AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site

Subject: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 10:07 AM

Stumbled across this while searching google for something else. This comes from Germany and looks like a pretty nice website, with regular updates, pictures, lyrics, etc.

Here ya go: History in Song

kat

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 10:23 AM

That is a nice site, and I wrote the host inviting a look here. I was surprised to see nothing on slavery, so I mentioned our project on the spirituals as well.

~Susan

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 10:30 AM

Wow- a goldmine! Thanks, Kat- I'm off to do some research for my next class!

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 12:16 PM

Don't forget we have Use of Folk Music in History Education

As well as all the "Origins Of" stuff...

~S~

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: toadfrog
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 11:09 PM

It's an informative site. I had almost forgotten this song; it's what Pete Seeger was singing in March, 1941:

Lyrics as reprinted ibid., p. 85.
ORIGINAL ISSUE: "SONGS FOR JOHN DOE" (ALMANAC RECORDS
, early May 1941 [PETE SEEGER, lead vocal]

It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shing bright
They passed the conscription bill
And the people they did say for many miles away
'Twas the President and his boys on Capitol Hill.

CHORUS:
Oh, Franklin Roosevelt told the people how he felt
We damned near believed what he said
He said, "I hate war, and so does Eleanor
But we won't be safe 'till everybody's dead."

When my poor old mother died I was sitting by her side
A-promising to war I'd never go.
But now I'm wearing khaki jeans and eating army beans
And I'm told that J. P. Morgan loves me so,

I have wandered o'er this land, a roaming working man
No clothes to wear and not much food to eat.
But now the government foots the bill
Gives me clothes and feeds me swill
Gets me shot and puts me underground six feet.

CHORUS

Why nothing can be wrong if it makes our country strong
We got to get tough to save democracy.
And though it may mean war
We must defend Singapore
This don't hurt you half as much as it hurts me.

Then in February, 1942, Pete was singing this:

Lyrics as recorded by THE ALMANAC SINGERS, New York, NY, c. Feb 1942, and reprinted ibid., p. 104 (Minor corrections by Manfred Helfert).

ORIGINAL ISSUE: "DEAR MR. PRESIDENT," Keynote K-305-A (KEYNOTE ALBUM 111), 1942. [PETE SEEGER, solo vocal]

Dear Mr. President, I sat me down
To send you greetings from my home town
And send you best wishes from all the friends I know
In Texas, Alabama, and Ohio and unaffiliated.

I'm an ordinary guy, worked most of my life
Sometime I'll settle down with my kids and wife
And I like to see a movie, or take a little drink
And I like being free to say what I think
Sorta runs in the family,
My grandpa crossed the ocean for the same reason.

Now, I hate Hitler, and I can tell you why
He's caused lots of good folks to suffer and die
He's got a way of shovin' folks around
I figger it's about time we slapped him down.
Give him a dose of his own medicine. Lead poison!

Now, Mr. President
We haven't always agreed in the past, I know
But that ain't at all important now
What is important is what we got to do
We got to lick Mr. Hitler, and until we do
Other things can wait.
In other words, first we've got a skunk to skin.

War means overtime, and higher prices
But we're all willing to make sacrifices
Hell, I'd even stop fightin' with my mother-in-law
Cause we need her too, to win the war, ol' battle-axe.

Now, as I think of our great land
With its cities, and towns, and farming land
With its so many good people a-working every day
I know it ain't perfect, but it will be someday
Just give us a little time.

In just eleven months, such a change of heart!

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:48 AM

This reminds me that Art Thieme has a most wonderful geographical reference map of American folksongs. I wish it were readily accessible online.

Where was this site, when I was in high school? (Nevermind, I guess we were still messing around with UNIVAC in those days!) I managed to fake my way through history and literature classes by creating presentations of things like "Songs of American Wars" or whatever. A reference like this one would most certainly have been of much help.

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:59 AM

I'd love to see that map, Allan. Treid finding one online. Didn't, but there is this site which has a kind of nice list of songs by geographic location or subject: Mapvilledotcom. Probably a little redundant, but it looks interesting and is well put together, plus I like the guy's message about recent events.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 12:57 PM

There's an Irish song site, too.

A History of Ireland in Song

~Masato

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:22 PM

Kat: Yes, Manfred does excellent work, a labor of love. I'm sure it was he that recently posted the excellent research on "Lili Marleen" here but I couldn't find it in a Search.

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:27 PM

Egad, I'm getting old. That was Wolfgang what posted the "Lili Marleen" post. He's also German & excellent in research. But I don't think they look alike.

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: GUEST,Nancy Courtright
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 10:27 PM

We are looking for a song about the women's right to vote it is for a school project. It would be nice to konw what is the easiest way to look for this. Thanks

Subject: RE: AMER. HISTORY IN SONG w/pix - nice site
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 10:36 PM

Nancy, we have a current thread on that with lots of great links where you will find all kinds of info and songs. Just click here.

For more information on how to use this site to your best advantage, please check out the top permathread, Mudcat FAQS-Newcomer's Guide.

Welcome to the Mudcat!

kat