...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..

Subject: Civil War song
From: MSHolloman
Date: 23 Jun 97 - 07:19 PM

I need the lyrics and music (or at least the tune) from this Northern Civil War song. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Marsha Holloman

Subject: RE:
From: rich r
Date: 23 Jun 97 - 09:25 PM

The only fragment i remember from years ago, I think the tune was "Old Grey Mare" or "Battle Hymn of Republic". Sorry that's not a whole lot of help but it was at least 40 years ago. Can't remember everything. Just wih I could remember something.

rich r

Subject: RE:
From: D Terrell
Date: 24 Jun 97 - 12:19 PM

This is one verse or fragment from a version of John Brown's body.

After hearing some soldiers singing John Brown's body, Julia Ward Howe wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic along the same lines and tune.

Subject: When the Red Revolution Comes ^^
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 24 Jun 97 - 12:36 PM

Back in the Fifties in England we used to sing (to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic)....

We'll hang Anthony Eden from a sour apple tree
We'll hang Anthony Eden from a sour apple tree
We'll hang Anthony Eden from a sour apple tree
When the red revolution comes

Free beer for all the workers
Free beer for all the workers
Free beer for all the workers
When the red revolution comes

We'll make Hugh Gaitskell scrub the steps of Transport House etc. etc...

And I know my Dad used to sing a version for the politicians of his era with someone having to "do the cooking for the kids" and someone else having to "do the washing for the boys".
Folk music is alive and well.

Bert ^^

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Joe Fogey
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 04:35 PM

I remember this from CND marches. Two more verses:

We'll make Winston Churchill smoke a woodbine everyday x3
When the red revolution comes.

and

We'll make Princess Margaret sell french letters in the Strand x3
etc.

Woodbines were cheap and nasty cigarettes, French letters is a slang word for condom. The Strand is a street in London.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 05:23 PM

Project Gutenberg has words and tune here I think: The Good Old Songs We Used to Sing, '61 to '65 by Osbourne H. Oldroyd. (I haven't downloaded it but search says it's there).

I also seem to recall reading that during the Bryant and May matchgirl strike (1888) they used to sing We'll hang old Bryant from a sour apple tree, so it seems to have remained popular!.

Mick

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 06:29 PM

But why is the subject of the thread Jeff Davis, who is a collector of songs?

Kitty

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 06:52 PM

That was my 1st thought Kitty & why a sour apple tree for such a sweet guy. The Jeff Davis talked about here was the President of the Confederacy, not the Jeff that's a singer/musician of folk song renown.

Barry

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 07:42 PM

The companion song from the South, "We'll hang Abe Lincoln...."

Lots of verses, all to the air- "Brother, will you meet me? (Glory, Glory, Hallelujah")
Here is one from American Memory:

Ellsworth's Body Lies Mouldering in the Grave

Ellsworth's body lies mouldering in the dust, (3x)
As we go marching on- Glory, Glory, Halelujah!

He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord, (3x)
His soul is marching on- Glory, etc.

Ellsworth's knapsack is strapped upon his back, (3x)
As we go marching on- Glory, etc.

We'll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree, (3x)
As we go marching on- Glory, etc.

His pet lambs will meet him on the way, (3x)
As we go marching on- Glory, etc.

The Fire-Zouves are marching on their way (3x)
For Ellsworth's death to avenge- Glory, etc.

Now three rousing cheers for the Union (3x)
As we go marching on- Glory, etc.

Song sheet, A. W. Auner, Philadelphia.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Joe_F
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 08:13 PM

My mother, who was born in 1908, sang

We'll hang Kaiser William to a sour apple tree,

and her naughty brothers, once they had reached the age of 18, were allowed to end

**** **** Kaiser Bill!

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 03:15 AM

But why is the subject of the thread Jeff Davis, who is a collector of songs?

Banjo Player Kitty, subject says it all.

Only kidding Jeff!

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: GUEST,Mac1
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 07:21 PM

We'll make Bessy Bradock wear a bikini every day, X3 When the Red revolution comes. Free beer for all the workers, X3 When the red revolution comes.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Midchuck
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 10:45 AM

I also saw the lyrics to the chorus printed somewhere as:

Arson, rape and bloody murder,
Arson, rape and bloody murder,
Arson, rape and bloody murder,
When the Red revolution comes.

Peter

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: iancarterb
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 11:37 PM

There are plenty of Sour Apple Trees in CT. Careful, Jeff.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 11:47 AM

we'll hang old bryant on a sour appple tree

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 11:37 AM

The 'Jeff Davis' of the song is indeed Jefferson Davis, the President of the southern (Confederate) states who tried to leave the United States during the American Civil War of 1861-5.

He was not hung. He died of old age in New Orleans in 1881.

Thank God for that, because we've been spared any number of morbid songs about his execution.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 12:42 PM

BTW, Jefferson Davis was never hanged from any tree but died of natural causes and is buried in Hollywood Cemetary overlooking the James River in Richmond, Va... Been to that gravesite many times over the years... Real pretty place for a picnic lunch...

B~

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: fumblefingers
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 01:05 PM

My old man, born 1888, used to sing that verse, but I don't think he knew any more of the song than that.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Reiver 2
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 06:35 PM

The explanation of the origin of the song in question is really quite simple. The tune was written around 1855 by a man named William Steffe. The first recorded lyrics to the tune were called "Canaan's Happy Shore." [It was also known as "Brothers Will You Meet Me."] It was sung mainly as a hymn or "white spiritual." The tune became very popular in the U.S.

After John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, VA, in Oct. 1859, which he hoped would set off a slave insurrection, a soldier from Vermont named Thomas Bishop, in the pre-war U.S. army wrote a set of lyrics to the melody that began, "John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in his grave..." It became a popular marching song for Union troops in the early years of the U.S. Civil War. Later, after John Brown had faded somewhat from the scene, another set of lyrics were sung by the Union soldiers to the same tune, substituting the name of Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate government. The opening line was, "We'll hang Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree." It reflected the attitude of many Union soldiers for whom Jeff Davis was the symbol of what they were fighting against. Southern [Confederate] troops soon retaliated by substituting "Abe Lincoln" for "Jeff Davis."

As an interesting sidelight, Irwin Silber (who has written a book about Civil War folk songs), claims that the original lyrics were not about John Brown, the abolitionist, but were in reference to a Scotsman of the same name who was a member of Bishop's 12th Massachusetts Regiment, and the lyrics were composed to poke some good-natured fun at the "runty, mild-mannered Scotsman" who shared the same name as the much more famous and fearsome abolitionist. Since the "runty Scotsman' was very much alive, and his body was not yet "moulderin" in his grave," the lyrics must have differed. At any rate the Scotsman would not have been familiar to soldiers in other army units, and most singers, I think it's safe to say, had in mind John Brown the abolitionist when singing the song.

Early in the war the 12th Massachusetts was stationed in Washington, DC, and a lady named Julia Ward Howe heard the song being sung during a review of troops. The tune made an impression on her and a companion at the review, a minister, mentioned that Julia should write some more inspiring words to the melody. Staying that night, Nov. 18, 1861, at the Willard Hotel in Washington, Ms Howe said later that she awoke during the night with the words of a song in mind. Worried that she might forget them if she waited until morning, she arose and wrote down the words that would become "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Reiver 2

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Reiver 2
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 07:42 PM

I should have mentioned that there were many other "spin offS" to the very popular tune. One was the song lyrics posted by Q. They were written in memory of Elmer E. Ellsworth who was the first Union casualty of the U.S. Civil War. A handsome young man, Ellsworth dreamed of an appointment to West Point, but it was not forthcoming. His avid interest in soldiering led him to join a Chicago volunteer company that was about to disband due to lack of interest. He revived the unit through his enthusiasm and organizing ability, and by introducing the group to the Zouave dress and drill, patterned after French Foeign Legion troops in Algeria. The regimen he instituted consisted not only of drill tactics but their colorful and unique uniforms. The brightly colored uniforms consisting of red baggy pants, bright blue sash, dark blue short jackets, a red cape, and blue tassled red fez caps as well as their intricate drill formations gained a great deal of attention. During the Civil war there were many Zouave units in both the Union and Confederate armies. Many had been organized as civilian drill units and volunteered to fight when the war began. In combat they insisted on wearing their brightly colored Zouave uniforms. A number of these units belonged to city fire departments and as military units were known as Fire Zouaves.

Ellsworth had temporarily left the Chicago Zouave unit to study law in the office of Abraham Lincoln, and then worked in Lincoln's presidential campaign and accompanied Lincoln to Washington. Soon after, he went to NY and raised a company of Zouaves that became the 11th New York Fire Zouave regiment. Sent to Washington Ellsworth, as ordered, led his Zouaves across the Potomoc River to occupy Alexandria, Virginia. Spotting a Confederate flag atop a hotel, Ellsworth climbed to the top of the building and tore it down. While descending the stairs he was shot and killed by the proprietor. He was the first Union soldier to die in the war, and became an instant hero in the North. Lincoln knew Ellsworth well and was especially grieved by his death. The song posted by Q earlier on this thread was written to commemorate Ellsworth's sacrifice.

Reiver 2

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 09:02 PM

Modern version- We'll hang Tony Hayward from .......

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: LadyJean
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 12:11 AM

I found George W. scanned beautifully. So, I'm happy to see, does Tony Hayward.


We will hang Tony Hayward from a BP oil rig. That scans very well. And for a chorus, "Glory glory how he'll screw ya." Or "Tony wants to get his life back! Tony wants to get his life back! Tony wants to get his life back! While the gulf coast drowns in oil.

Subject: RE: ...hung Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree..
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Sep 13 - 07:01 PM

My grandma sung this song and it was to the tune of Glory Halleluah.
I would like to know more about the song. I am from Iowa and my grandma was born in 1885.