Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republic

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 07:47 PM

Perhaps it was "tongue-in-cheek" they objected to...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: Haruo
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 03:46 PM

I tried to post a note on this subject on the Hymn Society's Discussion Board but was refused permission owing to "naughty language". So I posted it on my blog at Naughty Hymnologist! Stupid Software.... I still can't locate the offending letter sequence.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 06:02 PM

Here's one that would sort of fit - Oh, how he lied. You'd really need to add an extra Glory in the first thee chorus lines.

But I wouldn't really recommend it.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: bobad
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:31 PM

Sorry, my post doesn't comply with Haruo's request as I read his post too quickly and missed the gist, but this version has it's own merits.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:29 PM

And a hundred years later it's still topical.

Subject: ADD: The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Updated
From: bobad
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:27 PM

The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Updated
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Updated (otherwise known as The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Brought Down to Date)) was written in 1901 by Mark Twain, as a parody of American imperialism, in the wake of the Philippine-American War. It is written in the same tune and cadence as the original Battle Hymn of the Republic.

A recording was made by the Chad Mitchell Trio as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic Brought Down to Date". The lyrics were slightly modified and the verse about prostitution, excised.


The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Updated
(Mark Twain)

    Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
    He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger's wealth is stored;
    He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
    His lust is marching on.

    I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
    They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
    I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
    His night is marching on.

    I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
    "As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
    Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
    Lo, Greed is marching on!"

    We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;*
    Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;
    O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
    Our god is marching on!

    In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
    With a longing in his bosom—and for others' goods an itch.
    As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
    Our god is marching on.

    * NOTE: In Manila the Government has placed a certain industry under the protection of our flag. (M.T.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:12 PM

Part of the way it would, but not quite.

It's a tricky one, because of the unusual metre - three long lines and then a short one. But offhand I can't think of any other songs that exactly fit the words.

It's just as good John Brown's Body works so well.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republic
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 06:17 AM

"The Times They Are A-Changing" would fit.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republic
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 05:36 AM

This is the Martin Shaw tune. I hope it will work.

X:1
T:BATTLE SONG
M:4/4
L:1/4
C:Martin Shaw
B:Songs of Praise No. 578
Q:1/4=90
K:F
V:1
%%MIDI program 41
z2|z4|z4|
V:2
%%MIDI program 1
[afcA][c'gc]|[e'7/4a7/4f7/4][d'/4d7/4][d'd][c'aec]|[d'2a2F2d2] [AF][cGE]|
V:3
%%MIDI program 1
[FCF,][EE,]|[DA,-D,][EA,-E,][DA,-D,][A,A,,]|[DA,-D,][EA,-E,][DA,-D,][A,A,,]|
V:1
z4|z4|
V:2
[e7/4A7/4F7/4][d/4D/4][dD][cAEC]|[d2A2F2D2] [AFA,][cFC]|
V:3
[D,A,,-D,,][E,A,,-E,,][D,A,,-D,,][A,,A,,,]|[D,A,,-D,,][E,A,,-E,,][D,A,,-D,,][A,,A,,,]|
V:1
z4|z4|
V:2
[G3/2E3/2C3/2G,3/2][F/D/F,/][GEG,][ACA,]|[D3/2B,3/2F,3/2D,3/2][C/C,/][DD,][EE,]|
V:3
[C,C,,][D,D,,][C,C,,][F,,F,,,]|[B,,B,,,]C,,[B,,B,,,][G,,G,,,]|
V:1
z4|z3 A|
V:2
[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/E/A,,/][F2D2]|[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/-E/A,,/-][AFDA,][AA,]|
V:3
[D,D,,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|[^F,D,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|
V:1 %(Mine) eyes
D3/2C/DE|FGAc|
V:2
[D3/2A,3/2][C/G,/][DA,][EC]|[FD][GC][AD][cG]|
V:3
[D,-A,,-D,,][D,-A,,-E,,][D,-A,,-F,,][D,A,,E,,]|[D,-A,,-D,,][D,-A,,-E,,][D,-A,,-F,,][D,A,,E,,]|
V:1 %coming of the Lord
e7/4d/4dc|d2 Ac|
V:2
[e7/4A7/4-F7/4-][d/4A/4-F/4-][dAF][cGE]|[d2A2F2-][A-F-][cAF]|
V:3
[D,A,,D,,]E,D,A,,|[D,D,,]E,D,C,|
V:1 %trampling
d3/2c/de|dcAG|
V:2
[d3/2B3/2-F3/2-][c/B/-F/-][dBF][eBG]|[dA-F-][cAF][AFD][GEB,]|
V:3
B,,A,,B,,G,,|[F,-A,,][F,-F,,][F,B,,][G,C,]|
V:1 %grapes of wrath
F3/2G/A=B|c2 GA|
V:2
[F3/2D3/2-][G/D/-][AD][=BGD]|[c2G2E2][GC][AE]|
V:3
[A,-D,][A,-E,][A,F,]G,|[G,-C,][G,-D,][G,-E,][G,C,]|
V:1 %loosed the fateful
B3/2A/GB|dcBd|
V:2
[B3/2G3/2D3/2-][A/D/-][GD-][BD]|[dBF-][cF-][BF-][dF]|
V:3
[B,-G,-G,,G,,,][B,-G,-F,,F,,,][B,-G,-G,,G,,,][B,G,A,,A,,,]|[D-B,-B,,B,,,][D-B,-A,,A,,,][D-B,-B,,B,,,][DB,C,C,,]|
V:1 %terrible swift
A3/2G/FA|c3 A|
V:2
[A3/2F3/2D3/2-][G/D/-][FD-][AFD]|[c3A3F3-][AF]|
V:3
[A,-D,D,,][A,-C,C,,][A,-D,D,,][A,E,E,,]|[C-F,F,,][C-G,G,,][C-A,A,,][CF,F,,]|
V:1 %truth is
d4-|d cA3/2G/|
V:2
[d4-B4-F4-D4-]|[DBFD][cG][AF][GE]|
V:3
[B,,B,,,][A,,A,,,][B,,B,,,][C,C,,]|[D,D,,][E,E,,][F,F,,][A,A,,]|
V:1
A4-|A3 z|
V:2
[a3/2-^f3/2d3/2A3/2-][a/-e/A/-][a2f2d2A2]|[a3/2-^f3/2d3/2A3/2-][a/-e/A/-][a2f2d2A2]|
V:3
[DD,][GE][^FD]A,|[^FD][GE][^FD] A,|
V:1
z4|z2 AA|
V:2
[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/-E/A,/-][A2F2D2A,2]|[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/-E/A,/-][AFDA,][AA,]|
V:3
[^F,D,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|[^F,D,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|
V:1 %(Mine) eyes
D3/2C/DE|FGAc|
V:2
[D3/2A,3/2][C/G,/][DA,][EC]|[FD][GC][AD][cG]|
V:3
[D,-A,,-D,,][D,-A,,-E,,][D,-A,,-F,,][D,A,,E,,]|[D,-A,,-D,,][D,-A,,-E,,][D,-A,,-F,,][D,A,,E,,]|
V:1 %coming of the Lord
e7/4d/4dc|d2 Ac|
V:2
[e7/4A7/4-F7/4-][d/4A/4-F/4-][dAF][cGE]|[d2A2F2-][A-F-][cAF]|
V:3
[D,A,,D,,]E,D,A,,|[D,D,,]E,D,C,|
V:1 %trampling
d3/2c/de|dcAG|
V:2
[d3/2B3/2-F3/2-][c/B/-F/-][dBF][eBG]|[dA-F-][cAF][AFD][GEB,]|
V:3
B,,A,,B,,G,,|[F,-A,,][F,-F,,][F,B,,][G,C,]|
V:1 %grapes of wrath
F3/2G/A=B|c2 GA|
V:2
[F3/2D3/2-][G/D/-][AD][=BGD]|[c2G2E2][GC][AE]|
V:3
[A,-D,][A,-E,][A,F,]G,|[G,-C,][G,-D,][G,-E,][G,C,]|
V:1 %loosed the fateful
B3/2A/GB|dcBd|
V:2
[B3/2G3/2D3/2-][A/D/-][GD-][BD]|[dBF-][cF-][BF-][dF]|
V:3
[B,-G,-G,,G,,,][B,-G,-F,,F,,,][B,-G,-G,,G,,,][B,G,A,,A,,,]|[D-B,-B,,B,,,][D-B,-A,,A,,,][D-B,-B,,B,,,][DB,C,C,,]|
V:1 %terrible swift
A3/2G/FA|c3 A|
V:2
[A3/2F3/2D3/2-][G/D/-][FD-][AFD]|[c3A3F3-][AF]|
V:3
[A,-D,D,,][A,-C,C,,][A,-D,D,,][A,E,E,,]|[C-F,F,,][C-G,G,,][C-A,A,,][CF,F,,]|
V:1 %truth is
d4-|d cA3/2G/|
V:2
[d4-B4-F4-D4-]|[DBFD][cG][AF][GE]|
V:3
[B,,B,,,][A,,A,,,][B,,B,,,][C,C,,]|[D,D,,][E,E,,][F,F,,][A,A,,]|
V:1
A4-|A3 z|
V:2
[a3/2-^f3/2d3/2A3/2-][a/-e/A/-][a2f2d2A2]|[a3/2-^f3/2d3/2A3/2-][a/-e/A/-][a2f2d2A2]|
V:3
[DD,][GE][^FD]A,|[^FD][GE][^FD] A,|
V:1
z4|z4|Hz4|
V:2
[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/-E/A,/-][A2F2D2A,2]|[A3/2-^F3/2D3/2A,3/2-][A/-E/A,/-][A2F2D2A,2]|H[d4A4^F4D4]|
V:3
[^F,D,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|[^F,D,][G,E,][^F,D,]A,,|H[A,4^F4D,4D,,4]|

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republic
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 05:09 AM

Martin Shaw composed a new tune to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," which is in Songs of Praise (Oxford, 1931, no. 578) as BATTLE SONG with the original 6th stanza ("He is coming like the glory").

For the 6th stanza, see Origins: 'Battle Hymn of Republic' addl_ stanza.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republic
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:17 AM

It's one of those tunes/verses that are very difficult to find alternatives for... Someone asked me the same question several years ago and I've still not found anything!

LTS

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Alt. tunes for Battle Hymn of Republ
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 03:06 AM

oops - would a Joe clone mind un-centering the last paragraph?

Haruo

Subject: Lyr Add: Beatty Battle Hymn Refrain
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 03:05 AM

In the ca. 1920 Esperanto hymnal Espero Internacia, published by or for (it's not clear which) the Christian Home Orphanage in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Ann E. Beatty's Esperanto translation of Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is set to a tune of Ms. Beatty's composition (which I call, hymnologically, BATTLE HYMN (BEATTY)). Her tune works okay for the stanzas, but her refrain is not the usual "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!" but a new text. It runs

De la sankta Mond-Savanto Vidis gloron la homar',
En la mondo tiel sanga estas nun martirtombar',
Estu jena la rakonto, ke ne restu sklavular'!
Antaŭen marŝas Di'.

which I have put into English as

Humankind have seen the glory of the Sovereign One who saves,
In the wartorn world so gory testify the martyrs' graves.
May the ending of the story tell that now there are no slaves:
For God is marching on.

This is a free rendering at least as committed to a strong rhyme-scheme as it is to transmitting literal meaning.

The entire song is now in my online hymnal, at
Battle Hymn of the Republic (Beatty)
and the Esperanto version at
BATAL-HIMNO DE LA RESPUBLIKO.

It's public domain.

But I'm interested in what other tunes have been used for the text besides the ubiquitous and well-suited (the words were written for the tune, after all) JOHN BROWN'S BODY. The only other candidate I know of (suggested in another Esperanto hymnal, Leonard Ivor Gentle's Esperanta Himnaro) is a tune by Henry Walford Davies, called VISION, which I gather doesn't have the refrain at all. I've never knowingly seen or heard it.

Haruo