While there are many songs from the Civil War era that are known to have been enjoyed by the participants, I've come across four or five books apparently published in that era that imply that music was popular, but lots of the music "never quite made the big time."

A comment above is applicable:

The American Civil War provided some of the sloppiest, most sentimental songs! ...

My working theory is that with all the men gone (except perhaps the preacher), when the ladies ran out of sheets to roll into bandages a fair number of them turned to "writing songs."

Lyrics that I've seen are comparable to the "boilerplate" poems found in small-town church bulletins, and several bear close resemblance to "inspirational messages" currently in circulation in email chain letters. Some of the war era lyrics may be the same texts found in some of the current chain letters, although I almost never read the emails so I don't have samples for comparison.

A couple of the books have had individual songs noted as "performed by Mrs (the composer) for the Ladies of the (local church circle or troop support group) on (some date)" - which may be suspected of being the one and only performance ever. (Although we may be sure that the ladies all applauded - politely.)

It is a bit surprising that there apparently was a "vanity press" industry to support self-publishing of books, and particularly of music books; but a few of them appeared to be fairly well put together. I would not have expected most local print shops to have type adequate to setting music, but some of the composers may have been in larger cities with access to established book publishers willing to make a buck.

Most of the ones I've seen (generally in antique shops) have been "flipped through" and put back in the pile, but I think I may still have one that looked like it might be worth the $2 price asked. Closer examination at home found it slightly below the "artistic level" of a couple of political "Campaign Songbooks" I've come across from around the same era. I think "maudlin'" is a fair assessment.

If I eventually get to unpacking a box that the book that I think I kept happens to be in I may be able to pull out some samples; but that will depend on which of my several dozen remaining unmarked "book boxes" it may pop out of, and when, and on whether my "archiving machines" haven't worn out by the time I get to it.

Has anyone else run across - and kept - similar worthless trash?

John