by Minnie Apolis
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody,
history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for
Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that
transcended the tastes of any one group. Many songs were known and
sung by both sides during the conflict, but we will try to
concentrate on those that originated in the North.
1) John Brown's Body, also known as Battle Hymn of the
Republic, is really two songs that both used the melody of an old
Methodist hymn. The abolitionist John Brown who tried to instigate a
slave revolt at Harper's Ferry and failed, still provided a rallying
cry for Northern troops. In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe wrote
the new lyrics that begin "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord". Eventually her version was printed as sheet
music by a Boston printer. One hundred years later, Judy Garland sang
Howe's version on her TV show after JFK was assassinated. Below are
the lyrics to the John Brown version.
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John
Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body
lies a-mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
CHORUS: Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory,
hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on.
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's
gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a
soldier in the Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John
Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack
is strapped upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown
died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the
slaves might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The
stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above
in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.
2) Better Times Are Coming (Stephen Foster)
Stephen Foster was an enormously successful composer of his time,
who is probably the most famous son of Kentucky. Kentucky was a
border state suring the Civil War and for a time had two state
governments, one Confederate and one Union. After 1863, tho, the
Union occupation put the Confederate government out of business.
Anyway, for the purpose of this article, I am putting all of Foster's
compositions into the Union list.
There are voices of hope, that are borne on the air,
And
our land will be free, from its clouds of despair.
For brave men
and true men, To battle have gone,
And good times, good times are
now coming on.
CHORUS: Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah. Sound the news.
From the
din of battle booming
Tell the people far and wide
That better
times are coming.
Generals Lyons and Baker And Ellsworth now are
gone,
But still we have some brave men, to lead the soldiers
on.
The noise of battle will soon have died away,
And the
darkness now upon us, will be turned to a happy today.
3) Marching Through Georgia (H C Work)
General Sherman believed in the necessity for a scorched earth
policy to slice through the South's supply lines and force a
surrender. He put fire to everything on his march to the sea (Atlanta
to Savannah), spreading his troops sixty miles wide. It was the
equivalent of the H-bomb at Hiroshima. Unfortunately no one could
control the hangers-on who looted in the wake of the troops, stealing
jewelry off ladies and searching for silverware.
Bring in the good old bugle, boys, we'll sing another
song.
Sing it with a spirit that will start the world along.
Sing
it like we used to sing it, fifty thousand strong,
While we were
marching through Georgia.
Hurrah, hurrah, we bring the jubilee.
Hurrah, hurrah, the
flag that makes you free.
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to
the sea,
While we were marching through Georgia.
4) Hard Times Come Again No More (Stephen Foster)
Polite society did not even acknowledge the abject poverty in
ordinary times, much less the displaced starving souls wandering the
streets and countryside as a result of the war. So this song is
remarkable for being directed at the people who begged for food and
help. I detect something of Scarlett O'Hara's determined vow that she
would "never be hungry again."
Let us pause in life's pleasures, and count its many
tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
There's a song
that will linger, forever in our ears,
Oh hard times come again no
more.
Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard times hard times,
come again no more.
Many days you have lingered, around my cabin
door,
Oh hard times come again no more.
While we seek mirth and beauty, and music light and gay,
There
are frail forms fainting at the door.
While their voices are
silnet, their pleading looks will say,
Oh hard times come again no
more.
Many days have you lingered, around my cabin door,
Oh hard
times come again no more,
oh hard times come again no more.
5) When Johnny Comes Marching Home
(Patrick S. Gilmore, aka
Louis Lambert)
This Civil War era song was resurrected for World War I, and has
been played at many a Fourth of July parade with few realizing how
old it is.
When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll
give him a hearty welcome then, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will
cheer, the boys will shout,
The ladies they will all turn out,
And
we'll all feel gay When Johnny comes marching home.
The old church bells will peal with joy, Hurrah! Hurrah!
To
welcome home our darling boy, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The village lads and
lassies say,
With roses they will strew the way,
And we'll all
feel gay When Johnny comes marching home.
Get ready for the Jubilee, Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give the
hero three times three, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The laurel wreath is ready
now,
To place upon his loyal brow,
And we'll all feel gay When
Johnny comes marching home.
Let love and friendship on that day, Hurrah! Hurrah!
Their
choicest treasures then display, Hurrah! Hurrah!
And let each one
perform some part,
To fill with joy the warrior's heart,
And
we'll all feel gay When Johnny comes marching home.
6) Was My Brother In The Battle (Stephen Foster)
Modern ears may find this lyric a bit maudlin, as a woman searches
the faces of soldiers returning from battle and asks if her brother
has fallen. She assures us that if he did, that he surely must have
been brave and undaunted by the enemy.
Tell me, tell me weary soldier, from the rude and stirring
wars,
was my brother in the battle, where you gained those noble
scars?
He was ever brave and valiant, and I know he never
fled.
Was his name among the wounded, or numbered with the dead?
Was my brother in the battle, when the tide of war ran
high?
You would know him in a moment, by his dark and flashing
eyes.
Tell me, tell me weary soldier, will he never come
again?
Did he suffer with the sounded, or die among the slain?
Was my brother in the battle, when the noble highland
host
Were so wrongfully outnumbered, on the Carolina coast?
Did
he struggle for the Union, mid the thunder and the rain,
Till he
fell among the brave, on a bleak Virginia plain?
Oh I'm sure that he was dauntless, and his courage never
lagged,
By contending for the honor of a dear and cherished
flag.Was my brother in the battle, when the flag of Erin
came,
To the rescue of our banner, and protection of our fame?
While the fleet from off the water, poured out terror and
dismay,
Till the bold and wearying foe, fell like leaves of autumn
day.
When the bugle called to battle, and the cannons deeply
roused,
Oh I wish I could have seen him, draw his sharp and
glittering sword.
7) Vacant Chair (Henry Washburn and George F. Root)
Another rather maudlin tune is about the empty chair at holiday
gatherings, formerly occupied by a soldier fallen in the war. The
Willie in the song was Lt. John William Grout of the 15th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, who died in Virginia in 1861. Even
tho it was inspired by the death of a Yankee soldier, the song became
popular in both the North and South.
We shall meet but we shall miss him, there will be one vacant
chair.
We shall linger to carress him, while we breathe our
evening prayer.
When a year ago we gathered, joy was in his mild
blue eye.
But a golden chord is severed, and our hopes in ruin
lie.
At our fireside, sad and lonely, often will the bosom
swell,
At remembrance of the story, how our noble Willie fell.
How
he strove to bear our banner, through the thickest of the fight,
And
uphold our country's honor, in the strength of manhood's might.
True, they tell us wreaths of glory ever more will deck his
brow,
But this soothes the anguish only, sweeping o'er our
heartstrings now.
Sleep today o early fallen, in thy green and
narrow bed,
Dirges from the pine and cypress, mingle with the
tears we shed.
8) Tramp Tramp Tramp (George F. Root)
Prisoner of war camps during the Civil War were about as lethal as
the battlefields. Disease ran rampant in the crowded conditions, and
sanitation was primitive.
In the prison cell I sit, thinking Mother, dear, of you,
And
our bright and happy home so far away,
And the tears, they fill my
eyes 'spite of all that I can do,
Tho' I try to cheer my comrades
and be gay.
CHORUS: Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching,
Cheer
up, comrades, they will come,
And beneath the starry flag we shall
breathe the air again
Of the free land in our own beloved home.
In the battle front we stood, when their fiercest charge they
made,
And they swept us off a hundred men or more,
But before
we reached their lines, they were beaten back dismayed,
And we
heard the cry of vict'ry o'er and o'er.
So within the prison cell we are waiting for the day
That
shall come to open wide the iron door,
And the hollow eye grows
bright, and the poor heart almost gay,
As we think of seeing home
and friends once more.
9) The Battle Cry of Freedom (George F. Root)
The phrase "rally around the flag" appears in this song,
although I am sure it was not its first appearance.
Yes we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once
again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
And we'll rally from
the hillside we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry
of Freedom.
(CHORUS) The Union forever, Hurrah boys, hurrah!
Down with
the Traitor, Up with the Star;
While we rally round the flag,
boys,
Rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
We are springing to the call three hundred thousand
more,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
And we'll fill the
vacant ranks of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry
of Freedom.
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal true and
brave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
And altho' he may be
poor he shall never be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of
Freedom.
So we're singing to the call from the East and from the
West,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
And we'll hurl the
rebel crew from the land we love the best,
Shouting the battle cry
of Freedom.
10) Taps (General Daniel Butterfield)
Taps is one of the most emotionally evocative songs ever written,
and almost always without any of the lyrics. It began as an
alternative to Lights Out, created by Gen. Butterfield with help from
the bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton in 1862. I say created rather than
written because Butterfield wrote a few notes on an envelope, and the
bugler translated it into the music we know today.
It is similar to
the British tune Last Post which is played at soldiers graves since
1885. One of the most haunting movie renditions of this tune was in
the film From Here to Eternity, as Montgomery Clift played it for his
late buddy, Frank Sinatra (Maggio).
Even I did not know that there
were lyrics to Taps. Here they are.
Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills,
from the sky.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good
night.
You can read the story of Taps and a letter from the
bugler Norton at the Arlington National cemetery website here:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/taps.htm
RELATED ARTICLES:
Twelve Slave Songs from the Civil
War:
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/19/2331360-twelve-slave-songs-from-the-civil-war?
last=1232498556&threadId=475279&commentId=4933357
Civil War Songs for
Rebs:
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/21/2339893-civil-war-songs-for-rebs
Showing posts with label music history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music history. Show all posts
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Civil War Songs for Rebs
by Minnie Apolis
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody, history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that transcended the tastes of any one group. Let us look at some of the songs that the rebels knew and sang during this era.
1) Dixie's Land, aka Dixie (D D Emmett, tho several sets of lyrics exist)
Dixie is first on any list of rebel songs. This has to be the most popular song ever penned by the minstrel performer Daniel Decatur Emmett.
Ironically, he was a Northerner. Emmett worked with a New York troupe called Bryant's Minstrels. The song was later introduced to the South at a revue in New Orleans in a Rockette-type number with 40 female dancers.
As you can imagine, it went over big. It was notably played at both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln inaugurals, and after the surrender by General Lee. The followiung lyrics are attributed to General Albert Pike of the Confederate Army.
Southrons, hear your country call you, Up, lest worse than death befall you!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Lo! all the beacon-fires are lighted, Let all hearts be now united!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah!
In Dixie's land we take our stand, and live or die for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie
Hear the Northern thunders mutter! Northern flags in South winds flutter!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Send them back your fierce defiance! Stamp upon the cursed alliance!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Chorus:
Fear no danger! Shun no labor! Lift up rifle, pike, and saber!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Shoulder pressing close to shoulder, Let the odds make each heart bolder!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
How the South's great heart rejoices At your cannon's ringing voices!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
For faith betrayed and pledges broken, Wrongs inflicted, insults spoken,
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Strong as lions, swift as eagles, Back to their kennels hunt these beagles!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Cut the unequal bonds asunder! Let them hence each other plunder!To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Swear upon your country's altar, Never to submit or falter--
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Till the spoilers are defeated, Till the Lord's work is completed!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Halt not till our Federation, Secures among earth's powers its station!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Then at peace and crowned with glory, Hear your children tell the story!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
If the loved ones weep in sadness, Victory soon shall bring them gladness.
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Exultant pride soon vanish sorrow; Smiles chase tears away to-morrow!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
2) Aura Lee (George Poulton)
This 1861 song was happily resurrected as the Elvis Presley hit Love Me Tender. There are at least three sets of lyrics for Aura Lee, but because it was apparently first introduced by Hooley & Campbell's Minstrels, it may have undergone revisions to adapt to local audiences.
As the blackbird in the spring 'neath the willow tree,
Sat and piped I heard him sing, praising Aura Lee.
Aura Lee! Aura Lee! Maid of golden hair,
Sunshine came along with thee and swall-ows in the air.
Take my heart and take my ring, I give my all to thee.
Take me for eternity, dearest Aura Lee!
Aura Lee! Aura Lee! Maid of golden hair,
Sunshine came along with thee and swall-ows in the air.
In her blush the rose was born, 'twas music when she spoke.
In her eyes the light of morn, sparkling seemed to break.
Aura Lee! Aura Lee . . .
Aura Lee, the bird may flee the willow' golden hair,
Then the wintry winds may be blowing ev'rywhere.
Yet if thy blue eyes I see, gloom will soon depart
For to me, sweet Aura Lee, is sunshine to the heart.
3) Rebel Soldier (traditional)
A reb sings to Polly, his love he left behind, on a battlefield covvered with the fallen. There are hardly enough blankets for shrouds, he sings. This song really brings home how desperate were the straits that the Southern troops found themselves in.
Oh Polly, oh Polly, it's for your sake alone,
I've left my old father, my country, my home,
I've left my old mother, to weep and to mourn,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
The grapeshot and musket, and the cannons lumber loud,
It's many a mangled body, the blanket for the shroud,It's many a mangled body left on the fields alone,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
Here's a good old cup of brandy, and a glass of wine,
You can drink to your true love, and I'll lament and moan,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
4) Yellow Rose of Texas (anonymous)
This song was originally sung by a slave singing about his girl. The song then entered the collection of songs performed in minstrel shows, where a white preformer smeared burnt cork on his face and adopted the mannerisms and speech of a black person. This was done totally un-selfconsciously, similar to the way that Bill Dana adopted a Hispanic accent to play his comic character, Jose Jimenez.
At any rate, Rebel soldiers later adopted it and then added another verse at the end; the Texas Brigade was led to defeat under Confederate General Hood in Nashville in 1864. The retreating troops, led by General "Uncle Joe" Johnston, taunted Hood for his loss. So it a song known by Southerners, and by Northerners, too, who chanced to hear it at a minstrel show.
There's a yellow rose in Texas, That I am going to see,
No other soldier knows her, No soldier only me.
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, We never more will part.
She's the sweetest rose of color, This soldier ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew,
You can talk about your dearest Mae and sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only one for me.
Now I'm going southward, For my heart is full of woe,
I'm going back to Georgia, To find my Uncle Joe,
You may talk about your Beauregard, Sing of General Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee.
5) The Secesh aka Shiloh (unknown)
At the battle of Shiloh, 24,000 soldiers died out of 100,000 who took part. And at Gettysburg, 50,000 soldiers fell. The sea of injured and dying in the film Gone with the Wind was not made up for dramatic effect; this was a pretty fair portrayal of how the ground was watered with blood in the Civil War. The Secessionists were known as the Secesh in Tennessee.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
6) An Old Unreconstructed (traditional)
The South lacked factories to make enough guns and shot and other supplies to fight a war for as long as they did, but the soldiers got by on little food and resorted to fighting with swords when necessary.
I rode with old Jeb Stuart, and his band of Southern horse,
And there never were no Yankees, who could meet us force to force.
No they never did defeat us, but we never could evade,
Their dirty foreign politics, and cowardly blockade.
Well we hadn't any powder, and we hadn't any shot,
And we hadn't any money to buy what we ain't got.
So we rode our worn-out horses, and we ate on plain cornmeal,
And we licked em where we caught em, with Southern guts and steel.
We sunk the ship at Sumter, and we broke her plumb in two.
We showed them bully Yankees, just what we aimed to do.
At a little creek called Bull Run, we took their starry rag,
To wipe our horses down with, and I ain't here to brag.
There aren't as many left of us, who rode out at the start,
And then there are the weary, weak in body, sad of heart.
We fought a fight to be proud of and I am here to say,
I'll climb my horse and follow Morse, come hell, come any day.
7) Lorena (Pastor Henry De Lafayette Webster to a melody by Joseph Philbrick Webster)
This song's lyrics had nothing to do with the war, but it was a favorite tune of Southern soldiers. It is said that many girls born after the war were named Lorena -- just like Michelle became a popular name after the Beatles recorded a song by that title.
Oh the years creep slowly by, Lorena, the snow is on the ground again.
The sun's low down in the sky, Lorena, the frost gleams where the flowers have been.
But the heart beats on us as warmly now, as when the summer days here nigh,
Oh the sun can never dip so low, to be down in Affection's sloudless sky.
A hundred months have passed, Lorena, since last I held that hand in mine.
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena, tho mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months twas flowery May, when up the hilly slope we'd climb,
To watch the dying of the day, and hear the distant church bells chime.
We loved each other then, Lorena, far more than we ever dared to tell.
And what might have been, Lorena, had our lovings prospered well.
Then tis part the years roll on, I'll not call up their shadowy form,
I'll say to them, lost years sleep on! Sleep on, heed life's pelting storms.
8) The Southern Soldier Boy (Capt. G. W. Alexander)
This song was first performed in a Richmond theater in a production of The Virginia Cavalier. The soldiers in attendance carried the song back to the front with them.
Bob Roebuck is my sweetheart's name, he's off to the wars and gone.
He's fighting for his Nannie dear, his sword is buckled on.
He's fighting fo rhis own true love, his ofoes he does defy.
He is the darling of my heart, my Southern soldier boy.
Oh if in battle he was slain, I'm sure that I should die.
But I'm sure he'll come again, and cheer my weeping eye.
But should he fall, in this our glorious cause, he still would be my joy,
For many a sweetheart mourns the loss of a Southern soldier boy.
I hope for the best, and so do all Whose hopes are in the field.
I know that we shall win the day, for Southerners never yield.
And when we think, of those who are away, We'll look above for joy,
And I'm mighty glad, that my Bobby is a Southern soldier boy.
9) Somebody's Darling (Marie Ravenal de la Coste and John Hill Hewitt)
The lyrics were written by le la Coste after witnessing the many wounded in the military hospitals. She sent her poem to a Savannah music publisher which sent it to a well-known Southern composer, John Hill Hewitt. He fashioned a melody for it. Too maudlin, even macabre, for modern tastes, but it was in keeping with Victorian sentiments of the time. Trivia: the song was used in the film Gone With The Wind.
Into the ward of the clean whitewashed walls, where the dead slept and the dying lay,
Wounded by bayonets, sabres and balls, Somebody's darling was borne one day.
Somebody's darling, so young and so brave, wearing still on his sweet yet pale face,
Soon to be hid in the dust of the grave, the lingering light of his boyhood grace.
CHORUS: Somebody's darling, somebody's pride,
Who'll tell her mother, where her boy died?
Matted and damp are his tresses of gold, kissing the snow of that fair young brow,
Pale are the lips of most delicate mould, somebody's darlin is dying now.
Back from his beautiful purple veined brow, brush off the wandering waves of gold,
Cross his white hands on his broad bosom now, Somebody's darling is still and cold.
Somebody's watching and waiting for him, yearning to hold him again to her breast.
Yet there he lies with his blue eyes so dim, and purple childlike lips apart.
Tenderly bury the fair, unknown dead, pausing to drop on his grave a tear,
Carve on the wooden slap over his head, somebody's darling is slumbering here.
10) Bonnie Blue Flag
We are a band of brothers And native to the soil,
Fighting for the property We gained by honest toil;
And when our rights were threatened, The cry rose near and far --
"Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star!"
CHORUS: Hurrah! Hurrah! For Southern rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.
As long as the Union was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers, Both kind were we and just;
But now, when Northern treachery, Attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
First gallant South Carolina, Nobly made the stand,
Then came Alabama, Who took her by the hand.
Next quickly Mississippi, Georgia and Florida
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
Ye men of valor, gather round The banner of the right;
Texas and fair Louisiana, Join us in the fight.
Davis, our loved president, And Stephens statesman are;
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
And here's to old Virginia, The Old Dominion State,
Who with the young Confederacy At length has linked her fate;
Impelled by her example, Now other states prepare
To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
Then cheer, boys, cheer; Raise the joyous shout,
For Arkansas and North Carolina Now have both gone out;
And let another rousing cheer For Tennessee be given,
The single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag Has grown to be eleven.
Then here's to our Confederacy, Strong are we and brave;
Like patriots of old we'll fight Our heritage to save.
And rather than submit to shame, To die we would prefer;
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.
11) Goober Peas (goober peas are peanuts)
Finally a bit of levity about the humble food rations that reb troops relied on to get them through. Sometimes they had nothing but cornmeal, sometimes coffee, plus the protein of goober peas aka peanuts. Complaining about the food is something that is typical of every war and every soldier.
Sittin' by the roadside on a summer's day,
Chattin' with my messmates, passing time away,
Lying in the shadows, underneath the trees --
Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas!
CHORUS: Peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Eating goober peas!
Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas!
When a horseman passes, the soldiers have a rule
To cry out at their loudest "Mister, here's your mule!"
But still another pleasure enchantinger than these
Is wearing out your grinders, eating goober peas!
Just before the battle, the General hears a row;
He says "The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now"!
He turns around in wonder, and what do you think he sees?
The Georgia Militia, eating goober peas!
12) Oh I'm A Good Old Rebel (Major Innes Randolph)
Some think that this lyric was intended as a parody, but nevertheless it expresses the no-regrets stance
of many Southerners long after the war ended.
I hates the Yankee nation, and everything they do,
I hates the Declaration of Independence, too.
I hates the glorious Union, tis dripping with our blood,
I hates their strip'ed banner, I fit it all I could.
I rode with Robert E. Lee, for three years, thereabout.
Got wounded in four places, and I starved at Point Lookout.
I catched the rheumatism a-campin in the snow,
But a killed a chance of Yankees, and I'd like to kill some mo.
Three hundred thousand Yankees is a-stiff in Southern dust.
We got three hundred thousand, before they conquered us.
They died of Southern fever, and Southern steel and shot.
I wish they were three million, instead of what we got.
I can't take up my musket, and fight em now mo more.But I ain't gonna love em, now that is certain sure.
And I don't want no pardon for what I was and am.
I won't be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.
CHORUS: Oh I'm a good old rebel, now that's just what I am.
And for this Yankee nation I do not give a damn.
I'm glad I fought agin her, I only wish we'd won.
N I don't ask any pardon for anything I've done.
13) Southron's Chaunt of Defiance (Written by Mrs. Catherine Anne Warfield. Music by A.E. Blackmar)
My, my, those rebs just never give it up. PS - Mrs. Warfield was a Kentucky lady. Kentucky was a border state and for a time had two state governments, one Union and one reb. However, the Union troops occupied the state and the reb government was defunct by about 1863. According to one source, after 1863, the Confederate government existed only on paper.
You can never win us back; Never! Never! Tho' we perish in the track of your endeavor;
Tho' our corpses strew the earth, Smiling now on our birth, And tho' blood pollute each hearth, Now and ever!
(CHORUS) You can never win us back; Never! Never! Tho' we perish in the track, Of your endeavor;
Tho' our corpses strew the earth,
Smiling now on our birth,
And tho blood pollute each hearth,
Now and ever!
We have risen to a man, Stern and fearless;
Of your curses, of your ban, We are careless.
Ev'ry hand is on its knife, Ev'ry gun is primed for strife.
Ev'ry palm contains a Life, High and peerless.
You have no such blood as ours For the shedding;
In the veins of Cavaliers Was its heading!
You have no such stately men In you abolition den
Marching through foe and fen, Nothing dreading!
We may fall before the fire Of your legions,
Paid with gold for murderous hire,
Bought allegiance; But for every drop you shed,
You shall have a mound of dead,
So that vultures may be fed In our regions!
But the battle to the strong Is not given,
While the Judge of right and wrong Sits in Heaven
And the God of David still Guides the pebble in His will,
There are giants yet to kill, Wrongs unshriven!
14) Stonewall Jackson's Way (John Williamson Palmer?)
There is a dispute about who wrote this song, which goes as follows. This poem was found in the coat of a dead soldier of the Stonewall Brigade after a battle in the Shenandoah Valley. Palmer says he wrote the poem in September, 1862, but a music publisher says the song was found on the body of a Confederate sergeant after the first battle of Winchester on May 25, 1862. The author is officially listed as anonymous.
Come, stack arms, men. Pile on the rails,
Stir up the campfire bright; No matter if the canteen fails,
We'll make a roaring night. Here Shenandoah brawls along,
There burly Blue Ridge echoes strong
To swell the brigade's rousing song Of "Stonewall Jackson's way."
We see him now--the old slouched hat Cocked o'er his eye askew--
The shrewd, dry smile--the speech so pat, So calm, so blunt, so true.
That "Blue-Light Elder" knows 'em well. Says he, "That's Banks; he's fond of shell--
Lord save his soul! We'll give him"...well, That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."
Silence! ground arms! kneel all! caps off! Old Blue Light's going to pray;
Strangle the fool that dares to scoff; Attention; it's his way!
Appealing from his native sod, In forma pauperis to God.
"Lay bare thine arm; stretch forth thy rod; Amen." That's "Stonewall's way."
He's in the saddle now! Fall in! Steady, the whole brigade!
Hill's at the ford, cut off! He'll win, His way out, ball and blade.
What matter if our shoes are worn? What matter if our feet are torn?
"Quick step--we're with him ere the dawn!" That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."
The sun's bright glances rout the mists Of morning, and, by George!
There's Longstreet struggling in the lists, Hemmed in an ugly gorge,
Pope and his Yankees whipped before. "Bayonet and grape!" hear Stonewall roar,
"Charge, Stuart! Pay off Ashby's score In Stonewall Jackson's way."
Ah, maiden! wait and watch and yearn, For news of Stonewall's band!
Ah, widow! read with eyes that burn, That ring upon thy hand!
Ah, wife! sew on, pray on, hope on, Thy life shall not be all forlorn--
The foe had better ne'er been born, That gets in Stonewall's way.
[See also: Twelve Slave Songs From the Civil War at http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/19/2331360-twelve-slave-songs-from-the-civil-war?last=1232498556&threadId=475279&commentId=4933357 ]
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody, history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that transcended the tastes of any one group. Let us look at some of the songs that the rebels knew and sang during this era.
1) Dixie's Land, aka Dixie (D D Emmett, tho several sets of lyrics exist)
Dixie is first on any list of rebel songs. This has to be the most popular song ever penned by the minstrel performer Daniel Decatur Emmett.
Ironically, he was a Northerner. Emmett worked with a New York troupe called Bryant's Minstrels. The song was later introduced to the South at a revue in New Orleans in a Rockette-type number with 40 female dancers.
As you can imagine, it went over big. It was notably played at both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln inaugurals, and after the surrender by General Lee. The followiung lyrics are attributed to General Albert Pike of the Confederate Army.
Southrons, hear your country call you, Up, lest worse than death befall you!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Lo! all the beacon-fires are lighted, Let all hearts be now united!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah!
In Dixie's land we take our stand, and live or die for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie!
To arms! To arms! And conquer peace for Dixie
Hear the Northern thunders mutter! Northern flags in South winds flutter!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Send them back your fierce defiance! Stamp upon the cursed alliance!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Chorus:
Fear no danger! Shun no labor! Lift up rifle, pike, and saber!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Shoulder pressing close to shoulder, Let the odds make each heart bolder!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
How the South's great heart rejoices At your cannon's ringing voices!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
For faith betrayed and pledges broken, Wrongs inflicted, insults spoken,
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Strong as lions, swift as eagles, Back to their kennels hunt these beagles!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Cut the unequal bonds asunder! Let them hence each other plunder!To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Swear upon your country's altar, Never to submit or falter--
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Till the spoilers are defeated, Till the Lord's work is completed!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Halt not till our Federation, Secures among earth's powers its station!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Then at peace and crowned with glory, Hear your children tell the story!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
If the loved ones weep in sadness, Victory soon shall bring them gladness.
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
Exultant pride soon vanish sorrow; Smiles chase tears away to-morrow!
To arms! To arms! To arms, in Dixie!
2) Aura Lee (George Poulton)
This 1861 song was happily resurrected as the Elvis Presley hit Love Me Tender. There are at least three sets of lyrics for Aura Lee, but because it was apparently first introduced by Hooley & Campbell's Minstrels, it may have undergone revisions to adapt to local audiences.
As the blackbird in the spring 'neath the willow tree,
Sat and piped I heard him sing, praising Aura Lee.
Aura Lee! Aura Lee! Maid of golden hair,
Sunshine came along with thee and swall-ows in the air.
Take my heart and take my ring, I give my all to thee.
Take me for eternity, dearest Aura Lee!
Aura Lee! Aura Lee! Maid of golden hair,
Sunshine came along with thee and swall-ows in the air.
In her blush the rose was born, 'twas music when she spoke.
In her eyes the light of morn, sparkling seemed to break.
Aura Lee! Aura Lee . . .
Aura Lee, the bird may flee the willow' golden hair,
Then the wintry winds may be blowing ev'rywhere.
Yet if thy blue eyes I see, gloom will soon depart
For to me, sweet Aura Lee, is sunshine to the heart.
3) Rebel Soldier (traditional)
A reb sings to Polly, his love he left behind, on a battlefield covvered with the fallen. There are hardly enough blankets for shrouds, he sings. This song really brings home how desperate were the straits that the Southern troops found themselves in.
Oh Polly, oh Polly, it's for your sake alone,
I've left my old father, my country, my home,
I've left my old mother, to weep and to mourn,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
The grapeshot and musket, and the cannons lumber loud,
It's many a mangled body, the blanket for the shroud,It's many a mangled body left on the fields alone,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
Here's a good old cup of brandy, and a glass of wine,
You can drink to your true love, and I'll lament and moan,
I am a rebel soldier, and far from my home.
4) Yellow Rose of Texas (anonymous)
This song was originally sung by a slave singing about his girl. The song then entered the collection of songs performed in minstrel shows, where a white preformer smeared burnt cork on his face and adopted the mannerisms and speech of a black person. This was done totally un-selfconsciously, similar to the way that Bill Dana adopted a Hispanic accent to play his comic character, Jose Jimenez.
At any rate, Rebel soldiers later adopted it and then added another verse at the end; the Texas Brigade was led to defeat under Confederate General Hood in Nashville in 1864. The retreating troops, led by General "Uncle Joe" Johnston, taunted Hood for his loss. So it a song known by Southerners, and by Northerners, too, who chanced to hear it at a minstrel show.
There's a yellow rose in Texas, That I am going to see,
No other soldier knows her, No soldier only me.
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, We never more will part.
She's the sweetest rose of color, This soldier ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew,
You can talk about your dearest Mae and sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only one for me.
Now I'm going southward, For my heart is full of woe,
I'm going back to Georgia, To find my Uncle Joe,
You may talk about your Beauregard, Sing of General Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee.
5) The Secesh aka Shiloh (unknown)
At the battle of Shiloh, 24,000 soldiers died out of 100,000 who took part. And at Gettysburg, 50,000 soldiers fell. The sea of injured and dying in the film Gone with the Wind was not made up for dramatic effect; this was a pretty fair portrayal of how the ground was watered with blood in the Civil War. The Secessionists were known as the Secesh in Tennessee.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
I'll put my knapsack on my back, my rifle on my shoulder,
I'm going away to Shiloh, and there I'll be a soldier.
6) An Old Unreconstructed (traditional)
The South lacked factories to make enough guns and shot and other supplies to fight a war for as long as they did, but the soldiers got by on little food and resorted to fighting with swords when necessary.
I rode with old Jeb Stuart, and his band of Southern horse,
And there never were no Yankees, who could meet us force to force.
No they never did defeat us, but we never could evade,
Their dirty foreign politics, and cowardly blockade.
Well we hadn't any powder, and we hadn't any shot,
And we hadn't any money to buy what we ain't got.
So we rode our worn-out horses, and we ate on plain cornmeal,
And we licked em where we caught em, with Southern guts and steel.
We sunk the ship at Sumter, and we broke her plumb in two.
We showed them bully Yankees, just what we aimed to do.
At a little creek called Bull Run, we took their starry rag,
To wipe our horses down with, and I ain't here to brag.
There aren't as many left of us, who rode out at the start,
And then there are the weary, weak in body, sad of heart.
We fought a fight to be proud of and I am here to say,
I'll climb my horse and follow Morse, come hell, come any day.
7) Lorena (Pastor Henry De Lafayette Webster to a melody by Joseph Philbrick Webster)
This song's lyrics had nothing to do with the war, but it was a favorite tune of Southern soldiers. It is said that many girls born after the war were named Lorena -- just like Michelle became a popular name after the Beatles recorded a song by that title.
Oh the years creep slowly by, Lorena, the snow is on the ground again.
The sun's low down in the sky, Lorena, the frost gleams where the flowers have been.
But the heart beats on us as warmly now, as when the summer days here nigh,
Oh the sun can never dip so low, to be down in Affection's sloudless sky.
A hundred months have passed, Lorena, since last I held that hand in mine.
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena, tho mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months twas flowery May, when up the hilly slope we'd climb,
To watch the dying of the day, and hear the distant church bells chime.
We loved each other then, Lorena, far more than we ever dared to tell.
And what might have been, Lorena, had our lovings prospered well.
Then tis part the years roll on, I'll not call up their shadowy form,
I'll say to them, lost years sleep on! Sleep on, heed life's pelting storms.
8) The Southern Soldier Boy (Capt. G. W. Alexander)
This song was first performed in a Richmond theater in a production of The Virginia Cavalier. The soldiers in attendance carried the song back to the front with them.
Bob Roebuck is my sweetheart's name, he's off to the wars and gone.
He's fighting for his Nannie dear, his sword is buckled on.
He's fighting fo rhis own true love, his ofoes he does defy.
He is the darling of my heart, my Southern soldier boy.
Oh if in battle he was slain, I'm sure that I should die.
But I'm sure he'll come again, and cheer my weeping eye.
But should he fall, in this our glorious cause, he still would be my joy,
For many a sweetheart mourns the loss of a Southern soldier boy.
I hope for the best, and so do all Whose hopes are in the field.
I know that we shall win the day, for Southerners never yield.
And when we think, of those who are away, We'll look above for joy,
And I'm mighty glad, that my Bobby is a Southern soldier boy.
9) Somebody's Darling (Marie Ravenal de la Coste and John Hill Hewitt)
The lyrics were written by le la Coste after witnessing the many wounded in the military hospitals. She sent her poem to a Savannah music publisher which sent it to a well-known Southern composer, John Hill Hewitt. He fashioned a melody for it. Too maudlin, even macabre, for modern tastes, but it was in keeping with Victorian sentiments of the time. Trivia: the song was used in the film Gone With The Wind.
Into the ward of the clean whitewashed walls, where the dead slept and the dying lay,
Wounded by bayonets, sabres and balls, Somebody's darling was borne one day.
Somebody's darling, so young and so brave, wearing still on his sweet yet pale face,
Soon to be hid in the dust of the grave, the lingering light of his boyhood grace.
CHORUS: Somebody's darling, somebody's pride,
Who'll tell her mother, where her boy died?
Matted and damp are his tresses of gold, kissing the snow of that fair young brow,
Pale are the lips of most delicate mould, somebody's darlin is dying now.
Back from his beautiful purple veined brow, brush off the wandering waves of gold,
Cross his white hands on his broad bosom now, Somebody's darling is still and cold.
Somebody's watching and waiting for him, yearning to hold him again to her breast.
Yet there he lies with his blue eyes so dim, and purple childlike lips apart.
Tenderly bury the fair, unknown dead, pausing to drop on his grave a tear,
Carve on the wooden slap over his head, somebody's darling is slumbering here.
10) Bonnie Blue Flag
We are a band of brothers And native to the soil,
Fighting for the property We gained by honest toil;
And when our rights were threatened, The cry rose near and far --
"Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star!"
CHORUS: Hurrah! Hurrah! For Southern rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.
As long as the Union was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers, Both kind were we and just;
But now, when Northern treachery, Attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
First gallant South Carolina, Nobly made the stand,
Then came Alabama, Who took her by the hand.
Next quickly Mississippi, Georgia and Florida
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
Ye men of valor, gather round The banner of the right;
Texas and fair Louisiana, Join us in the fight.
Davis, our loved president, And Stephens statesman are;
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
And here's to old Virginia, The Old Dominion State,
Who with the young Confederacy At length has linked her fate;
Impelled by her example, Now other states prepare
To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag, That bears a single star.
Then cheer, boys, cheer; Raise the joyous shout,
For Arkansas and North Carolina Now have both gone out;
And let another rousing cheer For Tennessee be given,
The single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag Has grown to be eleven.
Then here's to our Confederacy, Strong are we and brave;
Like patriots of old we'll fight Our heritage to save.
And rather than submit to shame, To die we would prefer;
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag That bears a single star.
11) Goober Peas (goober peas are peanuts)
Finally a bit of levity about the humble food rations that reb troops relied on to get them through. Sometimes they had nothing but cornmeal, sometimes coffee, plus the protein of goober peas aka peanuts. Complaining about the food is something that is typical of every war and every soldier.
Sittin' by the roadside on a summer's day,
Chattin' with my messmates, passing time away,
Lying in the shadows, underneath the trees --
Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas!
CHORUS: Peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Eating goober peas!
Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas!
When a horseman passes, the soldiers have a rule
To cry out at their loudest "Mister, here's your mule!"
But still another pleasure enchantinger than these
Is wearing out your grinders, eating goober peas!
Just before the battle, the General hears a row;
He says "The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now"!
He turns around in wonder, and what do you think he sees?
The Georgia Militia, eating goober peas!
12) Oh I'm A Good Old Rebel (Major Innes Randolph)
Some think that this lyric was intended as a parody, but nevertheless it expresses the no-regrets stance
of many Southerners long after the war ended.
I hates the Yankee nation, and everything they do,
I hates the Declaration of Independence, too.
I hates the glorious Union, tis dripping with our blood,
I hates their strip'ed banner, I fit it all I could.
I rode with Robert E. Lee, for three years, thereabout.
Got wounded in four places, and I starved at Point Lookout.
I catched the rheumatism a-campin in the snow,
But a killed a chance of Yankees, and I'd like to kill some mo.
Three hundred thousand Yankees is a-stiff in Southern dust.
We got three hundred thousand, before they conquered us.
They died of Southern fever, and Southern steel and shot.
I wish they were three million, instead of what we got.
I can't take up my musket, and fight em now mo more.But I ain't gonna love em, now that is certain sure.
And I don't want no pardon for what I was and am.
I won't be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.
CHORUS: Oh I'm a good old rebel, now that's just what I am.
And for this Yankee nation I do not give a damn.
I'm glad I fought agin her, I only wish we'd won.
N I don't ask any pardon for anything I've done.
13) Southron's Chaunt of Defiance (Written by Mrs. Catherine Anne Warfield. Music by A.E. Blackmar)
My, my, those rebs just never give it up. PS - Mrs. Warfield was a Kentucky lady. Kentucky was a border state and for a time had two state governments, one Union and one reb. However, the Union troops occupied the state and the reb government was defunct by about 1863. According to one source, after 1863, the Confederate government existed only on paper.
You can never win us back; Never! Never! Tho' we perish in the track of your endeavor;
Tho' our corpses strew the earth, Smiling now on our birth, And tho' blood pollute each hearth, Now and ever!
(CHORUS) You can never win us back; Never! Never! Tho' we perish in the track, Of your endeavor;
Tho' our corpses strew the earth,
Smiling now on our birth,
And tho blood pollute each hearth,
Now and ever!
We have risen to a man, Stern and fearless;
Of your curses, of your ban, We are careless.
Ev'ry hand is on its knife, Ev'ry gun is primed for strife.
Ev'ry palm contains a Life, High and peerless.
You have no such blood as ours For the shedding;
In the veins of Cavaliers Was its heading!
You have no such stately men In you abolition den
Marching through foe and fen, Nothing dreading!
We may fall before the fire Of your legions,
Paid with gold for murderous hire,
Bought allegiance; But for every drop you shed,
You shall have a mound of dead,
So that vultures may be fed In our regions!
But the battle to the strong Is not given,
While the Judge of right and wrong Sits in Heaven
And the God of David still Guides the pebble in His will,
There are giants yet to kill, Wrongs unshriven!
14) Stonewall Jackson's Way (John Williamson Palmer?)
There is a dispute about who wrote this song, which goes as follows. This poem was found in the coat of a dead soldier of the Stonewall Brigade after a battle in the Shenandoah Valley. Palmer says he wrote the poem in September, 1862, but a music publisher says the song was found on the body of a Confederate sergeant after the first battle of Winchester on May 25, 1862. The author is officially listed as anonymous.
Come, stack arms, men. Pile on the rails,
Stir up the campfire bright; No matter if the canteen fails,
We'll make a roaring night. Here Shenandoah brawls along,
There burly Blue Ridge echoes strong
To swell the brigade's rousing song Of "Stonewall Jackson's way."
We see him now--the old slouched hat Cocked o'er his eye askew--
The shrewd, dry smile--the speech so pat, So calm, so blunt, so true.
That "Blue-Light Elder" knows 'em well. Says he, "That's Banks; he's fond of shell--
Lord save his soul! We'll give him"...well, That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."
Silence! ground arms! kneel all! caps off! Old Blue Light's going to pray;
Strangle the fool that dares to scoff; Attention; it's his way!
Appealing from his native sod, In forma pauperis to God.
"Lay bare thine arm; stretch forth thy rod; Amen." That's "Stonewall's way."
He's in the saddle now! Fall in! Steady, the whole brigade!
Hill's at the ford, cut off! He'll win, His way out, ball and blade.
What matter if our shoes are worn? What matter if our feet are torn?
"Quick step--we're with him ere the dawn!" That's "Stonewall Jackson's way."
The sun's bright glances rout the mists Of morning, and, by George!
There's Longstreet struggling in the lists, Hemmed in an ugly gorge,
Pope and his Yankees whipped before. "Bayonet and grape!" hear Stonewall roar,
"Charge, Stuart! Pay off Ashby's score In Stonewall Jackson's way."
Ah, maiden! wait and watch and yearn, For news of Stonewall's band!
Ah, widow! read with eyes that burn, That ring upon thy hand!
Ah, wife! sew on, pray on, hope on, Thy life shall not be all forlorn--
The foe had better ne'er been born, That gets in Stonewall's way.
[See also: Twelve Slave Songs From the Civil War at http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/19/2331360-twelve-slave-songs-from-the-civil-war?last=1232498556&threadId=475279&commentId=4933357 ]
Twelve Slave Songs from the Civil War
by Minnie Apolis
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody, history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that transcended the tastes of any one group. Let us look at some of the songs that the slaves knew and sang during this era.
1) First on the list has to be Follow The Drinking Gourd.
Obviously this song is meant to teach slaves how to find their way North and meet up with someone with the underground railroad by following the Big Dipper (drinking gourd) as it pointed to the North Star. But it also refers to a peg-legged former sailor who supposedly taught them this song and marked out the trail along the river with his peg leg, or in some versions, by painting the outline of a foot and a circle on the tree trunks along the way. This story, according to the John Lomax book American Ballads & Folk Songs, can be found in the records of the Anti-Slavery Society. The directions say to follow the Tombigbee till it ends, then walk over a hill to the Tennessee River and follow it till that one joins the Ohio. They were to cross the frozen Ohio on foot in winter.
Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank will make a very good road, the dead trees show you the way,
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on, Follow the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd,
There's another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.
Where the great big river meets the little river, Follow the drinking gourd,
The old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd.
2) Lincoln and Liberty was a song made popular in the 1860 election by a performing family named the Hutchinsons who happened to be very pro-abolition. The melody was taken from an older tune called "Rosin the Bow" and was borrowed yet again for "Love Me, I'm a Liberal." Even though blacks did not yet have citizenship or the right to vote, I include this song because it was a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
Hurrah for the choice of the nation, Our chieftain so brave and so true,
We'll go for the great reformation, for Lincoln and liberty, too.
We'll go for the son of Kentucky, The hero of hoosierdom through,
The pride of the suckers so lucky, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
The up with the banner so glorious, The star-spangled red, white and blue,
We'll fight till our banner's victorious, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
Come all you true friends of the nation, Attend to humanity's call,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.
And roll on the liberty ball, And roll on the liberty ball,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.We'll finish the temple of freedom, And make it capacious within,
That all who seek shelter may find it, Whatever the hue of their skin.
Success to the old-fashioned doctrine, That men are created all free,
And down with the power of the despot, Whatever his stronghold may be.
3) Give Us a Flag was written by an anonymous soldier of the all black Massachusetts 54th Regiment, Company A. They were cut down unmercifully in cannon fire in the attempt by the 54th to take Fort Wagner, on Morris Island near Charleston, South Carolina. The courage of the regiment on this date, July 18, 1863 is captured in the excellent film Glory starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.
Oh Fremont he told them when the war it first begun,
How to save the Union and the way it should be done,
But old Kentucky swore so hard and Abe he had his fears,
Till every hope was lost but the colored volunteers.
Oh give us a flag, all free without a slave,
We'll fight to defend it as out fathers did so brave,
The gallant Comp'ny A will make the rebels dance,
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have a chance.
Old Jeff says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed,
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed,
For he first has got to catch us before the way is clear,
That is "what's the matter" with the colored volunteer.
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past.
We had a hard road to travel, but our day is coming at last,
For God is for the right, and we have no need to fear,
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
4) Yellow Rose of Texas was originally sung by a slave singing about his girl. The song then entered the collection of songs performed in minstrel shows, where a white preformer smeared burnt cork on his face and adopted the mannerisms and speech of a black person. This was done totally un-selfconsciously, similar to the way that Bill Dana adopted a Hispanic accent to play his comic character, Jose Jimenez. At any rate, soldiers later adopted it and then added another verse at the end; the Texas Brigade was led to defeat under Confederate General Hood in Nashville in 1864. The retreating troops, led by General "Uncle Joe" Johnston, taunted Hood for his loss. So it a song known by Southerners, and by Northerners, too, who chanced to hear it at a minstrel show.
There's a yellow rose in Texas, That I am going to see,
No other soldier knows her, No soldier only me.
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, We never more will part.
She's the sweetest rose of color, This soldier ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew,
You can talk about your dearest Mae and sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only one for me.
Now I'm going southward, For my heart is full of woe,
I'm going back to Georgia, To find my Uncle Joe,
You may talk about your Beauregard, Sing of General Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee.
5) Run Mourner Run refers to slaves as mourners. Their only way out of slavery was either death or running away. Each line is repeated four times.
If I had two wings, Bright angels above --
I would fly away to the kingdom, Bright angels above --
You gotta escape for your life, Bright angels above --
CHORUS: Oh run, run, mourner run, Bright angels above (four times).
6) Johnny Roach was written by the prolific Dan Emmett, who penned several songs for minstrel shows. It is sung from the point of view of an escaped slave who pines for his home in the South. Maybe it seems impossible for us now to imagine a slave longing to return to the plantation, but the tug of home on one's heart is strong no matter how great the hardship one actually suffered.
To Canada old John was bound
All by de railroad underground;
He's got no clothes—he's got no "tin"
He wishes he was back agin.
Gib me de place called "Dixie's Land,"
Wid hoe and shubble in my hand;
Whar fiddles ring an' banjos play,
I'll dance all night an' work all day.
7) Wade in the Water was originally a gospel song with masked instructions on how to run away. Escapees were instructed to wade in the water to try to evade the bloodhounds tracking them. Lyrics here are from the gospel version, not the later soul version. It has the typical call-and-response structure.
Wade in the water (children), Wade in the water
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water
If you don't believe I've been redeemed
God's gonna trouble the water.
I want you to follow him on down to Jordan stream
(I said) My God's gonna trouble the water.
You know chilly water is dark and cold
(I know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
You know it chills my body but not my soul
(I said my) God's gonna trouble the water.
(Come on let's) wade in the water, Wade in the water (children)
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water.
Now if you should get there before I do
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Tell all my friends that I'm comin' too
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm up lord and sometimes I'm down
(You know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm level to the ground
God's gonna trouble the water,
(I Know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Wade in the water (children)Wade out in the water (children)
God's gonna trouble the water.
8) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is a gospel song that masked references to the Underground Railroad. (Another one os The Gospel Train.) The specific place referred to in this song is Ripley, a station of the Underground Railroad where runaways were welcomed. The town is on top of a hill by the Ohio River, which the slaves had to cross. Crossing is not easy in winter, over the ice, and just about impossible in summer given the powerful current. So slaves had to wait for help making the crossing, and meanwhile they might be picked up by bounty hunters or law enforcement. So the song says "I looked over Jordan and what did I see, A band of angels coming after me."
[Chorus] Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
I looked over Jordan and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home
A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home
Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down, Coming for to carry me home
But still my soul feels heavenly bound, Coming for to carry me home
The brightest day that I can say, Coming for to carry me home
When Jesus washed my sins away, Coming for to carry me home.
If I get there before you do, Coming for to carry me home
I'll cut a hole and pull you through, Coming for to carry me home
If you get there before I do, Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming too, Coming for to carry me home.
9) John Brown's Body, also known as Battle Hymn of the Republic, is really two songs that both used the melody of an old Methodist hymn. The abolitionist John Brown who tried to instigate a slave revolt at Harper's Ferry and failed, still provided a rallying cry for Northern troops. In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe wrote the new lyrics that begin "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord". Eventually this version was printed as sheet music by a Boston printer. One hundred years later, Judy Garland sang Howe's version on her TV show after JFK was assassinated. Below are the lyrics to the John Brown version.
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
CHORUS: Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on.
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.
10) Slavery Chain Done Broke at Last is a spiritual song that dates to around 1865 and commemmorates the end of slavery. The former slave thanks God for hearing his prayers for freedom, and pledges to praise God till he dies.
Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die
Way down in-a dat valley, Praying on my knees
Told God about my troubles, And to help me ef-a He please
I did tell him how I suffer, In de dungeon and de chain,
And de days were with head bowed down, And my broken flesh and pain.
I did know my Jesus heard me, 'Cause de spirit spoke to me
And said, 'Rise my child, your chillun, And you shall be free.
'I done 'p'int one mighty captain, For to marshall all my hosts
And to bring my bleeding ones to me, And not one shall be lost.'
Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die.
11) No More Auction Block For Me --
I neglected to include this song in my first version of this article, even though it is included in the soundtrack release from the PBS documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns. You might also be able to dig up an older rendition of the song by the magnificent Paul Robeson, who recorded many spirituals, folk songs, and work songs in addition to classical material. This song is in a traditional call-and-response form, with the congregation or chorus repeating No more, no more, or, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.
No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block for me, Many thousand gone,
No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block, whiplash for me, Many thousand gone.
And oh the one thing, that we did wrong, No more no more,
Staying in the wilderness, A day too long, No more, no more.
An oh the one thing that we did right, Oh yes oh yes,
Was the day that we began to fight, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.
And it's no more auction block for me, No more, no more, no more,
Auction block for me, Many many thousand gone.
12) Oh Freedom
Oh Freedom was a rather militant spiritual song that expressed the desire of the black Union soldiers to die as free men.
Oh freedom, Oh freedom, Oh freedom over me.And before I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave,
And go home to my Lord and be free.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Civil War Songs for Rebs:
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/21/2339893-civil-war-songs-for-rebs
Ten Union Songs From the Civil War
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/22/2343772-ten-union-songs-from-the-civil-war
The music of the Civil War era was rich in melody, history and lyrics that evoke another era. There were songs for Northerners, songs for Rebs, songs for slaves, and some songs that transcended the tastes of any one group. Let us look at some of the songs that the slaves knew and sang during this era.
1) First on the list has to be Follow The Drinking Gourd.
Obviously this song is meant to teach slaves how to find their way North and meet up with someone with the underground railroad by following the Big Dipper (drinking gourd) as it pointed to the North Star. But it also refers to a peg-legged former sailor who supposedly taught them this song and marked out the trail along the river with his peg leg, or in some versions, by painting the outline of a foot and a circle on the tree trunks along the way. This story, according to the John Lomax book American Ballads & Folk Songs, can be found in the records of the Anti-Slavery Society. The directions say to follow the Tombigbee till it ends, then walk over a hill to the Tennessee River and follow it till that one joins the Ohio. They were to cross the frozen Ohio on foot in winter.
Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank will make a very good road, the dead trees show you the way,
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on, Follow the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd,
There's another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.
Where the great big river meets the little river, Follow the drinking gourd,
The old man is awaiting for to take you to freedom,
If you follow the drinking gourd.
2) Lincoln and Liberty was a song made popular in the 1860 election by a performing family named the Hutchinsons who happened to be very pro-abolition. The melody was taken from an older tune called "Rosin the Bow" and was borrowed yet again for "Love Me, I'm a Liberal." Even though blacks did not yet have citizenship or the right to vote, I include this song because it was a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
Hurrah for the choice of the nation, Our chieftain so brave and so true,
We'll go for the great reformation, for Lincoln and liberty, too.
We'll go for the son of Kentucky, The hero of hoosierdom through,
The pride of the suckers so lucky, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
The up with the banner so glorious, The star-spangled red, white and blue,
We'll fight till our banner's victorious, For Lincoln and liberty, too.
Come all you true friends of the nation, Attend to humanity's call,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.
And roll on the liberty ball, And roll on the liberty ball,
Come aid in the slaves' liberation, And roll on the liberty ball.We'll finish the temple of freedom, And make it capacious within,
That all who seek shelter may find it, Whatever the hue of their skin.
Success to the old-fashioned doctrine, That men are created all free,
And down with the power of the despot, Whatever his stronghold may be.
3) Give Us a Flag was written by an anonymous soldier of the all black Massachusetts 54th Regiment, Company A. They were cut down unmercifully in cannon fire in the attempt by the 54th to take Fort Wagner, on Morris Island near Charleston, South Carolina. The courage of the regiment on this date, July 18, 1863 is captured in the excellent film Glory starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.
Oh Fremont he told them when the war it first begun,
How to save the Union and the way it should be done,
But old Kentucky swore so hard and Abe he had his fears,
Till every hope was lost but the colored volunteers.
Oh give us a flag, all free without a slave,
We'll fight to defend it as out fathers did so brave,
The gallant Comp'ny A will make the rebels dance,
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have a chance.
Old Jeff says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed,
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed,
For he first has got to catch us before the way is clear,
That is "what's the matter" with the colored volunteer.
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past.
We had a hard road to travel, but our day is coming at last,
For God is for the right, and we have no need to fear,
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
4) Yellow Rose of Texas was originally sung by a slave singing about his girl. The song then entered the collection of songs performed in minstrel shows, where a white preformer smeared burnt cork on his face and adopted the mannerisms and speech of a black person. This was done totally un-selfconsciously, similar to the way that Bill Dana adopted a Hispanic accent to play his comic character, Jose Jimenez. At any rate, soldiers later adopted it and then added another verse at the end; the Texas Brigade was led to defeat under Confederate General Hood in Nashville in 1864. The retreating troops, led by General "Uncle Joe" Johnston, taunted Hood for his loss. So it a song known by Southerners, and by Northerners, too, who chanced to hear it at a minstrel show.
There's a yellow rose in Texas, That I am going to see,
No other soldier knows her, No soldier only me.
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart,
And if I ever find her, We never more will part.
She's the sweetest rose of color, This soldier ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew,
You can talk about your dearest Mae and sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only one for me.
Now I'm going southward, For my heart is full of woe,
I'm going back to Georgia, To find my Uncle Joe,
You may talk about your Beauregard, Sing of General Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee.
5) Run Mourner Run refers to slaves as mourners. Their only way out of slavery was either death or running away. Each line is repeated four times.
If I had two wings, Bright angels above --
I would fly away to the kingdom, Bright angels above --
You gotta escape for your life, Bright angels above --
CHORUS: Oh run, run, mourner run, Bright angels above (four times).
6) Johnny Roach was written by the prolific Dan Emmett, who penned several songs for minstrel shows. It is sung from the point of view of an escaped slave who pines for his home in the South. Maybe it seems impossible for us now to imagine a slave longing to return to the plantation, but the tug of home on one's heart is strong no matter how great the hardship one actually suffered.
To Canada old John was bound
All by de railroad underground;
He's got no clothes—he's got no "tin"
He wishes he was back agin.
Gib me de place called "Dixie's Land,"
Wid hoe and shubble in my hand;
Whar fiddles ring an' banjos play,
I'll dance all night an' work all day.
7) Wade in the Water was originally a gospel song with masked instructions on how to run away. Escapees were instructed to wade in the water to try to evade the bloodhounds tracking them. Lyrics here are from the gospel version, not the later soul version. It has the typical call-and-response structure.
Wade in the water (children), Wade in the water
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water
If you don't believe I've been redeemed
God's gonna trouble the water.
I want you to follow him on down to Jordan stream
(I said) My God's gonna trouble the water.
You know chilly water is dark and cold
(I know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
You know it chills my body but not my soul
(I said my) God's gonna trouble the water.
(Come on let's) wade in the water, Wade in the water (children)
Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water.
Now if you should get there before I do
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Tell all my friends that I'm comin' too
(I know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm up lord and sometimes I'm down
(You know my) God's gonna trouble the water.
Sometimes I'm level to the ground
God's gonna trouble the water,
(I Know) God's gonna trouble the water.
Wade in the water (children)Wade out in the water (children)
God's gonna trouble the water.
8) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is a gospel song that masked references to the Underground Railroad. (Another one os The Gospel Train.) The specific place referred to in this song is Ripley, a station of the Underground Railroad where runaways were welcomed. The town is on top of a hill by the Ohio River, which the slaves had to cross. Crossing is not easy in winter, over the ice, and just about impossible in summer given the powerful current. So slaves had to wait for help making the crossing, and meanwhile they might be picked up by bounty hunters or law enforcement. So the song says "I looked over Jordan and what did I see, A band of angels coming after me."
[Chorus] Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home
I looked over Jordan and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home
A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home
Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down, Coming for to carry me home
But still my soul feels heavenly bound, Coming for to carry me home
The brightest day that I can say, Coming for to carry me home
When Jesus washed my sins away, Coming for to carry me home.
If I get there before you do, Coming for to carry me home
I'll cut a hole and pull you through, Coming for to carry me home
If you get there before I do, Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming too, Coming for to carry me home.
9) John Brown's Body, also known as Battle Hymn of the Republic, is really two songs that both used the melody of an old Methodist hymn. The abolitionist John Brown who tried to instigate a slave revolt at Harper's Ferry and failed, still provided a rallying cry for Northern troops. In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe wrote the new lyrics that begin "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord". Eventually this version was printed as sheet music by a Boston printer. One hundred years later, Judy Garland sang Howe's version on her TV show after JFK was assassinated. Below are the lyrics to the John Brown version.
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
CHORUS: Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on.
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.
10) Slavery Chain Done Broke at Last is a spiritual song that dates to around 1865 and commemmorates the end of slavery. The former slave thanks God for hearing his prayers for freedom, and pledges to praise God till he dies.
Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die
Way down in-a dat valley, Praying on my knees
Told God about my troubles, And to help me ef-a He please
I did tell him how I suffer, In de dungeon and de chain,
And de days were with head bowed down, And my broken flesh and pain.
I did know my Jesus heard me, 'Cause de spirit spoke to me
And said, 'Rise my child, your chillun, And you shall be free.
'I done 'p'int one mighty captain, For to marshall all my hosts
And to bring my bleeding ones to me, And not one shall be lost.'
Slavery chain done broke at last, broke at last, broke at last,
Slavery chain done broke at last, Going to praise God till I die.
11) No More Auction Block For Me --
I neglected to include this song in my first version of this article, even though it is included in the soundtrack release from the PBS documentary The Civil War by Ken Burns. You might also be able to dig up an older rendition of the song by the magnificent Paul Robeson, who recorded many spirituals, folk songs, and work songs in addition to classical material. This song is in a traditional call-and-response form, with the congregation or chorus repeating No more, no more, or, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.
No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block for me, Many thousand gone,
No more auction block for me, No more, no more,
No more auction block, whiplash for me, Many thousand gone.
And oh the one thing, that we did wrong, No more no more,
Staying in the wilderness, A day too long, No more, no more.
An oh the one thing that we did right, Oh yes oh yes,
Was the day that we began to fight, Oh yes, oh yes, my Lord.
And it's no more auction block for me, No more, no more, no more,
Auction block for me, Many many thousand gone.
12) Oh Freedom
Oh Freedom was a rather militant spiritual song that expressed the desire of the black Union soldiers to die as free men.
Oh freedom, Oh freedom, Oh freedom over me.And before I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave,
And go home to my Lord and be free.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Civil War Songs for Rebs:
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/21/2339893-civil-war-songs-for-rebs
Ten Union Songs From the Civil War
http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/22/2343772-ten-union-songs-from-the-civil-war
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