Lyr Req: An American Army of Two

Subject: An American Army of Two
From: Jim
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 09:36 AM

Song is sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle about two girls who saved their town from the British in 1812 by pretending they were a Yankee encampment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An American Army of Two
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Jan 11 - 11:00 PM

The story wasn't familiar to me, but here it is at Wikipedia.

Haven't found the song yet, but this is enough to refresh the thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An American Army of Two
From: GUEST,999
Date: 04 Sep 12 - 08:03 PM

An American Army of Two by Diane Taraz and Jim Gleason

During the War of 1812, as British ships blockaded the coast and raided coastal communities, the teenaged daughters of a Scituate lighthouse keeper saved their town through musical subterfuge. When they saw a barge of Redcoats approaching, Abigail and Rebecca Bates hid with their fife and drum behind the dunes and made such a racket that the Lobsterbacks mistook them for a Yankee encampment. This song celebrates their courage and invokes the tune they played: Yankee Doodle, whose ancient melody was known as "the air from who knows where."

from

http://www.dianetaraz.com/airsnotes.htm

Subject: ADD: An American Army of Two
From: GUEST,LYRIC ADD 999
Date: 04 Sep 12 - 08:08 PM

AN AMERICAN ARMY OF TWO
(Diane Taraz & Jim Gleason)

Come all you fine New England folks who by the sea do dwell
and give a cheer for two brave girls who served their country well
their father kept the harbor light to warn the ships at sea
and guide them safe past Cedar point to Scituate town so free.

CH   Becky fifed the tune so bright and Abby was the drummer
    They played The Air From Who Knows Where one day in early summer.

'Twas in the war of 1812 when we were pressed full sore
the British blocked our ports from trade and our supplies were poor
we never knew when ships might come to attack and burn our homes
and the homeguard men were thin and lean, reduced to skin and bones.

One day while Mr. Bates was gone his daughters climbed the tower
to polish up the lighthouse lamps so they could shine full power
but then they saw the Union Jack come a-flyin'cross the main
no time to warn poor Scituate town defense would be in vain.

They quickly grabbed their fife and drum and ran behind the dunes
no one could see them hiding there as they struck up a tune
they could have hidden quietly to escape the English guns
but those Yankee girls played a Yankee tune as loud as could be done.

The lobsterbacks had launched their boats to send their men ashore
but on the breeze they heard a tune that they had heard before
it was that tune the Yankees played as they would march along
there must be troops behind the dunes a-singing of that song.

So then the Redcoats tucked their tails between their legs and ran
they sailed away and disappeared before a fight began
and to this day we shout hooray for those girls so brave and true
Abigail and Rebecca Bates, an American army of two.

chorus2: Becky fifed the tune so bright and Abby was the drummer
         They drove the Redcoats out of sight one day in early summer.


from

http://www.ouphrontis.com/writings/BatesHouse.html