Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: MissouriMud
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 01:06 PM

In Lincoln's 1860 campaign republicans took an old song called "Down in Alabam" (melody similar to the currently known Old Grey Mare) and reworked it to suit their candidate.   

I gather The orginal had verses like:
"Old grey horse came tearing out the wilderness
Tearing out the Wilderness,tearing out the Wilderness
Old grey horse came tearing out the Wilderness
Down in Alabam"

This was reworked for the campaign as:

"Old Abe Lincoln came tearing out the wilderness
Tearing out the Wilderness,tearing out the Wilderness
Old Abe Lincoln came tearing out the Wilderness
Down in Illinois"


The song - either the orginal or the parody or a combination - subsequently became a play-party song with all sorts of floating verses that fit the basic formula. Some how the "Old Grey Mare she aint what she used to be" verses came in (a clear reference back to the "old grey horse" but possibly a political statement of their own), stuck and took over the title of the song and represents the most commonly known survivor of that family.

Another variant of the song (possibly another verse)is "The Old yellow dog came trotting through the meeting house", which remains the title of a popular southern and midwestern fiddle square dance tune/song, and which has a chorus with a different tune which goes "brave boys die, down in Alabam", which could derive in some way from the original song. I have heard theories on both sides as to whether or not the "Old Yellow Dog" is a political reference that was used in a campaign.

I can't say I have thoroughly researched the issue though so perhaps others have some better information.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 01:56 PM

MissouriMud, thanks for that post about the old grey mare song. That's new information for me. Hopefully, other posters will add to the discussion about that song.

I'm wondering if "grey {or "gray"}* is the most common color for horses or mares. Or maybe "gray mare" just happened to be the phrase most commonly used when talking about a horse. For example, the phrase "ole gray mare" shows up as a floating verse in the 29th century {or ealier} African American "went to the river but I couldn't get across" songs. Is this just a coincidence?

*Now I'm confused. What is the correct spelling for this color in the USA-gray or grey?

**

Also, MissouriMud, your post prompted me to look up the meaning of "yellow dog Democrats". It might not be pertinent to this thread, but in case someone else might be wondering what that term means, here it is:

"In the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century, Yellow Dog Democrats were voters in the U.S. Southern states who consistently voted for Democratic candidates. The term arose from the notion that loyal Southern Democrats would vote for a yellow dog before voting for a Republican. The term is now often used more generally to mean any Democrat who will vote the Party ticket under almost any circumstances...

The first known usage to date of "yaller dog" in relation to Democrats occurred in the 1900 Kentucky gubernatorial contest which turned into quite a dogfight"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_dog_Democrat

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: MissouriMud
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 02:23 PM

I think current US spelling is "gray" but things were greyer a while back.

I think old and gray go together - so it may be less a function of the natural color of the animal than it is a comment on its age.   Some how the "old brown mare" doesnt conjure up the same image.   Frankly I have no idea if horses gray with age - so this may be an anthropromorphism.

The term Yellow Dog Democrat is apparently a usage that significantly post dates the Civil War (if Wikipedia is accurate) but the term Yellow Dog as a disparaging comment most likely predates that. Interestingly Lincoln at one point was known for walking around Springfield with a large yellow dog. I have not been able to document if the Yellow Dog in the song was meant to refer in any way to Lincoln either negatively or positively - but I know people who believe that to be the case. On the other hand I have seen some indications that the Yellow Dog in the song predated or was totally independent of Lincoln - but I suppose even if that were the case some might have used the words retrospectively with him in mind.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Banjovey
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:02 PM

Here is part of a song I wrote which was sung on picket lines in Exeter during a health workers strike in 1970's
The Norman was Norman Fowler, the then Minister of Health.

'Have you seen the size
of Norman's little rise.
It would fit between the thighs of a gnat.
It is so small and mean
that it hardly can be seen
Now I ask you what the hells
the use of that.'

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:17 PM

Oh.

I think I understand what that song is about. That was rather "tauntalizing".

Thanks for posting it, Banjovey.

:o)

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: GUEST,Sue
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 02:37 PM

This is a good one from 1972 when Nixon won his short-lived second term:

The election is over,
the results are now known,
the will of the people
has clearly been shown.

Let's all get together
and show by our deeds,
that we will give Dick
all the help that he needs.

Let bygones be bygones
and all bitterness pass,
I'll hug your elephant
if you kiss my ass.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 02:47 PM

Thanks Sue for posting that example.

:o)

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: GUEST,mama trish
Date: 04 Dec 12 - 09:54 PM

this was written as "billie holiday, arlo guthrie, and randy newman on a whiskey bender at a political rally..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tjAsYDaYbs

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Dec 12 - 04:38 AM

From an election campaign in East Lothian, Scotland, in 1978ish. To the tune of "Brown Girl in the Ring" which was a hit in the UK at the time.

John Hume Robertson, he's the man for us
John Hume Robertson, he's the man for us
John Hume Robertson, he's the man for us
And he lives in a big house too!

Robertson was a local landowner who was standing for the Labour Party (i.e. what we would now call a "champagne socialist"). The big issue locally was whether the Torness nuclear power plant would be constructed (I was in East Lothian campaigning against it). Robertson was all for it, as was the Callaghan Labour government of the time.