Book: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs

Subject: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 02 May 04 - 05:12 PM

While I was on holiday in New Zealand I spent some time raking through the second hand book shops of which there are plenty in Wellington. I came across a book which was titled 'Songs of the Americas' the songs were taken from the Botsford Collection of Folk Songs compiled and edited by Florence Hudson Botsford.

The book was published originally in 1922 and the copy I have was published in 1930 by G Schirmer Inc New York.

There are a number of songs from different states/regions of the US and also includes songs from Canada and Mexico. Also included are a number of songs and tunes by various Native Indians, Dakota, Plains, Chippewa and Navajo for example.

There is also a mention against a number of the songs that they were sung at Fisk University.

Can any of you Catters add any information for me? Is the Botsford Collection a well known collection? What is/was Fisk University?

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 04 - 05:41 PM

There is a later volume, covering the Americas, Asia and Africa.
The Collection is at The Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York.
I know little about the collection, one of many at that institution.

Fisk started as a black educational institution in 1866 for newly freed slaves. Well-known in the past for the Jubilee Singers. Now Fisk University, it is the oldest college in Nashville.

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 04 - 05:43 PM

Fisk- see Fisk University

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 02 May 04 - 05:50 PM

Thanks Q, that explains some of the songs in the book. Many are stated to be 'Negro' (sic) origin and written in what today would be totaly non PC wording.

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Joybell
Date: 02 May 04 - 08:47 PM

The term "Negro Spiritual" is still used here in Australia (often wrongly for example - for any Minstrel song) by people over about 50. All of our school songbooks, and most other songbooks older than about 1960 used it. Joy

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 04 - 11:03 PM

Although the term African American (or Afro-American) is now in general use, a few black organizations continue to use the word Negro or colored people, because of the historical connotations of the names:

United Negro College Fund: UNCF
NAACP: NAACP

It is almost impossible to get away from the term "Negro Spiritual" because it defines a body of song from slavery times. See:
The Negro Spiritual
Negro Spirituals: Negro Spirituals
Art of the Negro Spiritual: Art Negro Spiritual



A recent change; The Journal of Negro History, started in 1916, became the Journal of African American History in 2001.

Subject: Index: Botsford Collection-Songs of the Americas
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 May 04 - 12:14 AM

Index
SONGS OF THE AMERICAS
from the Botsford Collection of Folk-Songs
Compiled and Edited by Florence Hudson Botsford
G. Shirmer, Inc, NY, 1929-1930; orig. 1922, YWCA

The United States 1-52 A
Hawai'i 53-59 H
Canada 60-71 C
Latin America 72-106 L (Lyrics both Spanish and English for most)
Index: Title and first lines*

*A Gentleman Came to Our House A
*Ah, Suzette, Suzette A
Ain't Goin' Study War No More A
*All in the Merry Month of May A
Aloha Oe H
*And There Goes the Bull L
Arguing the Bargain A
*As I Walked Out in the Srreets of Laredo A
*As I Was A-Walking A
At Parting A
Aunt Leah's Song
A Aya Po A

*Baby Owlet, Purple Owlet L
Ballet of de Boll Weevil, De A
Barbara Allen A
*Behold That Star! A
*Breaks Now My Heart A
Bull and the Cowboy, The L
Bumpkin, The L

Cabin, The L
Cape Cod Chantey A
*Cape Cod Girls They Have No Combs A
Cecilia C
Change of Mind, A C
*Christ Was Born in Bethlehem A
*Come, O Come, You Must Depart A
*Come to My Cabin, So Lonely L
Cowboy's Lament, The A
Cross in the Valley, The L

*De Jaybird Jump from Lim' to Lim' A
*Dere's a Star in de Eas' A
Dying Cowboy, The A

*Fair Damozel, Wilt Thou Dance With Me? C
*Fair Isabeau Was Walking C
Farewell to the Warriors A
*From the Cloud on the Cliff H

Game Song A
*Great Happiness A
Gruel, The L

*Ha Hay Hi! A
Hear the Lambs A-Crying A
Her Blanket A
Her Shadow A

*I Came to the Cross in the Valley L
*I'm Goin' Lay Down My Sword an' Shield A
Incognito Gallant, The L
*In the Name of Heaven L
*In the World Live I All Lonely L
*I'se Arguin' a Barg'in A
*It Is the Pretty Fanny C

Jaybird A

La Bastringue C
*Let Us Go Together A
Link o' Day A
Little Family, The A
Little Mohee, The A
Little Purple Poppy L
Little Shepherds L
*Lived the Pearl in the Deeps L
Love Signal, The A

Marriage Song A
*Massa's Bin an' Sol' Yeh A
My Bark Canoe A
*My Father had No Girl But Me C
*My Lady, Your Little Parrot L

*Nobody Knows de Trouble I've Seen A
No Hidin' Place A
*Now That the Sapling Has Fallen L
*Now the Gander Is A-Boiling L

*O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie A
*O Come All My Young Lovyers A
*Of All the Religions I Profess A
*O Hab You Heard de Lates' A
*O If You Wish, to Jerez We Will Go L
Old Folks at Home A
*One Cloudy Night A Gallant Took His Secret Way L
*One Time a Bumpkin Was Sitting L
*On the Hill I Am Standing A
*Out on the Lake A
Owlet, The L

Peacock, The L
Pearl, The L
Peasant Girl, The L
Pilgrims, The L
*Po' Lil' Lolo A
Poll-Parrot, The L
*Poppy, Little Purple Lady L
Pretty Fanny C

Rise Up, Shepherd, An' Foller A

*Shepherdess, Whence Come You? C
Shepherd Girl, The L
*Sift Along, Boys A
Suzette A
Swapping Song, The A

*Tears for My Heart A
*Tell Me, O Lord, of Thy Reason L
*The Brook Was All A-Riot L
*There Was a Little Fam'ly A
*'Tis Not Forbidden to Change One's Mind C
To Jerez We Will Go L

Unconstant Lovyer, The A

*Way Down Upon the Swanee River A
What Is Love? H
*What Is This Strange Feeling Coming? H
*When I Was a Little Boy A
Why, Creator? L

*You Hear the Lambs A-Crying A

Subject: Index: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs Vol 2
From: cetmst
Date: 22 May 04 - 08:17 AM

Folk Songs of Many Peoples, with English versions by American Poets, by Florence Hudson Botsford, v.1 Americas, Asia and Africa, v. 2 Northern Europe, v.3 Southern Europe, original copyright 1921, 1922 by the National Board of the YWCA of the United States of America, copyright assigned to the publisher G.Schirmer, Inc. in 1929.
All lyrics in original language and English
Index v.2

Across the Nieman - Poland                     
Ah Ola Ola - Norway                           
Amid the Silence - Poland
As the Star - Sweden
At the Spinning Wheel - Poland
At the Spring - Lithuania
Bendemeer's Stream - Ireland
Bending the Branch - Ukraine
Beyond the Wood - Finland
Birch Tree, The - Russia
Birchen Brand - Russia
Brown Lad - Scotland
By Daytime at My Work - Sweden
By the Fireside - Russia
By the Lake - Poland
Choral (Out of Our Sufferings) - Poland
Christ Is Coming (Christmas) - Russia
Christmas Greeting - Russia
Christmas Polka - Sweden
Come Lasses and Lads - England
Come, My Dearest - Esthonia
Cossack, The - Poland
Cossack's Lament - Ukraine
Do Not Go Gregory - Ukraine
Down the Volga - Russia
Excelsis Gloria (Christmas) - Belgium
Fair Hills of Eire - Ireland
Fair Una - Ireland
Fair Young Child - Ireland
Far in the Forest - Finland
First Nowell - England
Finnish Hymn
Fly, Bird, Fly - Denmark
Gay Young Bachelor - Finland
Glory to the Lord in Zion - Russia
Good Evening - Denmark
Green Grove - Poland
Harp Song - Esthonia
Hey, 'Twas In the May - Netherlands
High Mountain Stands - Ukraine
Hogmanay Night - Scotland
I Laid Me Down So Softly - Norway
I See Through the Window - Norway
In Kraakalund - Norway
In My Dreams - Lithuania
In the Orchard - Russia
In Winter When It's Raining - Netherlands
Is This the Same Brook - Ukraine
Jack, Where Are You Going - Poland
Latvian National Hymn
Lithuanian National Hymn
Little Quail - Poland
Little Sheep Girl - Belgium
Little Shepherd - Poland
Lovely Rose - Finland
Lullaby Carol (Christmas) - Poland
Marsk Stig's Daughter - Denmark
Moan to the Moon - Esthonia
Mother, Do Not Scold Me - Russia
Mother Sent Me - Lithuania
Mountain Captive - Sweden
Near Krakow - Poland
Neckan's Polka - Sweden
Night - Russia
O Crystal Finest - Sweden
O Fetch the Water - Norway
Oberek - Poland
On the Mountain - Germany
One Summer Day - Denmark
Onward Brothers - Poland
Our Land - Finland
Our Thoughts Are Free - Germany
Paul on the Hill - Norway
Peddler, The - Russia
Perfect Rose - Denmark
Petrus - Russia
Pierlala - Belgium
Polish National Anthem
Polka - Finland
Polonaise
Purple-Gold Ribbon - Sweden
Reapers on the Mountain - Ukraine
Red-Headed Family - Ukraine
Roselille - Denmary
Rosemary - Poland
Rotman's Knut - Norway
Rushes and Roars the Wild Dnieper - Ukraine
Sally In Our Alley - England
Secret Love - GVermany
Simple Birth (Christmas) - Netherlands
Snowy Breasted Pearl - Ireland
Softly Flows the Niemen - Lithuania
Song of My Dear - Finland
Sowing the Rue
Spinner, The - Germany
Stenka Razin - Russia
Sumer Is a-Cuming In - England
Sun Is Low - Ukraine
Sun Runs Its Course - Lithuania
Suomi's Song - Finland
There Is a Reaper - Germany
Three Leaves on the Linden Tree - Germany
Three Rascals - DCenmark
Three Ravens - England
Today in Bethlehem (Christmas) - Lithuania
Troika, The - Russia
Tuulan Tei - Finland
Vale of Shadow - England
Venture Gwen - Wales
Volga Boat Song - Russia
Wedding Joy - Esthonia
When the Sun Shines - Poland
Where Did You Grow - Latvia
Why, O Mother? - Poland
Wife of Tone - Ireland
Will You Be Mine? - Esthonia
Willow Song - England
Winds Blow - Ukraine
Yuletide - Ukraine

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 May 04 - 01:11 PM

Thanks, cetmst. I was wondering if the songs were different from Songs-America and they are. I have duplicated books once or twice because the reprint company changed the name.

Subject: RE: Origins: Botsford Collection - Songs of America
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 03:34 PM

I guess the official title is Botsford Collection of Folk Songs. Looks like there must be two editions, three volumes each. The one that came out in the 1920's has about 100 pages per volume, and the edition from the 1950's has closer to 250 pages per volume, Volume 1 is the Americas (plus Africa and Asia in later editions). Volume 2 is Northern Europe, and Volume 3 is Southern Europe. Bookfinder.com lists it at $10-$20 per volume for the earlier edition, $25-$40 for the larger, later edition.
Is this a collection I can't live without? What's the difference between the two editions?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs-Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 03:51 PM

Joe, the "Songs of the Americas" was issued separately as well as in the Vol. 1 with Asia, Africa. The combined vol. 1 of the series seems to be sold as cheaply as the separate, thus is the better buy. Haven't seen the two European volumes, can't comment on them.

The Botsford Collection is at the Rochester School of Music NY and contains much that is not in the printed volumes.

Subject: RE: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs-Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 04:38 PM

Further information-
The combined Volumes were first published in 1922-1923 (very rare!) and enlarged in 1930-1933, hence 1930-1950 printings are preferable for song rather than 1st ed collectors. There are 32 American, 6 Canadian and 16 Latin American songs in the 1930 and later editions of "Songs of the Americas" by Schirmer (Titles listed in a previous post).
Contents of the 1922 1st ed. (Woman's Christian Assn.) of "Songs of the Americas" have not been seen by me.
This corrects previous notes in posts above.

Further notes- Vol. 1, in addition to songs from the Americas, has 7 Armenian, 9 Syrian, 9 Jewish-'Palestine', 4 Indian, 6 Chinese, 11 Japanese, 2 African songs. Vol 2 has 125 European songs (inc. Br. Isles and Ireland). Vol. 3 has songs from additional countries in both western and eastern Europe. All songs printed in their original languages and alphabets, with music and English translations.

Subject: Index: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs Vol 3
From: cetmst
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 09:35 PM

Botsford Collection of Folk Songs, v. 3, Southern Europe, 1933 edition, G. Schirmer, pub.

All Joy is Gone, (Ach nene tu neni), Czech
Andulko, Czech
Annie, the Miller's Daughter, (Anicka mlynarova), Slovakia
Aoleo, Roumania
Ardelean Woman, The, Roumania
As I Wandered, (Strambotto), Italy

Bag-Pipes, The, (Hraly dudy), Czech
Be Still My Heart, Croatia
Beautiful Nose, (Und' E Bukur), Albania
Beneath Your Balcony, (Serenata), Italy
Bohemian Christmas Carol, (Narodil se Kristus Pan), Czech
Boleras Sevillanas, Andalusia
Bootmaker, The, (Sapateia), The Azores
Broken Is My Violin, Hungary
Buriano, Bulgaria

Chamaritta, The Azores
Christ Is Born - His Name Praise, Croatia
Christmas Carol, (Menybol az angyal), Hungary
Christmas Lullaby, (Dormi, Dormi, O Bel Bambin), Italy
Come You Here, Laddie, Slovakia
Coquette, The, Slovenia
Croation National Anthem
Cuckoo Is Calling, Bulgaria

Dance of Zalonga, Greece
Dearest Mother, I Am Ill, (Caro Mamma, io sono malata), Italy
Disappointed Suitors, The, Slovakia
Donna, Bulgaria

El Vito, Andalusia

Fair Dove, A, Silesia
Fisherman, The, (O Pescador), Portugal
Flowing Water, Slovakia
Fond Regrets, (Saudade), The Azores
Forget-Me-Not, Hungary
Four Horses, (Quattro Cavai), Switzerland

Gloomy Night, Serbia
Gray Dove, The, Bulgaria

Herd of Cattle, (Ranz de Vaches), Switzerland
Ho Slavonians, Slovakia
Hora, Roumania
How Fair Is She! Serbia

I See the Ships, (Vedo li bastimenti), Italy
Ice Upon the River, (Bulgaras), Roumania
I'd Like to Die, (Vorrei morire). Italy
I'll Have No Other One, Czech
In Gorensko, Carniola
In the Forest, Hungary
In the Kolo, Croatia
In the Meadow, (Das Seiser Almlied), Austria

Jota, Aragon
Just Without Our Little Window, Slovakia

Kara Mustafa, Bosnia
Kleftman, The, Greece

Little Boat, The, (A Barquina), Portugal
Little Dove, Czech
Little Wild Goose, Moravia
Look Out, How It's Raining!, (Schaut's Aussi), Austria
Louis Kossuth, Hungary
Love's Garden, (L'Amour de Moi), France
Love's Greeting, (Salitana), Sicily
Love's Lair, (Le Chateau D'Amour), France
Lucas, Switzerland
Lullaby (Cuna), Castile
Lute Player and Dancing Lass, Greece

Macedonia, Macedonia
Miss Rosie, (Menina Rosa), Portugal
Montenegro, Montenegro
Month of May, The, Albania
Moonlight and Starry Night, Hungary
Mournful Love, Slavonia
Muineira, Galicia
My Darling, Oh, My Darling (La Chanason de Metamorphoses),France

Noel, (Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes), France

O Bright Sun, Serbia
O Fisherman on the Waves, (O Pescator dell'onda), Italy
O Flowers Wondrous, (Colind), Roumania
O Sing Fair Maid, Italy
O, That the Dear Giver of Life, Czech
Oh, Thou Ancient Mountain, Bulgaria
Old Demos and His Rifle, Greece
Old Guggisberg Song, The, Switzerland
One Moment, Dalmatia
Out on the Stormy Sea, (Sul torbido), Italy

Palko, Janko, Hungary
Peasant Girl, The, Roumania
Petenera, Andalusia
Prisoner of Holland, The, France

Rada, Bulgaria
Rada and Petko, Bulgaria
Rada Song, Czech
Rare the Barley, Rare the Rye, Hungary
Remembrance, Croatia
Rise, My Mahmude, (Ngreu Moj Mahmude), Albania
Rose of Yesteryear, Serbia

Saint Basil, Bulgaria
Sea of Stars, Hungary
Sedlak, Sedlak, Czech
See the Moon, Italy
Serbian National Anthem (Srpska Narodna Himna)
Shepherd Boy, The, Greece
Sighs From My Heart, (Suspiri Di Me Core), Sardinia
Slovak National Anthem (Nad Tatrou sa blyska)
Slovenian Girl, A, Slovenia
Song of the Birds, Carol, (El Cant dels Ocells), Catalonia
Spite, (Dispetto), Italy
Stalk of Maize, (Cucuruz), Roumania
Star, The, (Steaua), Roumania
Stornelli, Italy

Tambourica, Slavonia
Tarantella, Sicily
Ten Girls to Marry, (Nous Etions Dix Filles a Marier), France
Three Doves, The, Italy
Tik, Tak, Tak, Serbia
To the Child Jesus, Portugal
Tree of Guernica, Basque
Tripping Maidens, Czech
Two Maidens Washing Wool, Roumania

Vineyard and Its Master, The, Greece
Violetta, Italy
Vira, The, Portugal
Vows, Bulgaria

Weeding Flax-Fields Blue, Czech
Weggis Song, (Weggiser Lied), Switzerland
What Wonders Fill the Sky, Austria
Wheelbarrow, Loaders, The, (Gli scarriolanti), Italy
Where Is My Home?, Czech
Where Were You, Cveta?, Macedonia
White Dawn Has Not Come Stealing, Serbia
Why Does He Haunt My Door?, Greece

Yesterday Evening, Istria
You Are All My Treasure, (T' ses tuta mia furtuna), Italy
Youngest Married First, The, (La Cadette Mariee Avant L'Ainee). France

Subject: RE: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs-Songs of America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 01:01 AM

Cetmst, thanks for the list. I was going to skip this volume, since I thought it was mostly eastern Europe, but with songs from Andalusia, Azores, etc., I should get it.

Subject: RE: Book: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 03:26 AM

OK, you guys convinced me. I ordered a copy of the 1930 edition this evening - $39.95 for three volumes. Hope it's as good as it sounds.
-Joe Offer-