Songs about the American Revolution

Subject: A question for the song history experts
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 09:22 PM

I was recently involved in a multi-artist concert (a memorial benefit fund-raiser) and had occasion to meet and talk with a great Celtic singer, Danny O'Flaherty, who currently operates out of east Texas. He has a penchant for patriotic songs both Irish and American and asked if I knew any songs of that nature about the American Revolution. I couldn't think of a single one to suggest to him.

I did a search of digitrad for revolutionary war and got no hits that really have to do with the war, American Independence or American patriotism of that era. Do any of you musical historians have suggestions of where I could look for such material (or refer to him to let him review what's there)?

If any of you would like to learn more about Danny, you can visit his web site.

SC

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: Melissa
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 09:44 PM

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/tguide_5.html

Teacher's guide: lesson 5, Revolutionary War Music
****
http://www.earlyamerica.com/music/revolutionary.htm

The Music of Early America
Popular Music during the Rev War
****
http://www.earlyamerica.com/music/revolutionary.htm

Revolutionary War Music..looks like the page has links that open to music sites, but I didn't check to see

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 10:25 PM

If you put "@revolution" in the search box and tick only the Digitrad box for it to search, there are a whole slew of songs listed in the DT. Some are not about the American revolution, but a good many are and many are cited and have midis as well.

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 10:52 PM

Though this is a text-only edition, see Frank Moore, Songs and Ballads of the American Revolution (1856).

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: georgeward
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 11:42 PM

There's a lot of material out there. It was just easier to find (and more of it was in print) during the Bicentennial run-up years ago.

For a single, all-purpose source, I'd recommend Irwin Silber's SONGS OF INDEPENDENCE, Stackpole Books 1973. A lot of libraries do (or did) have copies in the Bicentennial years, and many do yet.

A bit harder to find (I'm guessing) but equally well worth the search is Carolyn Rabson's SONGBOOK OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, NEO Press, Peaks Is., ME 1974.

Either or both of those will give you a lot to go on, and enough bibliography to find a lot more. Both have tunes, well edited.

- George

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 12:09 AM

Almost any collection of Independence war songs will have William Billings's (1746-1800) Chester, with the patriotic words that have as their first stanza:

Let tyrants shake their iron rod
and slavery clank her galling chains.
We'll fear them not, we trust in God.
New England's God for ever reigns.

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: Amos
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 01:23 AM

Yankee Doodle also comes to mind.

A

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: Black Hawk
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 04:41 AM

I started a thread a while back called 'British American Independence songs' which supplied a lot of useful information - especially from Jack Campin.
Try a thread search with that title.(sorry - dont know how to do a link)

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 04:45 AM

I heard Frank Warner last night - he had a song about Paul Jones from the Carolina Outer Banks. Nice contrast to the songs I know about him, which are mostly from Edinburgh - as far as we were concerned he was the Osama bin Laden of the late 18th century, only with less concern for civilians.

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 05:07 AM

Black Hawk's thread is British American Independence songs.

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 05:44 AM

Thanks masato

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 08:04 AM

Thanks everyone. There's so much here to look into, as I expected, I think I'm going to just send Danny the link to this thread and let him decide what to specifically research.

Thanks again.

SC

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: EBarnacle
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 09:09 AM

Try Oscar Brand's book, The Top Songs [or Hits] of 1776.

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: DebC
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 09:54 AM

Er...Jack, you probably heard Jeff Warner :-) Frank was Jeff's father. I bet it was a great concert.

Deb Cowan

Subject: RE: A question for the song history experts
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 10:00 AM

Is anyone aware of a song from that era called "The Drum"? Alexander Hamilton is said to have stood up in a tavern and sung this song on the eve of his final appointment with Aaron Burr.