U.S. Cavalry songs needed

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Lighter
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 09:22 AM

The tune looks like George F. Root's Civil War song, "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp."

I've seen a college fraternity version of Guest's song from 1930. "Finding a diamond in the dung" suggests sudden wealth (for sending a kid to an expensive school), so my guess is that the frat version is the original.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 11:47 PM

My Uncle used to sing this song. I think it came from his time at Texas A&M, but it could have been from his Army service.

Oh when I was young and free,
and I lived in Tennessee,
My Daddy shoveled horsehit all the day,
Then one night when work was done,
He found a diamond in the dung,
And he shipped me off to join the Cavalry,

Hail, Hail, Hail the Cavalry, Boys.
To hell with the field artillery!
Scratch Army, Navy, and the rest,
We are Uncle Sammy's best,
We are Uncle Sammy's fighting Cavalry!

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,bjtaq
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:01 AM

Actually, Wallace Berry sings the song in the 1942 movie THE BUGLE SOUNDS.

BJ

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 08:40 AM

Check out Tim O'Brian's song "Mic Ryan's Lament." General Custer heard some of his Irish soldiers singing "Garry Owen" in a bar and he adopted the tune as his own. The song is sung from the perspective of one Irish recruit who died at Little-Big-Horn. The soldier passes over to the great-beyond only to find out that the "man-upstairs" does not recognize geo-political boundaries and considers all wars as sinful. This fact was not obvious "when we road from Fort Lincoln that morning" but this epiphany will for ever remain as "Mic Ryan's Lament."

He sings, "but the band was playin' that Garry Owen...brass was shining, flags were flowing, I wish that I had only known...I'd have stayed with my brothers in Vicksburg."

Great song for our time.

MP

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Melani
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 01:19 AM

Wow, Mario, I've known "Sherman Will March to the Sea" since I was 12, to the tune of "Rosin the Bow." It was on an album called "The Blue and the Gray--Songs of the American Civil War," which was taken from a 1959 BBC broadcast. I always though there must be more verses, but your songsheet doesn't seem to show any. Also, my nearsighted eyes make the date as 1865, so it was just barely in time for the end of hostilities. Thanks for that link!

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 10:43 PM

Guest - I think the line should be "If you want to have a good time jine the cavalry" (Which is from "Jine the Cavalry")

It goes on with lines like "if you want to chase the devil, if you want to have fun,if you want to smell hell, jine the cavalry!"

I don't have the whole song in front of me or I'd print it here.
Of course that could be an anti-war version you have ?!?

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 02:00 PM

Ran across the title of another song "If you want to have a good time, don't jine the cavalry." Author listed as unknown, no date. Anyone heard it?

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:37 PM

Garry Owen was also the song of the 2nd New Jersey Light Artillery.
Mounted band instruments, used in the Cavalry in the 19th century, included brass instruments that were played over the shoulder, that is, the bell faced backward.
During major battles, such as at Gettysburg, a band would be present, playing to entertain observers and spectators. On the Confederate side, the band of the 26th North Carolina played. These were Moravians from the settlement at Salem, North Carolina, where their band books have been preserved.

"Jine the Cavalry" supposedly was one of Gen. JEB Stuart's favorites. Stuart was said to have a fine baritone voice. "Lorena" was one of his favorites as well.
Who wrote it? Sam Sweeney, formerly a blackface minstrel, rode with Stuart. Could the song be from the minstrel tradition??
Surprised I couldn't find it in Dolph's "Sound Off!."

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: TIA
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:17 PM

Perhaps THE Cavalry song is Garry Owen -- was reportedly Custer's favourite, and he took his brass band nearly everywhere (except the Little Bighorn)for them to play it as his cavalry went into battle. Therein lies a "beef" that many might have with the tune. As Custer's theme song, it was played (among others) during the massacre at the Washita on November 27, 1868 when Custer's cavalry slaughtered the men, women and children (mostly women and children) of Black Kettle's band of Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoes as they attempted to surrender. Great tune, that I continue to play, but always with a twinge of guilt. Not trying to rain on any parades, but it's a song with baggage.

Tim

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 12:51 PM

Well I finally found "Jine the Cavalry" - it's a fun little number.


I was amazed I couldn't find it in several good Civil War songbooks on my shelf, but it is on the web at a Civil War Songs & Poetry site. I alway wonder how many great songs are just a mouse click away, and I don't even know they exist!

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 08:11 AM

Hey, and don't forget "Garry Owen" -- even the US Cavalry Assn. website above has it. Official song of the 7th Cavalry (Custer's outfit) and the "Fighting 69th" 69th New York Infantry.

Linn

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Rincon Roy
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:57 AM

hmmm, here's a couple more titles: Fiddlers Green (a cavalry tune for sure), Bold Sojer Boy, Marse Henry March, Old Baldy Quick Step, O'Reilly's Gone to Hell, Red White & Blue-(Columbia the Gem of the Ocean)-our unofficial national anthem, & finally Home Sweet Home as the last number of the night.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Richard Wright
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 12:40 AM

Look up Jerry Ernst's site:
Jerry's Civil War Music http://members.aol.com/jerund/jerund.html

He has several CDs out with civil war music and could let you know what is best suited to your use.

Richard Wright

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 12:34 AM

Gee, Sorcha, do ya think?*bg*

At Roy Rogers' site it is listed as "trad."

Some of the confusion comes from one of those threads becoming a discussion of both songs, though the title says it is just about the tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Les B
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:50 PM

Sorcha - thanks for the look up on the movie info - I vaguely remembered that John Wayne & John Ford had hooked up for a film with that name, but didn't know if it was based on a "trad" song or not.

Looks like it's pretty well tied to 1917, but who knows -- every so often you can stumble across an obscure reference to something that yanks it back another 50 years.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:38 PM

HuH? and HuH? (Only a raised eyebrow, not a shout)
Where is the 1800 date? The only way you can get that is by tying to "All Around My Hat" which is tenuous in the extreme. Both melody and words differ.

The oldest "Yellow Ribbon" found is the 1917 version posted by Masato. The DT mentions mid-1800s based on no evidence. There also is no evidence except guesses for late 1800s. I think the melody was arranged by George A. Norton (the composer of the words in Masato's post) from a quickstep and coulld be older, but that is speculation.

The link I posted, 30091, has nothing to do with the oak tree.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:24 PM

OK, mabye we are both correct......


Although the exact origin of the yellow ribbon still remains a mystery, the tradition of wearing yellow ribbons may date back to the Civil War when the U.S. Cavalry was symbolized by yellow piping on their uniforms. Women who were married to or dating soldiers wore yellow ribbons as they waited for their sweethearts to return from battle. Historians believe this practice was commemorated in the 1917 song "Around Her Neck She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."

The yellow ribbon debuted on movie screens in 1949 in the cavalry epic "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" starring John Wayne and Joanne Dru. The Academy Award-winning movie was the second in director John Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy."

In 1973, Tony Orlando and Dawn sang the popular song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" (written by Erwin Levine and L. Russell Brown). This time, the sentiment expressed wasn't about soldiers at war. Instead, it tells of a convict who returns home to find a yellow ribbon tied around an oak tree - a symbol of his lover's desire to see him again.

Yellow ribbons really caught on as a symbol of patriotism in 1979 during the Iranian hostage crisis, when Penne Laingen, wife of hostage Bruce Laingen tied a large yellow ribbon around a tree in front of their home near Washington, D.C. The idea spread around the country to symbolize hope for the hostages safe return home. When the 52 hostages returned after 444 days in captivity, the Laingen family donated the huge ribbon to the Library of Congress.

It does look like the song is indeed WWI, sorry for arguing with you. But, there is a precedent.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:15 PM

HUH? I thought we just documented it to late 1800. We are NOT talking about "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree", we are talking about "Round Her Neck She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" Two different songs, two different melodies. What you linked to was the Old Oak Tree stuff.

OK, I am gonna go do a search on Wore a Yellow Ribbon, brb.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Guest Q
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:04 PM

Lost the DT thread posted by Kat from my head although I had posted to it from American Memory. It doesn't help with the source of the melody and also doesn't take the song back before the First World War.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:57 PM

Well, I guess we are not entirely stooopid, like some would have us believe, huh, kat? Oh, yea, found the Yellow Ribbon suggestion on a Civil War/Cavalry site.......

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:56 PM

He said 1870s, so I listed Civil War material. Ten years after the war, most were still favorites.
Yellow Ribbon was discussed in threads 15359, 30091 and 53525; this is the best: Yellow ribbon" .
The words to Yellow ribbon are post-WW1.

But where did the melody come from? It has been called English, Irish and German in various postings and Google, but no definite information.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:34 PM

Here ya go: DT Study thread on She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

You're right, Sorcha, thanks!

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:29 PM

DT notes say about Round Her Neck She Wore a Yellow Ribbon--- "Note: A mid-1800's descendent of All Round my Hat". I would guess that would make it "pre movies" and damn near Civil War.........I suppose,of course, that the DT notes could be wrong.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:23 PM

He didn't actually say Civil War, he said Cavalry. kat, I'll try a search on Yellow ribbon and see what happens. 1890 is well after the War Between the States, so more stuff is allowable. How about Rosin the Bow/Beau aka Lincoln and Liberty?

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:16 PM

You might check with these folks, Les: US Cavalry Museum - Ft. Riley, KS.

My Rog who has a lot of dressage experience and training says the quick steps were popular because the beat matched that of a horse's trot.

I tried doing a search on she wore a yellow ribbon because I know we've had this discussion before, but it timed out on me!

kat

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 09:24 PM

The music of "Captain Jinks" is an old quickstep and march tune. The words are by William Lingard for an English vaudeville routine, 1868, so it would qualify.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Les B
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 07:46 PM

Guest Q - When was "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" written? This group actually asked for 1890's circa music - or so I was told by the guy who set up the gig.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Les B
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 07:43 PM

I haven't pinned down this unit's Civil War ancestry yet, but from what I saw in a recent newspaper picture they seemed to be wearing blue, which I assume is Union.   

Kim & Sorcha - I'd forgotten "...Yellow Ribbon" and "Captain Jinks," and I'll have to look up "Jine the Cavalry," - thanks. Will also look up "When Sherman Marched....," although "Marching Through Georgia" is the same story, and I've done it before.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 07:34 PM

Sorry, Sorcha- Yellow Ribbon had not yet been written at the time of the Civil War. Only in the movies...!

Here are some pieces actually played by Union Bands:

Twinkling Stars Quickstep (Many quicksteps played)
O Kentucky, Kentucky
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Un ballo in Maschera Quickstep
St. Patrick's Day in the Morning
Grafulla's Quickstep
Garry Owen
Cavalry Quickstep
Storm Galop
Hail to the Chief
Listen to the Mockingbird
Palmyra Schottische
Hail Columbia
Freischutz Quickstep
Parade
Port Royal galop
Nightingale Waltz
La Marseilles

Confederate Band Music;

Bonnie Blue Flag
Cheer, Boys, Cheer
Luto Quickstep
Old North State
Easter Galop
Come, Dearest, The Dalight is Gone
Maryland, my Maryland
Old Hundreth
26th Regiment Quickstep
Lulu's Gone
Tramp. Tramp
Juanita
Carry Me Back to Old Virginny's Shore

Used by both; Field Music
The Girl I Left Behind Me
The Recruiting Sergeant
Jefferson and Liberty
Old 1812
Carry Me back
LIverpool Hornpipe
Newport
And, of course, all of the Duty Signals and calls; just the bugle and sometimes drums.
Compiled by Peter Phillips for "The Civil War, Its Music and Its Sounds." The music for this album is exceptional since period band instruments were used. The album was put out by Mercury.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Dave Swan
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 02:01 PM

You might try these guyshttp://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Barracks/2189/

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 01:22 PM

Captain Jinks.

Jine the Cavalry.

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 12:31 PM

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: artbrooks
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 12:07 PM

Les, what is the unit's lineage...almost all National Guard units claim direct descent from some Civil War unit (eg, 4th Wisconsin Cavalry). There may be a song out there someplace that relates directly. Also, Blue or Grey?

Subject: RE: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: MMario
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 12:02 PM

How about When Sherman Marched down to the Sea

Subject: U.S. Cavalry songs needed
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:43 AM

Our song circle has been asked to do about an hour's worth of music for a Christmas party for a National Guard troop who have a special Cavalry unit - authentic 1870's uniforms, matching horses, etc.

Specifically they requested we do some "period" pieces, hopefully with reference to cavalry. I can only come up with one specific piece "The Regular Army-O," plus the usual Civil War (and circa) songs - Marching Through Georgia - Lorena - Year of Jubilo - Girl I Left Behind Me - Garryowen - Golden Slippers - Buffalo Gals. Anyone have any other ideas about what would go well ??