Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs

Subject: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: voyager
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 09:07 PM

A question for Mudcat Anthologists...

I've come across an anthology of Folk Music and
traditional songs that travelled with my Mom's piano
(which I inherited a few years back).

Compiler is Margaret Bradford Boni who has also written
a foreward in memory of Carl Van Doren (the poet I think)
This volume is as old as I am (published in 1952) and
contains a favorite of mine from years gone by...
The Jam on Gerry's Rock

Any clue into the background of Ms. Boni and how this
volume fits into the collections of traditional music over the years?

Thanks in Ad-Vans....

voyager

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 09:48 PM

"Margaret Bradford Boni, who selected and edited the songs in this book, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but lived in Florida from the age of one. After being graduated from Florida State College, she studied music in Germany and in the Institute of Musical Art (now the Juilliard School of Music). A recognized authority on folk songs, Mrs. Boni has taught and conducted at the City and Country School, the Brearley School (both in New York City), and in the Pennsylvania public schools. She has also taught recorder courses in New York University's Department of General Education. She is the editor of the Fireside Books of Folk Songs, Love Songs, and Favorite American Songs, and co-author of the How To Play the Recorder books." (From the dust jacket of Songs of the Gilded Age, edited by Margaret Bradford Boni, Golden Press, 1960)

~Masato

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 10:10 PM

Fireside Book of Folk Songs edited by Margaret B. Boni is on the list of the bestsellers (1947 Nonfiction) (Click here).

Subject: Index: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:16 AM

Book: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs (Simon and Schuster, 1952)
Author: Boni, Margaret Bradford

Songs in Book (page):
11 cent cotton (98)
Abendglocke, Die (322)
After the ball (35)
All through the night (337)
At a Georgia camp meeting (45)
Auprès de ma blonde (340)
Ballet of the boll weevil (81)
Barb'ry Ellen (316)
Battle hymn of the Republic (145)
Believe me if all those endearing young charms (280)
Bicycle built for two (19)
Big rock candy mountain (112)
Big sunflower (202)
Bill Bailey won't you please come home (88)
Bonnie blue flag (142)
Botany Bay (247)
Bound for the promised land (256)
Break the news to mother (41)
Buckeye Jim (277)
Captain Kidd (332)
Chester (242)
Cockroach (110)
Come come ye saints (300)
Come saints and sinners (349)
Crawdad (106)
Cucaracha (110)
Daisy Bell (19)
Darlin' Corey (274)
Darling Corey (274)
Darling Nelly Gray (132)
Eight hours (215)
Ein' feste burg (324)
El a noy (298)
El-a-noy (298)
Eleven cent cotton (98)
Enraptured I gaze (244)
Erie (282)
E-RI-E (282)
Evening bells (322)
Frankie and Johnnie (65)
Glow worm (72)
Glühwürmchen (72)
Go from my window (317)
Greenfields (354)
Hail Columbia (266)
Het Kwezeklen (320)
How firm a foundation (352)
I wonder who's kissing her now (102)
Ida sweet as apple cider (94)
In dulci jubilo (328)
In the good old summertime (76)
In the sweet by and by (176)
It's the same the whole world over (56)
It's the syme the whole world over (56)
Jacob's ladder (130)
Jam on Gerry's rocks (222)
Jesse James (224)
Jesus lover of my soul (335)
Joseph dearest Joseph (326)
Joseph lieber Joseph (326)
Juanita (259)
Jump Jim Crow (290)
Just before the battle mother (153)
'K Heb Mijn Wagen Volgeladen (318)
Kevin Barry (116)
La Cucaracha (110)
Lazy moon (84)
Liberty song (238)
Listen to the mocking bird (156)
Little brown church in the vale (164)
Little brown jug (198)
Little hypocrite (320)
Little lost child (48)
Malbrouck (346)
Man on the flying trapeze (191)
March of the men of Harlech (188)
Midnight special (90)
Mighty fortress is our God (324)
Mister Banjo (251)
Monsieur Bainjo (251)
Mother was a lady (26)
Mr. Banjo (251)
My old Kentucky home (134)
Near to my fair one (340)
Nearer my God to Thee (174)
Nelly Bly (137)
O Christmas tree (196)
O God our help in ages past (334)
O Tannenbaum (196)
Oh dem golden slippers (205)
Oh freedom (167)
Oh promise me (62)
Oh them golden slippers (205)
Ol' Texas (108)
Old Abe Lincoln (140)
Old Chisholm Trail (219)
Old colony times (252)
Old Dan Tucker (304)
Old grey goose (294)
Old Hundredth (312)
Old oaken bucket (178)
Old ship of Zion (262)
Over there (293)
Oxen song (250)
Parliament of England (270)
Pesky sarpent (254)
Pick a bale of cotton (128)
Pilgrims' melody (313)
Pop goes the weasel (302)
Prayer of Thanksgiving (338)
Pretty Saro (278)
Quilting party (180)
Robin Adair (342)
Roll Jordan roll (261)
Sacramento (306)
Saint Louis blues (119)
Santy Anna (288)
See my wagon it's full laden (318)
She was bred in old Kentucky (52)
Shoo fly don't bother me (159)
Shuckin' of the corn (296)
Shule agra (344)
Silver threads among the gold (231)
Soldier soldier won't you marry me (186)
Spanish ladies (330)
St. Louis Blues (119)
Star spangled banner (272)
Streets of Laredo (212)
Take back your gold (58)
Take this hammer (210)
Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-a (23)
Ta-ra-ra-boom-der-e (23)
Tenting on the old camp ground (150)
Tenting tonight (150)
There'll be a hot time (30)
Tiritomba (200)
Tramp tramp tramp (147)
Under the bamboo tree (68)
Wabash cannon ball (208)
Wake Nicodemus (160)
We three kings (169)
Wearin' of the green (286)
We're singing our praises (338)
Were you there (264)
What was your name in the states (307)
When you and I were young Maggie (183)
Where is my boy tonight (171)
Whisky Johnnie (246)
White Wings (227)
Wilt heden nu treden (338)
Windsor (315)
Wondrous love (351)
Yankee Doodle (240)
Ye banks and braes (284)
Ye Parliament of England (270)
York (314)

~Masato

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:34 AM

I grew up on this book! Mom used to play the piano part and sing with me and my sister when we were little. Lots of nostalgia over this book.

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:56 AM

Nice work, Masato.

Pedants might nitpick over Ms. Boni's blithe description of "Believe me if all those endearing young charms", "Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott", and "Ye Banks and Braes" as "American Songs"....

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 04:11 AM

The dedication is: "In memory of Carl Van Doren," who had written the "Foreword". His wife was Irita Van Doren (nee Bradford; literary editor), who was Margaret's sister.

~Masato

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: John Minear
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:22 AM

This is the book in which the original lyrics for "Buckeye Jim" as it was collected and transcribed by Fletcher Collins from Mrs. Patty Newman of Elon College, NC, were published. It contains the chorus:

"Go limber, Jim, you can't go,
Go weave and spin, you can't go,
Buckeye Jim.

See this thread for further discussion Limber Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 09:50 AM

The two volumes, Fireside Book of Folk Songs and Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs, should also be noted for their beautiful graphics. The songs, however, are frequently condensed to a few well-known verses, a frustration for those hoping to find more verses, or alternative verses, to a favorite song. And sometimes the introductory notes are pure romance, as was documented a while back in the thread discussion of "Green grow the Lilacs." Thankfully, this NEVER happens in Mudcat lyric adds...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Index: Fireside Book of Folk Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 10:27 AM

I just copied & pasted the index from Appleton Public Library Songbook Index. And two other books by Boni.

Book: Fireside Book of Folk Songs (Simon and Schuster, 1947)
Author: Boni, Margaret

Songs in Book:
12 days of Christmas (248)
Adeste Fideles (224)
All glory laud and honor (294)
All hail the power of Jesus' name (283)
Alouette (124)
Angels we have heard on high (234)
Annie Laurie (110)
Arkansas traveler (58)
A-rovin' (168)
A-roving (168)
Au clair de la lune (74)
Auld lang syne (76)
Barbara Allen (104)
Battle hymn of the Republic (220)
Bendemeers stream (20)
Bendemeer's stream (20)
Blow the man down (152)
Blue bells of Scotland (60)
Blue tail fly (72)
Bold Brennan on the moor (28)
Bonnie George Campbell (24)
Boston come all ye (154)
Boston come-all-ye (154)
Bring a torch Jeannette Isabella (242)
British Grenadiers (198)
By the pale moonlight (74)
Camptown races (64)
Can't you dance the polka (160)
Careless love (46)
Carry me back to old Virginny (84)
Casey Jones (142)
Chanukah song (292)
Clementine (32)
Coasts of high Barbary (166)
Cockles and mussels (22)
Come fellow workers (223)
Coventry carol (252)
Crusaders' hymn (289)
Day is dying in the west (233)
Deck the halls (254)
Dixie (192)
Down in the valley (99)
Drill ye tarriers drill (133)
Drink to me only with thine eyes (90)
Drunken sailor (176)
Ein' feste burg (278)
El Cuando (122)
Erie canal (37)
Every night when the sun goes in (120)
Fairest Lord Jesus (289)
First Nowell (256)
Flow gently sweet Afton (106)
Foggy foggy dew (32)
Four generals (218)
Freiheit (210)
Funiculi funicula (43)
Glee reigns in Galilee (284)
Go down Moses (316)
God rest you merry gentlemen (260)
God save the king (208)
Golden vanity (172)
Good christian men rejoice (240)
Good King Wenceslas (244)
Green grow the lilacs (174)
Green grow the rushes (116)
Guide me O thou great Jehovah (286)
Hallelujah I'm a bum (102)
Hanukkah song (292)
Hark the herald angels sing (264)
Hatikvah (194)
Haul away Joe (145)
Home on the range (164)
Home sweet home (52)
I am a poor wayfaring stranger (34)
I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair (100)
I've been workin' on the railroad (148)
I've been working on the railroad (148)
Jeanie with the light brown hair (100)
Jeannette Isabella (242)
Jeannie with the light brown hair (100)
Jesucita (78)
Jesus saviour pilot me (291)
Joe Hill (48)
John Brown's body (222)
John Henry (170)
John Peel (92)
Johnny has gone for a soldier (69)
Joshua fit de battle of Jericho (304)
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho (304)
Joy to the world (258)
La Jesucita (78)
La Marseillaise (223)
La Vidalita (108)
Lili Marlene (202)
Loch Lomond (80)
Lonesome road (115)
Lord Lovel (96)
Los Cuatro generales (218)
Lowlands (132)
Many thousan' gone (187)
Many thousand gone (187)
Marche Lorraine (188)
Masters in this hall (268)
Meadowlands (200)
Merry life (43)
Mighty fortress is our God (278)
Minstrel boy (226)
Moscow (206)
Muss I denn (112)
Must I then (112)
My faith looks up to Thee (282)
My gentle harp (88)
My lord what a morning (314)
Nobody knows de trouble I see (302)
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen (302)
Now let me fly (300)
Nur Du (114)
O little town of Bethlehem (236)
O sanctissima (253)
O thou joyful day (253)
O when O when (122)
Oh Susanna (40)
Old folks at home (86)
Old Hundredth (287)
On top of old Smokey (42)
One more day (158)
One more river (308)
One more river to cross (308)
Paddy works on the Erie (150)
Peat bog soldiers (212)
Peter Gray (56)
Red river valley (146)
Riddle song (25)
Rio Grande (140)
Rise up shepherd an' follow (266)
Rise up shepherd and follow (266)
Robin loves me (125)
Robin M'aime (125)
Rock of ages (296)
Rock-a-my soul (306)
Salute to freedom (210)
Santa Lucia (30)
Scarborough fair (26)
Seven joys of Mary (262)
Shall we gather at the river (297)
She'll be comin' round the mountain (156)
She'll be coming around the mountain (156)
Shenandoah (136)
Silent night (267)
Sit down sister (312)
Skye boat song (18)
Song of the great wall (204)
Stand up stand up for Jesus (290)
Star spangled banner (184)
Steal away (298)
Sweet Betsy from Pike (62)
Swing low sweet chariot (310)
Tachanka (214)
Thou only (114)
Three ravens (94)
Turkey in the straw (66)
Twelve days of christmas (248)
Waltzing Matilda (216)
Wassail song (270)
What child is this (238)
When Johnny comes marching home (196)
Who can retell (280)
Who is the man (295)
Whoopee ti yi yo (162)
Widdecombe fair (50)
Willy the weeper (54)
Wraggle taggle gypsies (70)
Yeo heave ho (134)
Young voyageur (36)

Subject: Index: Songs of the Gilded Age
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 01:13 PM

The list in this message was stolen from Masato's entry above. I'm posting this message as a pointer to the index of Songs of the Gilded Age. One of our ongoing projects is the Index of Folk Songs in Print thread. If you post a songbook index, put Index: and the songbook title in the title of the message. The Index: tag is reserved for messages only - please do not use this tag in a thread title.
-Joe Offer-

---

Book: Songs of the Gilded Age (Golden Press, 1960)
Author: Boni, Margaret

Songs in Book:
Alexander (58)
Aloha Oe (144)
And her golden hair was hanging down her back (71)
Are you the O'Reilly (127)
Band played on (64)
Bedelia (74)
Bird in a gilded cage (96)
Blue bell (46)
Bowery (25)
Come home father (131)
Comrades (140)
Darling Sue (44)
Down where the Wurzburger flows (109)
Elsie from Chelsea (11)
Give my regards to Broadway (33)
Gypsy love song (55)
Hurrah for Baffin's Bay (22)
I don't want to play in your yard (122)
I love you in the same old way (44)
I love you truly (43)
In the good old summertime (116)
Is that you Mr. Riley (127)
Just a wearying for you (108)
Just a-wearyin' for you (108)
Just one girl (68)
Just tell them that you saw me (113)
Kentucky babe (19)
Little Annie Rooney (83)
Maiden with the dreamy eyes (80)
Man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo (125)
Maple leaf rag (136)
Meet me in Saint Louis Louis (16)
Meet me in St. Louis Louis (16)
Mighty lak' a rose (49)
My sweetheart's the man in the moon (40)
On a Sunday afternoon (100)
On the banks of the Wabash far away (30)
Please go away and let me sleep (133)
Please go 'way and let me sleep (133)
Poor little country maid (14)
Rosary (62)
She is more to be pitied than censured (92)
Stars and stripes forever (150)
Stein song (106)
Streets of Cairo (14)
Sweet Adeline (86)
Sweet Rosie O'Grady (89)
There'll be a hot time (36)
Toyland (28)
Two little girls in blue (77)
When you were sweet sixteen (103)
Where did you get that hat (120)
With all her faults I love her still (53)
Yankee doodle boy (147)
You're the flower of my heart sweet Adeline (86)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 04:24 AM

Thanks, Joe.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: Genie
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 03:07 PM

Murray, perhaps what Ms. Boni meant by including some songs as "American Folksongs" was that they had become popular among folks in the US as folk songs -- i.e., they had been adopted and embraced by "Americans." If she did not acknowledge the national or ethnic origin of the songs within the book, I would say that's a much stronger case for criticism. (Remember that the tunes for "America" and our own national anthem are both English tunes and that Canadian Guy Lombardo is pretty much responsible for the "American" tradition of singing "Auld Lang Syne" every New Year's Eve.)

Genie

Subject: RE: Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
From: Tiger
Date: 08 Aug 02 - 02:23 PM

There is also a "Fireside Book of Love Songs" by the same authors.

For the record, they are all illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen.

Subject: OBIT: Songbook Editor Margaret Boni, Nov 1974
From: GUEST,aten0000
Date: 22 Sep 09 - 01:43 AM

November 1974 New York Times

Margaret Boni, 82, A Writer on Songs
Margaret Bradford Boni, a music teacher and writer of popular books on songs, died yesterday at Lenox Hill Hospital. She was 82 years old and lived at 2 Washington Square Village.
        The most popular of several books that Mrs. Boni wrote on songs, "The Fireside Book of Folk Songs," was published in 1947 by Simon & Schuster. It is now in its 20th printing and has sold 250,000 copies.
She also wrote "The Fireside Book of Love Songs," "The Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs," and "Keep Singing, Keep Humming," a book for smaller children.
        Mrs. Boni was an early exponent in this country of the recorder*, a medieval flute. From 1928 to 1954, she was director of the music department of the City and Country School **, 165 West 12th Street.
Mrs. Boni, whose husband, Charles, died in 1969, leaves no immediate survivors.

BONI-Margaret Bradford, wife of the late Charles, beloved aunt of Margaret Bevans, Anne Ross and Barbara Klaw. No services. Contributions may be sent to the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 166 Avenue of the Americas.