get up, Bet - sy, you'll get sand in your eyes." Hoo-dle-

CHORUS:

dang, fol - de - di - do, hoo-dle-dang, fol-de-day._ 2.They

3. T h e S h a n g h a i r a n off, a n d t h e ca t t l e a l l d ied, T h e l a s t piece of bacon t h a t m o r n i n g w a s fried. I k e got d iscouraged a n d Be t sy got m a d , T h e dog w a g g e d h i s t a i l a n d looked wonderful ly sad .

Chorus

4. Long Ike a n d S w e e t Be t sy a t t e n d e d a dance ; I k e wore a p a i r of h i s P i k e C o u n t y p a n t s ; S w e e t Be t sy w a s d ressed u p i n r ibbons a n d r i ngs ; Q u o t h I k e , "You ' r e a n ange l , b u t w h e r e a r e y o u r w i n g s ? "

Chorus

5. A m i n e r come u p , says , ' W i l l you dance w i t h m e ? " " I wil l , you old hoss , if you d o n ' t m a k e too free, A n d I ' l l t e l l you t h e r eason , do you w a n t t o k n o w w h y ? D a w g o n e you, I'm chuckful of s t r o n g a l k a l i . "

Chorus

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T H E OX-DRIVING SONG Ox teams going west from the Mississippi faced many odds: Indians, washouts, and bad muddy roads.

Lively, in 2

1. Pop my whip and I b r i n g the blood, I make my leaders (2.) fourteenth day of Oc - to - b e r - o I hitched my team in 3. When I got there, the hills were steep, 't would make any tenderhearted

(4.) I get home I'll have re-venge, I'll land my fam-i - ly a-

take the mud, we grab the w h e e l s , and we turn them a -o r - d e r - o to drive the hills of S a - lu - di -

p e r - son weep t o h e a r me cuss and pop my mong my friends, I'll b id a - dieu to the whip and

round, one long, long pull, and we're on h a r d ground. o to me roll , to me roll, to my r i - de - o.

whip and see my ox - e n _ pull and sl ip. line and drive no more in the win - t e r - t ime.

To me

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CHORUS:

rol , to me rol, to my r i - de - o, _ to me

r o l , to me rol , to my r i - de - o, to my

r i - de - o, to my ru - die — o, to me

ro l , to me rol , to me r i - de - o. 2. On the 3. _____ 4. When

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JOE BOWERS This popular Gold Rush song reflects the constant dread of the men so long out of communication with their eastern homes: that those left behind might be dead or married to another before they could return.

Lively, b u t free i n de l ivery

1. My name it is Joe Bow-ers, and I've got a broth-er 2. I used to court a gal there; her_ name was Sa l - l i e

Ike ; I'm jus t here from old Mis - sou - r i , and Black; I asked her if she'd mar - ry me, she

a l l the way from Pike; I te l l you why I said i t was a whack; says she to me, "Joe

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left there and why I be-gan to roam, and Bow- ers , be - fore we're hitched for life, you

left my ag-ed pa r -en t s , so fa r a - w a y from home. ought to get a l i t - t l e home to keep your li t - t l e wife."

3. S a y s I, "My d e a r e s t Sal ly , O Sal ly , for you r s a k e , I ' l l go to Cal i fornia a n d t r y to r a i s e a s t a k e . " Says she to m e , " J o e Bowers , you a r e t h e one to w i n . " S h e gave m e a k i s s to sea l t h e b a r g a i n a n d I t h rowe d

a dozen in. 4. I ' l l neve r forget m y feel ings w h e n I bid ad i eu t o all.

Sa l , she cotched m e round t h e neck a n d I b e g a n to bawl . W h e n I began t h e y al l commenced, you n e v e r h e a r d t h e l ike . How t h e y al l took on a n d cr ied a n d cr ied t h e d a y

I left old P ike . 5. W h e n I got to th i s count ry , I h a d n a r y a red ,

I h a d such wolfish feelings, t h a t I w i shed myself mos t dead . B u t t h e t h o u g h t s of m y d e a r Sa l ly soon m a d e t h i s feel ing gi t : A n d whispe red hopes to Bowers , Lord I w i s h I h a d ' e m y i t .

6. A t l a s t I w e n t to m i n i n g , p u t in m y bigges t l icks, Come down upon t h e bou lders j u s t l ike a t h o u s a n d b r i cks . I worked bo th l a t e a n d ea r ly in r a i n a n d s u n a n d snow, I w a s w o r k i n g for m y Sal ly , i t w a s al l t h e s a m e to J o e .

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7. O n e d a y I got a l e t t e r from m y d e a r b r o t h e r Ike ; I t c a m e from old Missour i a l l t h e w a y from P i k e . I t b r o u g h t m e t h e d a r n e d e s t n e w s t h a t e v e r you did h e a r ; M y h e a r t i t is a -b reak ing so p l ea se excuse t h i s t e a r .

8. I t s a id m y S a l w a s fa l se to m e , t h a t h e r love for m e h a d fled,

T h a t s h e got m a r r i e d to a b u t c h e r , a n d t h e b u t c h e r ' s h a i r w a s r ed .

I t to ld m e m o r e t h a n t h a t , i t ' s e n o u g h t o m a k e m e s w e a r T h a t Sa l l y h a d a b a b y a n d t h e b a b y h a d r e d h a i r .

9. N o w I 've told you e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t t h i s s a d affair, 'Bou t S a l l y m a r r y i n g a b u t c h e r a n d t h e b a b y h a d r e d h a i r . B u t w h e t h e r i t w a s a boy or g i r l , t h e l e t t e r n e v e r sa id , I t on ly sa id t h e b a b y ' s h a i r w a s inc l inéd t o b e r e d .

What Was Your Name in the States?

It became the custom in America never to press questions on a stranger unless he volunteered information. There was a feeling of room for all in the new country, of judging a man for what he was regardless of his p a s t . In America a man could indeed start his life all over aga in .

Lively, i n 2

What was your name in the S t a t e s ? - Was it

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Thomp - son or John - son or Bates? Did you

mur - der your wife and fly for your l ife? Say,

w h a t was your name in the S t a t e s ?

241

T H E SIOUX I N D I A N S This song is a realistic ballad about the fight of a wagon train with the Sioux Indians, en route to Oregon territory, opened up by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is a non-melodic song to be chanted rather than sung, traditionally sung unaccompanied.

F r e e in de l ivery

1. I'll sing you a song, though it may be a sad one, of 2. I crossed the Mis-sour-i and joined a large train which

t r i a l s_ and t r o u - b l e s , and where first be - gun. I bore us o'er moun-tain and val - ley and plain; and

left my dear kin-dred, my friends, and my home, and we of - ten of eve-nings out hunt - ing we'd go to

242

crossed the wide des - e r t s and moun-tains to roam. shoot the fleet an - te-lope and the wild buf - fa - lo .

3. W e t r a v e l e d t h r e e w e e k s t i l l w e c a m e to t h e P l a t t e . A n d p i t ched o u t o u r t e n t s a t t h e h e a d of a flat; W e ' d s p r e a d d o w n o u r b l a n k e t s o n t h e g r e e n g r a s s y g r o u n d , W h i l e o u r ho r se s a n d oxen w e r e a-grazing a r o u n d . 4. W h i l e t a k i n g r e f r e s h m e n t s w e h e a r d a low yel l , T h e whoop of Sioux I n d i a n s c o m i n g u p from t h e dell ; W e s p r a n g to ou r rifles w i t h a flash i n each eye . " B o y s , " s a y s o u r b r a v e l eader , "we ' l l fight t i l l w e d i e . " 5. T h e y m a d e a bold d a s h a n d c a m e n e a r to o u r t r a i n , A n d t h e a r r o w s fell down j u s t l i ke h a i l a n d l ike r a i n , B u t w i t h o u r long rifles w e fed t h e m cold l ead 'Ti l m a n y a b r a v e w a r r i o r a r o u n d u s l a y dead . 6. W i t h o u r s m a l l band , t h e r e w e r e j u s t twenty-four , A n d of t h e S ioux I n d i a n s t h e r e w e r e five h u n d r e d or m o r e , W e fought t h e m w i t h courage , w e spoke n o t a word, 'Ti l t h e e n d of t h e b a t t l e t h a t w a s a l l t h a t w a s h e a r d . 7. W e sho t t h e i r bold Chief a t t h e h e a d of t h e b a n d , H e d ied l ike a w a r r i o r w i t h t h e g u n i n h i s h a n d , W h e n t h e y s a w t h e i r full Chief l ay ing d e a d i n h i s gore , T h e y whooped a n d t h e y yel led a n d w e s a w t h e m n o m o r e . 8. W e h i t c h e d u p o u r h o r s e s a n d s t a r t e d o u r t r a i n , T h r e e m o r e bloody b a t t l e s t h i s t r i p on t h e p l a in . A n d in o u r l a s t b a t t l e t h r e e of o u r b r a v e boys t h e y d id fall, A n d w e left t h e m to r e s t i n a g r e e n s h a d y del l . 9. W e t r ave l ed by day , g u a r d e d c a m p d u r i n g n igh t , T i l l Oregon ' s m o u n t a i n s look 'd h i g h i n t h e i r m i g h t N o w a t P o c a h o n t a s bes ide a c lea r s t r e a m O u r j o u r n e y h a s ended i n t h e l and of o u r d r e a m .

243

The Hand-Car t Song Conflicts with other settlers forced the Mormons west through heat and snow to the desolate Salt Lake valley, chosen by their ten leaders as the Promised L a n d . Here they laid out their famous city.

L i k e a h y m n (in 2)

1. Ye saints who dwell on E u - rope 's shore, p r e -Chorus: For some must push and some must pull as

2. For you must c ross the r a g - ing main be -

pare your-selves for man-y more,_ to leave be-hind your we go marching u p _ the h i l l , so mer - r i - ly on our fore the prom - ised land_ you gain, and with the faith - ful

n a - t ive land, for sure, God's judg-ments a re a t hand. way we go, un - t i l we reach the val - ley, oh!

make a s t a r t to c ross the plains with your hand-ca r t .

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3. The l ands t h a t boast of mode rn l ight , W e k n o w a r e a l l a s d a r k a s n igh t , W h e r e poor m e n toil a n d w a n t for b read , W h e r e p e a s a n t hos t s a r e b l indly led.

4. These l ands t h a t boas t of l iber ty , You n e ' e r a g a i n would wish to see , W h e n you from E u r o p e m a k e a s t a r t To cross t h e p l a ins w i t h your h a n d c a r t ,

Chorus

5. As on t h e road t h e ca r t s a r e pul led , 'Twould very m u c h su rp r i s e t h e world, To see t h e old a n d feeble d a m e T h u s lend a h a n d to pu l l t h e s a m e .

8. And m a i d e n s fair wil l dance a n d s ing , Young m e n as h a p p y a s a k ing . A n d ch i ld ren too will l a u g h a n d p lay , T h e i r s t r e n g t h inc reas ing d a y by d a y .

Chorus

7. A n d long before t h e va l ley ' s ga ined , W e will be m e t upon t h e p l a in s , W i t h mus ic swee t a n d fr iends so d e a r , A n d fresh suppl ies o u r h e a r t s to chee r .

8. A n d t h e n w i t h m u s i c a n d w i t h song, How cheerful ly we ' l l m a r c h a long , A n d t h a n k t h e d a y we m a d e a s t a r t To cross t h e p l a in s w i t h o u r h a n d ca r t .

Chorus

9. W h e n you ge t t h e r e a m o n g t h e r e s t , Obed ien t be a n d you ' l l be bles t , A n d in God 's c h a m b e r s be s h u t i n W i t h j u d g m e n t s c leanse t h e e a r t h from s in .

10. Fo r w e do k n o w i t wil l be so, God's s e r v a n t s spoke i t long ago, W e s a y i t is h i g h t i m e to s t a r t To cross t h e p l a i n s w i t h ou r h a n d ca r t .

Chorus 245

Old Rosin the Beau One of the most popular songs of 1838 — along with " F l o w Gently Sweet Af ton," "Annie Laurie," and "The West Pointer's Song" — "Old Rosin" is a prototype of songs about drinkers who attain popularity just before death. Words and music: anonymous .

L i k e a wa l t z

1. I live for the good of my na - t ion , 2. In the gay round of p l eas - ure I've trav - el'd,

and my sons are a l l grow-ing low, but I n o r wil l I be - hind leave a f o e ; and

hope that my next g e n - e r - a - t i o n will r e - sem - ble old when my com-pan- ions a re j o - v i a l , they will dr ink to o ld

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Ros- in , the beau. I've trav-el 'd this coun- t ry a l l Ros- in , the beau . ___ But my life is now drawn t o a

o - ve r , and now t o t he next I will g o ; clos-ing, and all will a t l a s t _ b e s o :

for I know tha t good quar - t e r s a - wa i t me, so we'll take a full b u m p - e r a t p a r t - ing,

t o wel - come old Ros - in , t h e beau , t o t h e name of o ld R o s - in , t h e beau.

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B E N B O L T F r e e i n de l ivery

1. Oh, don't you re-mem-ber sweet Al-ice, Ben Bolt, sweet 2. Oh, don't you re-mem-ber the school, Ben Bolt, and the

Al - ice, with ha i r_ so brown? She wept with de-light when you mas- te r so kind and so t rue,_ and the li t - t le nook by the

gave her a smile, and trem-bled with fear_ a t your clear r u n - n i n g brook, where we gath-ered the flow-ers as they

frown. In the old church-yard in the val-ley, Ben Bolt, in a grew? On the mas-ter 's grave grows the grass, Ben Bolt, and the

248

"Ben Bolt" is a famous example of the new sentimental type of song so popular after the 1830's. It had many parodies.

cor-ner ob-scure and a - lone, they have fit-ted a s lab of _ run-ning lit-tle brook is now dry, and of all_the friends who were

g ran- i t e so grey, and sweet Al - ice lies un - der the school - mates then, there r e - main, Ben, but you and

stone, they have fit-ted a slab of_ gran-ite so grey, and sweet I , and of all the friends who were school-mates then, there r e -

Al - ice l ies un - der the stone. main, Ben, but you and I.

249

THE LITTLE OLD SOD SHANTY Steady , i n 2

1. I'm look-ing ra th-er s e e d - y now while holding down m y 2. I ra ther like the nov - el - ty of liv - ing in th is

claim; my vit- t les a re not al-ways of the b e s t , and the way, though my bill of fare is-n't al-ways of the b e s t , but I'm

mice play shy-ly round me a s I n e s - t l e down t o r e s t in my h a p - py a s a clam on the land of Un - cle S a m in my

l i t - t l e old_ sod shanty on the p la in , l i t - t l e old_ sod shanty in the wes t . Oh, the

250

The labors of the pioneer who staked a claim and tried to build a home were little sung. He often built several h o m e s , moving west as the next class of emigrants took his land.

CHORUS:

h i n g - e s a r e of l ea th -e r and the win-dows have no g l a s s , t h e

boa rds , they let the howl- ing b l i z - za rd in. You can

see the hun-gry coy-ote, a s he sneaks up through the grass to my

l i t - t l e old_ sod s h a n - t y on the c la im.

251

I've Got No Use For Women There were too few women in the west to go a r o u n d .

W a l t z ( s t e a d y r h y t h m )

1. I've got no use for wom-en, A (2.) p a l was a straight young cow - punch-er,

t rue one may nev - e r be found, they'll st ick by a hon-es t and up-r ight and square, but he turned t o a

man for his mon-ey; when it 's gone they'll turn him gam-bler and gun-man, and a worn-an sent him

down. They're a l l a - like at the bot- torn: there. Quick - er and sur - e r his gun-play

252

s e l f - i s h a n d g r a s p - i n g f o r a l l . T h e y ' l l t i l l his h e a r t a n d h i s bod - y l a y d e a d : w h e n a

s t i c k b y a m a n w h e n h e ' s w i n - n i n g , a n d v a n - q u i l in - s u l t - e d h e r p i c - t u r e , h e

l a u g h in h i s f a c e w h e n h e f a l l s . f i l l e d h i m fu l l o f l e a d .

My

3. All n i g h t long they t r a i l ed h i m T h r u mesqu i t e a n d c h a p a r r a l A n d I couldn ' t b u t t h i n k of t h a t w o m a n , A s I s a w h i m pi tch a n d fall . If she 'd been t h e pa l t h a t s h e should h a v e , H e m i g h t h a v e been r a i s i n g a son, I n s t ead of ou t t h e r e on t h e p r a i r i e To fall by a r a n g e r ' s g u n .

4. D e a t h ' s slow s t i n g did n o t t r oub l e — H i s chances for life w e r e too s l im — B u t w h e r e t h e y were a -pu t t in ' h i s body W a s a l l t h a t wor r i ed h i m . H e lifted h i s h e a d on h i s e lbow T h e blood from h i s w o u n d flowed red; H e looked a t h i s p a l s g rouped a r o u n d h i m A n d whi spe red to t h e m , a n d said:

5. " O h , b u r y m e o u t on t h e p r a i r i e W h e r e t h e coyotes m a y howl o 'er m y g r a v e , B u r y m e o u t on t h e p r a i r i e , A n d some of m y bones p lease s ave . W r a p m e u p i n m y b l a n k e t A n d cover m e deep ' n e a t h t h e g round , Cover m e over w i t h bou lders Of g r a n i t e h u g e a n d r o u n d . "

6. So t h e y bur i ed h i m o u t on t h e p ra i r i e , A n d t h e coyotes s t i l l howl o 'er h i s g r a v e , B u t h i s soul i s now a-res t in ' F r o m t h e u n k i n d cu t s h e gave . A n d m a n y a s im-u- lar cowpuncher , A s h e r ides b y t h a t pi le of s tones , Reca l l s some s im-u-lar w o m a n A n d env ies h i s mold in ' bones .

When I Was Single For this extension of the anti-feminine viewpoint of the preceding song, the less comment the better.

Robust , i n 2

l. When I was sin-gle, o then, o then, when 2. I mar-ried a wife,_ o then, o then, I

254

I was sin-gle, o then, when I was sin-gle my mar-ried a wife,— o t h e n , — I mar-ried a wife, she's the

mo - ney did jin - gle, and I wish I was sin - gle a -curse of my life, I wish I was sin - gle a -

gain, a - gain, wish I was s in -g le a - gain. ga in , a - gain, wish I was sin - gle a - ga in .

3. M y wife s h e died, oh t h e n , oh t h e n , M y wife s h e died, oh t h e n , M y wife s h e died a n d I l a u g h e d ' t i l I c r ied To t h i n k I w a s s ing le aga in , a g a i n .

4. I m a r r i e d m e ano the r , o h t h e n , o h t h e n , I m a r r i e d m e ano the r , oh t h e n , I m a r r i e d m e a n o t h e r , she ' s t h e devi l ' s s t e p m o t h e r A n d I w i s h I w a s s ing le aga in , a g a i n .

255

P O O R B O Y Of Negro origin, probably of a later period, this song deserves a place here because one is apt to forget that a personal and intensive life with its own code was lived on the frontier and the river set t lements .

S t e a d y wa l t z r h y t h m

1. As I went down to t he r iv - e r , p o o r 2. I fel - l e red h e r for months and 3 . He come a t me with a big j a c k

boy, t o see the ships go by , my months , she o f - fe red me h e r hand , we were knife; I went a t him with lead.

sweet-heart stood on the deck of one , and jus t a - bout to ge t mar-ried, when she

When the fight was o-ver,__ poor boy, he

256

CHORUS

she waved to me good-bye. ran off with a gam - blin' man. lay down be-side me, dead.

Bow down your

head and cry, poor boy, bow down your head and

cry. Stop think-ing a - bout _ that wom-an you love,_

bow down your head and cry.

257

4. H e come a t m e w i t h a big jackknife ; I w e n t a t h i m w i t h lead . W h e n t h e fight w a s over , poor boy, H e lay down bes ide m e dead. Chorus

5. T h e y took m e to t h e b ig ja i l house ; T h e m o n t h s , t h e m o n t h s rol led by. T h e j u r y found m e gu i l ty , poor boy, A n d t h e j udge said , you m u s t die . Chorus

6. A n d ye t t h e y call t h i s jus t ice , poor boy, T h e n jus t ice le t i t be . I only k i l led a m a n t h a t w a s J u s t a-fixing to ki l l m e . Chorus

THE UTAH IRON H O R S E The Mormons, in whose city of Salt Lake the two parts of the Union Pacific Railroad met, sang this song about its coming.

I n 4, no t too fas t

1. The I-ron Horse draws nigh with it's smoke-nos-trils high, eat-ing 2. We have is-o-lat-ed been, but_ soon we shall be seen; thru this

258

fire while he graz-eth, drink-ing wa-ter while he blaz-eth; then the White Moun-tain re-gion folks can learn of our re - li - gion. Count each

steam forc - es out, whis-tles loud clear the route, for the man, man - y wives, how they're held in their hives, and

I - ron Horse is com-ing with a t ra in in his wake. see those dread-ful dives,_ how they lynch man - y l ives.

3. If a l ive w e s h a l l be , M a n y folks w e sha l l see , Nobles , lords, flotsam, begga r s , A m o n g u s wi l l come t h e s l ave r s . S a i n t s wil l come, s i n n e r s too. W e ' l l h a v e a l l t h a t w e can do, Fo r t h i s g r e a t U n i o n R a i l r o a d I t wi l l fetch t h e devi l t h r o u g h .

259

THE COWBOY'S LAMENT

A variant of an Irish song, "The Unfortunate Rake."

W a l t z , r a t h e r s low

l . As I walked ou t in the s t ree t s of La -2. "I see by y o u r ou t - f i t t h a t you a r e a

r e - d o , a s I walked out in La - r e - do one cow-boy" -- these words he did say as I bo ld - ly walked

260

day, I sp ied a p o o r cow-boy all wrapped in whi te by, "Come s i t down be - s ide me and h e a r my sad

l in-nen, wrapped in white l in - nen as cold as the clay. sto - ry , I'm shot in the breas t , and I know I must d ie ."

3. " I t w a s once in t h e saddle I used to go d a s h i n g , Once in t h e saddle I used to go gay , F i r s t down to Rosie 's a n d t h e n to t h e ca rd house , Sho t in t h e b r e a s t a n d I 'm dying today .

4. " G e t s ix teen g a m b l e r s to c a r r y m y coffin Six p u r t y m a i d e n s to s ing m e a song; T a k e m e to t h e va l ley a n d lay t h e sod o'er m e , For I ' m a young cowboy a n ' know I done wrong .

5. " O , b e a t t h e d r u m slowly a n d p lay t h e fife lowly, P l a y t h e dead m a r c h a s t h e y ca r ry m e a long, P u t bunches of roses al l over m y coffin, Roses to deaden t h e clods a s t hey fa l l ."

6. As I w a l k e d ou t in t h e s t r ee t s of L a r e d o A s I w a l k e d ou t in La redo one day , I spied a y o u n g cowboy al l wrapped in w h i t e l i nen , W r a p p e d i n w h i t e l inen , a s cold a s t h e c lay .

261

TITLE INDEX

Abolitionist Hymn, The . . . 210

Aunt Rhody 175

Away, Rio . . . 132

Ballad of the Tea Party, The 84

Barb'ry Allen . . . . . . . 50

Battle of Saratoga, The . . . 94

Ben Bolt . . . . . . . . . 248

Billy Boy (English) 168

Billy Boy (Irish) .170

Blow the Man Down . . . . 130

Blow Ye Winds. . . . . . . 146

Blue Tail Fly, The .206

Bold Soldier, The . . . . . 70

Bonnie, Wee Lassie, A . . . . 180

Boston Tea Tax, The . . . . 86

Brennan on the Moor . . . . 52

Buffalo Gals . . . . . . . . 208

Captain Kidd . . . . . . . 44

Careless Love . . . . . . 192

Chester 90

Confess Jehovah . . . . . . 14

Constitution and the Guerrière, The . . . . . . 120

Cornwallis Country Dance. . 104

Cowboy's Lament, The . . . 260

Crocodile Song, The. . . . . . 154

Devil's Nine Questions, The . 38

Divil and the Farmer, The. . 172

Down in the Valley . . . . . 186

Dreadnought, The . . . . . . 152

Drunken Sailor, The . . . . 136

Edward 48

Erie Canal, The 228

Escape of Old John Webb, The. 30

Fiddle-De-Dee . . . . . . . 23

Foggy, Foggy Dew, The . . . 60

Fox, The . . . . . . . . . 28

Free A m e r i c a . . . . . . . . 88

Golden Vanity, The . . . . . 42

Grandfather's Clock. . . . . 199

Grey Goose, The . . . . . . 224

Greensleeves . . . . . . . . 34

Hand-Cart Song, The . . . . 244

Hart He Loves the High Wood, T h e . . . . . . . . 32

Haul Away J o e . . . . . . . 140

Heart of O a k . . . . . . . . 82

Henry Martin . . . . . . . 46

Hey Diddle Diddle . . . . . 22

High Barbaree . . . . . . . 116

Hornet and the Peacock, The . 122

How Happy the Soldier . . . 100

Hullabaloo Belay . . . . . 138

I'm Sad and I'm Lonely . . . 190

Indian Christmas Carol, The . 20

I've Got No Use For Women . 252

Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier 98

Joe Bowers. . 238

Kemo-Kimo . . . . . . . . 204

Let Simon's Beard Alone . . 33 Little Mohee . . . 10 Little Old Sod Shanty, The . 250 Lolly Too Dum . . 188 Lord Randall 58 Lord Thomas and Fair

Elinore . . . . 55 Maid of Amsterdam, The . . 114 Miss Bailey's Ghost . . . . . 128 Mr. Froggie Went A-Courting 24 Mother Goose Nursery

Rhymes 22 My Days Have Been So

Wondrous Free 108 Nearer My God to Thee . . . 164 Nicodemus. 212 Oh, Absalom, My Son . . . . 32 Old Blue . . . . . . . . . . 182 Old Dan Tucker . 2 0 2 Old Hundred 16 Old Rosin the Beau 246 On Springfield Mountain . . 68 Ox-Driving Song, The . . . . 236 Paper of P i n s . . . . . . . . 40 Patrick on the Railroad . . . 232 Patriotic Diggers, The . . . . 126 Peter Gray 226 Pirate Song, The . . . . . . 118 Poor Boy 256 Praties They Grow Small, The 230 Pretty Polly . 62 Psalm Three 12 Riddle Song, The 36 Riflemen's Song at

Bennington, The . . . . . 92

Robin 64 Rolling Home 144 Seven Joys of Mary, The . . 18 Sacramento 142 Shenandoah 134 Sioux Indians, The 242 Sir Peter Parker 102 Skip to My Lou . 194 Song of the Fishes 150 Sourwood Mountain. . . . . 1 8 4 Sow Took the Measles, The . 222 Sweet Betsy From Pike . . . 234 Tailor and the Mouse, The. . 26 Tobacco's but an Indian Weed 8 Turkey in the Straw . . . . 196 Turtle Dove, The 166 Utah Iron Horse, The . . . . 258 Wayfaring Stranger, The . . 160 Wee Cooper o'Fife, The. . . 178 Whale, The 148 What a Court Hath Old

England 80 What Was Your Name in

the States? 240 When I Was Single 254 Why, Soldiers, Why? . . . . 66 Wondrous Love 165 World Turned Upside

Down, The 106 Yankee Doodle 72 Yankee Man-of-War, The . . 96 Ye Parliaments of England . 124 Young Man Who Wouldn't

Hoe Corn, The . . . . . . 220

INDEX OF FIRST LINES

A bonnie, wee lassie whose name it was Nell. . . . . . . 180 A captain bold in Halifax, who dwelt in country quarters . . . . . . 128 A farmer was plowing his field one day 172 Alas, my love, you do me wrong . 34 All people that on earth do dwell . 16 As I walked out in the streets of Laredo 260 As I was goin' down the road 196 As I went down to the river, poor boy 256 As I went out one mornin' to take the pleasant air . . . . . . . . . 188 As I went out walking, upon a fine day 10 Born from a world of tyrants, beneath the western sky 88 Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight 208 Chicken a-crowing on Sourwood M o u n t a i n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Come all ye young fellows that follow the sea . . . . 130 Come all ye bold Fishermen, listen to me 150 Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer . 82 Come, list ye, landsmen, all to me 154 Come unto me, ye heroes, and I the truth will tell . 94 Confess Jehovah thankfully 14 Cornwallis led a country dance, the like was never seen, Sir 104 Do you remember Sweet Betsy from Pike?. 234 Down in the valley 186 Enemies, beware, keep a proper distance. 126 Fiddle-de-dee, fiddle-de-dee 23 Flies in the buttermilk, two by two 194 Fox went out on a chilly night 28 Go tell Aunt Rhody 175 Here I sit on Buttermilk Hill 98 Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 How do you think I began in the world? 222

How happy the soldier who lives on his pay . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 How stands the glass around? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 I courted pretty Polly the livelong night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 I gave my love a cherry that has no stone 36 I had an old dog and his name was Blue 182 I laid me down and slept; I waking rose 12 I live for the good of my nation . 246 I snum I am a Yankee lad . 86 If buttercups buzz'd after the bee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 If, Yankees, you would have a song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 I'll give to you a paper of pins . 40 I'll sing you a song, and it's not very long 220 I'll sing you a song, though it may be a sad one . . . . . . . . . . 242 I'm just a poor, wayfaring stranger . . . 160 I'm looking rather seedy now while holding down my claim . . . . . 250 I'm sad and I'm lonely . . 190 In Amsterdam there lived a Maid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 In eighteen hundred and forty-one . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 In Scarlet town where I was born. . 50 It ofttimes has been told . . . . . . . 120 It was in the year of forty-four 148 It's about a fierce highwayman my story I will tell 52 I've got no use for women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Last Sunday morning 224 Let Simon's beard alone . . . . . . . . . . 33 Let tyrants shake their iron rod . 90 Lord Thomas rose early one morning in May 55 Love, oh love, oh careless love 192 Mister Froggie went a-courting and he did ride 24 My boat's by the tower, and my bark's on the bay . . . . . . . . . 118 My days have been so wondrous free 108 My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf . . . . . . . . . 199 My Lords, with your leave, an account I will give . 102 My mother kept a boarding house . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 My name it is Joe Bowers 238

Nearer my God to thee, nearer to thee . . 164 Nicodemus, the slave, was of African birth. . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Oh, the praties they grow small . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Oh, Absalom, my son 32 Oh! don't you remember sweet Alice, Ben Bolt 248 Oh, my name was William Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed . . . . . . . 44 On Springfield Mountain there did dwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Once on a time there lived a man 226 Poor little turtle dove. . . 166 Pop my whip and I bring the blood. 236 Robin, he married a wife from the West. . 64 Sing and heave, and heave and sing 142 Soldier, O soldier coming from the plain 70 Tea-ships near to Boston lying 84 The anchor is weigh'd, and the sails they are set . . . 132 The hart, he loves the high wood 32 The Iron Horse draws nigh . . 258 The Old Mizzoo she's a mighty river 134 The very first joy that Mary had. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 There's a saucy wild packet, and a packet of fame . . . . . . . . . 152 There was a frog lived in a pool 204 There was a ship that sailed all on the Lowland sea. 42 There was a tailor had a mouse 26 There was a wee cooper wha lived i' Fife 178 There were nine to guard the British ranks 30 There were three brothers in merry Scotland. . 46 There were two lofty ships from old England came 116 'Tis advertised in Boston, New York and Buffalo 146 'Tis of a gallant Yankee ship that flew the stripes and stars 96 Tobacco's but an Indian weed 8 'Twas in the moon of wintertime 20 Up aloft, amid the rigging 144 We ask not that the slave should lie . . . . 210 We were forty miles from Albany 228 Went to town the other night 202

What a court hath Old England of folly and sin 80 What makes that blood on the point of your knife? 48 What was your name in the States? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 What will we do with the drunken sailor? . . 136 What wondrous love is this, oh! my soul, oh, my soul! 165 When I was a bach'lor, I lived all alone . . 60 When I was a little lad and so my mother told me 140 When I was single, oh then, oh then 254 When I was young I used to wait 206 Where have you been all the day, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?. 170 Where have you been all the day, my boy Willie? . . . . . . . . . 168 Where have you been all the day, Randall, my son? 58 Why come ye hither, Redcoats, your mind what madness fills?. . . . 92 Ye Demos, attend, and ye Federals, too. . 122 Ye Parliaments of England, ye Lords and Commons, too 124 Ye saints who dwell on Europe's shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 You must answer me questions nine . . . . 38

267

KEY TO THE GUITAR CHORDS Used i n T h i s Book

BY HARRY VOLPE

Each diagram represents the upper end of the fingerboard towards the head of the guitar, as held in position for playing.

The six long vertical lines represent the six strings of the instrument, while the short vertical lines stand for frets.

The large black dots designate places (behind the frets) where the strings are to be stopped to produce the notes. The small x represents a deadened string. Left-hand fingers used are shown by small numerals below the diagram.

268

B U R L I V E S Recordings on Decca Records

FOLK SONG ALBUMS (all records available as singles).

BALLADS & FOLK SONGS

Volume I (DL5080)

Dublin City Cockle Shells

Old Dan Tucker The Erie Canal Eddystone Light Hullabaloo-Belay

Venezuela The Fox

Lolly-too-dum Aunt Rhody

Saturday Night Wake Nicodemus


Volume II (DL5018)

Turtle Dove Devil's Nine Questions

No Wood Fire Ten Thousand Miles

My Good Old Man Po' Boy

I'm Sad and I'm Lonely Down in the Valley Cowboy's Lament


Volume III (DL5093)

Rodger Young Foggy, Foggy Dew

Blue Tail Fly I'm Going Down the Road Big Rock Candy Mountain

It Makes No Difference Now I'm Thinking Tonight of My

Blue Eyes

Old Uncle Ned On the Grand Canyon Line

WOMEN: FOLK SONGS ABOUT

THE FAIR SEX (DL 5490)

Liza Jane Barbara Allen

The Woman and the Chivalrous Shark

The Wealthy Old Maid (Warranty Deed)

My Pretty Little Miss Devilish Mary Molly Malone Nellie McNess

FOLK SONGS DRAMATIC AND

HUMOROUS (DL 5467)

Git Along Little Dogies From Here On Up The Hills

Don't Get Any Higher The Golden Vanity

Hush Little Baby-Tibby Dunbar I Know An Old Lady

Goober Peas Old Bangham

Killigrew's Soiree I Wonder As I Wander

CHRISTMAS DAY IN

THE MORNING (DL 5428)

The Seven Joys of Mary What Child Is This

There Were Three Ships King Herod and the Cock

Down in Yon Forest The Friendly Beasts

Jesus Ahatonia (Huron Indian Carol)

BURL IVES Recordings on Decca Records FOLK SONG ALBUMS (all records available as singles).

ALBUMS FOR CHILDREN

1 The Riddle Song What Kind of Animal Are You? (K68)

2 The Hen in the Hay Mow I Know an Old Lady (K 85}

3 Blue Tail Fly Shoo Fly Way Down Yonder in the Paw

Paw Patch (K 107)

4 Three Jolly Huntsmen Let's Go Hunting (K 106)

BURL IVES Recordings on Columbia Records FOLK SONG ALBUMS (all records available as singles).

ALBUM 1—WAYFARING STRANGER (CL 6109) (B 103) (C 103)

Darlin' Cory Cotton-Eyed Joe Cowboy's Lament

(Streets of Laredo) I Know My Love

I Know Where I'm Going Leather-Winged Bat

On Top of Old Smokey Peter Gray

Riddle Song Sweet Betsy From Pike

Tam Pearce (Widdicomb Fair) Wee Cooper O'Fife

ALBUM 2—RETURN OP THE WAYFARING STRANGER (CL 6058)

On Springfield Mountain Little Mohee

Troubadour Song Lord Randall

Bonnie Wee Lassie Colorado Trail

John Hardy Divil and the Farmer

ALBUM 3—MORE FOLK SONGS (CL 6144) (B 213)

High Barbaree Pretty Polly Pueblo Girl

Baby Did You Hear? Old Blue

Ballandarie Robin He Married Lavendar Cowboy

I Got No Use For Women Old Paint

Green Broom

AMERICAN HYMNS (CL 6115) O Beulah Land

When I Get to the End of the Way

Fairest Lord Jesus When the Roll is Called

up Yonder Forty Years Ago

Blessed Assurance The Ninety and Nine

Beautiful Isle

ALBUMS FOR CHILDREN: THE ANIMAL FAIR

(JL 8013) (J 459) (J 59) The Grey Goose

Buckeye Jim The Tailor and The Mouse The Sow Took the Measles

Mr. Rabbit The Whale

MOTHER GOOSE SONGS (J 467) (J 67)

Dickory, Dickory Dock To Market, To Market Pop Goes the Weasel Little Jack Horner Cock-a-Doodle Doo

Sing a Song of Sixpence Hey Diddle Diddle Three Blind Mice Fiddle Dee Dee

Muffin Man Pussy Cat

SONGS NOT AVAILABLE IN ALBUMS : SINGLES ONLY

Wayfaring Stranger Woolie Boogie Bee Fooba-Wooba John

Two Little Owls Down Back of the Barn Where Have You Been?

Lollipop Tree Two Little Trains

On Top of Old Smokey Little White Duck

BURL IVES Recordings for Encyclopaedia Britannica Films Historical America in Song

ALBUM 1, SONGS OF THE COLONIES

Psalm 3 Confess Jehovah

Mother Goose Songs Little Mohee

The Tailor and the Mouse Barbara Allen Lord Thomas

Robin He Married Lord Randall

The Bold Soldier Edward

Black is the Color The Squire's Son The Riddle Song

Foggy, Foggy Dew The Fox

Brennan on the Moor Billy Boy

Queen Jane Turtle Dove

ALBUM II,

SONGS OF THE REVOLUTION

The Escape of John Web I Know Where I'm Going My Days Have Been So

Wondrous Free On Springfield Mountain

Chester What a Court Hath Old England

Ballad of the Tea Party The Boston Tea Tax

White Cockade Free America

Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier Yankee Doodle

Riflemen's Song at Bennington The Battle of the Kegs

Ballad of Saratoga Cornwallis Country Dance

Sir Peter Parker Yankee Man O'War

Skip-to-my-Lou Careless Love

Wayfaring Stranger

ALBUM III,

SONGS OF NORTH AND SOUTH

Ye Parliaments of England The Constitution and the Guerrière

Patriotic Diggers Hunters of Kentucky

The Hornet and the Peacock Hey Betty Martin Old Dan Tucker

Blue Tail Fly The Abolitionist Hymn

Nicodemus Old Abe Lincoln

All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight John Brown

Dixie Bonnie Blue Flag

Goober Peas The Battle of Bull Run

Johnny Comes Marching Home Lorena

Kemo-Kimo Beautiful Dreamer

Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen Burying Ground

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?

BURL IVES Recordings for Encyclopaedia Britannica Films

ALBUM IV, SONGS OF THE SEA Golden Vanity High Barbaree

Maid of Amsterdam Henry Martin

Hullabaloo Belay Blow the Man Down

Blow Ye Winds Away Rio The Whale Sacramento

Crocodile Song Early in the Morning Boston Come All Ye

Haul Away Joe Venezuela

Shenandoah Erie Canal

Eddystone Light

ALBUM V, SONGS OF THE FRONTIER Ox-Driving Song

Sweet Betsy from Pike Dreary Black Hills

Peter Gray Sioux Indians

Joe Bowers What Was Your Name in the States?

Buffalo Gals Greer County Bachelor

Roving Gambler Chisholm Trail

Old Paint Sod Shanty

Git Along Little Dogies The Young Man Who Wouldn't

Hoe Corn I've Got No Use For Women

The Hand-Cart Song Brigham Young

ALBUM VI, SONGS OF EXPANDING AMERICA

Streets of Laredo Billy the Kid John Hardy Jesse James

Drill Ye Terriers Blue Mountain Lake

Patrick on the Railroad The Dying Hogger

John Henry Down in the Valley When I was Single

Sourwood Mountain Cotton-Eye Joe

Cowboy's Dream Life is Like a Mountain Railroad

Poor Boy Old Blue

Midnight Special Big Rock Candy Mountain

The Boll Weevil St. John's River

These records may be purchased from any EBF sales representative or directly from Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, 1150 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.

ABOUT BURL I V E S

"Bur l Ives," wrote Horace Reynolds in The Christian Science Monitor "is Amer ica ' s most beloved s inger of folk songs. He has s u n g Amer ica high, wide, low, and long . . . In his songs, he h a s m a d e Amer ican history and legend shine like s t a r s . "

Now Burl Ives h a s p u t toge ther his first collection of his songs for book publication so t h a t o thers may have them for thei r own s ing ing pleasure. To him this music is a t least as impor tan t a p a r t of t h e American he r i t age as any other, and one of t he ways to keep it fresh, h e believes, is to have it performed by m a n y people, a s well as l istened to by them.

Burl Ives w a s born on J u n e 14, 1909 in J a s p e r County in southe rn Illinois. His f a the r was a t e n a n t f a rmer a t the t ime, moving every couple of yea r s from one f a rm to another . His mother was a Whi t e f rom Brown County, Indiana , and t h e Whi tes were a s inging family. Young Burl and his t h r ee b ro the r s and t h r ee s is ters knew a musical home from the i r earl iest days .

The first t ime he ever performed in public was for an old soldiers ' reunion; he was four. He went to school in H u n t City, learned to play the banjo and made a b ig success in a camp meet ing in town when he was twelve. After g r a d u a t i n g from h igh school, where he was an all-conference g u a r d on t h e football t eam, he a t tended Eas t e rn Illinois S ta te Teachers College, bu t before he finished, t h e lure of music proved too s t rong . " I g r abbed my g u i t a r and hi t t he road ."

T h a t road led him to the Eas t , t h rough a long, h a r d series of s t rugg les and disappointments , then to success on Broadway (in musical shows and s t r a igh t p l ays ) , radio and television, movies, and of course recordings. By now h e has made over a hundred records for companies like Decca and Columbia, and unde r the auspices of Encyclopaedia Br i tannica Fi lms has recorded over 120 songs in a series entitled, Historical America in Song.

His s t rugg le to m a k e a place for himself as a ballad s inger arose because m a n y of t he people in the en t e r t a inmen t world could see no value in w h a t they called " those moss-covered songs ." But Burl never fal tered in his belief in them. He kept on collecting songs unti l h e knew hundreds - old Engl ish and Scottish

popular ballads, nurse ry songs, cowboy songs, ra i l road songs, p lay-par ty songs, work songs.

He studied voice with Madame Clara Lyon in Ter re H a u t e and la te r with Ella Toedt; he learned ac t ing from Benno Schneider. When he s a n g his ballads to Madame Toedt in her New York studio; she said, "The minstrels of old mus t have sung t h a t way."

These studies of his a re worth noting, for people tend to speak of Burl Ives as a na tura l , as if he had sp rung up fully t ra ined. But, while Burl had an inst inct for s inging which would not be denied, he worked ha rd on his songs after he go t them. " I would change the words when I knew I had be t te r ones," he says, in his autobiography, Wayfaring Stranger. " I would change the t une when I knew it would help the song." Often he spent weeks working on one song.

If you compare the songs he sings with the earl iest versions of t h e same songs, you can ge t some idea not only of the work bu t of the genius it t akes to m a k e a g r ea t folk-song singer. Burl Ives ' songs sound good because he makes them t h a t way. He passes both words and t une th rough his personali ty, modifies them according to the dictates of his s inging ar t . Many of the versions of these which we accept today a re those which he has worked upon and, like the minstrels of old, given to the public.

Take a little th ing ; t ake the way he s ings two lines of "The Foggy Foggy Dew." Most versions of this song run like this :

"I wooed her in the winter t ime And in the summer, too."

But Burl s ings the second line, " P a r t of the summer, too." This bit of syncopation gives rhythmic excitement, a new spot of interest to the line. A small point, to be sure, bu t folk a r t is a f rugal ar t , which ge t s l a rge effects with small means .

Burl Ives, his wife, Helen, and thei r son, Alexander, live in an apa r tmen t in New York and on a ranch in California (when he ' s no t on t o u r ) . He's a big man — six feet two, 245 pounds — and he likes rac ing his 46-foot boat, flying a p lane and, as you migh t expect from a big man, food.

His whole l a rge person and personali ty r ad ia te with the vigor and warmth t h a t in ternat ional audiences have come to love and t h a t glow th rough his autobiography, Wayfaring Stranger. This new collection of songs is in a sense the frui t of his experience and love of our music, passed on to t he public, who can enjoy it and help to keep t h a t music alive.

B U R L

I V E S SONG BOOK

H e r e i s o n e o f t h e b i g g e s t a n d r i c h e s t A m e r i c a n

f o l k s o n g b o o k s — w i t h 1 1 5 s o n g s m a d e f a m o u s

b y B u r l I v e s , j u s t a s h e s i n g s t h e m , w i t h c o m p l e t e

p i a n o p a r t a n d g u i t a r c h o r d s .

You may also buy Marais & Miranda's FOLKSONG JAMBOREE 50C with their songs f rom many l a n d s w i t h f u l l wo rds and m u s i c and wi th arrangements written espec i a l l y fo r g u i t a r accompaniment

This is an or iginal publ icat ion - not a r e p r i n t P r i n t e d in U.S.A.

burl ives - song book a5

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