Lanning, Michael, The Civil War 100. New York: Sourcebooks Inc. 2008
Cornelius, Steven H., Music of the Civil War Era. Connecticut: Greenwoods Press, 2004
Note: Please Read from the Bottom Up.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Music of the Late Civil War
As the Civil War progressed to its final stage, so did the music shift its focus. The songs coming from the Union focused more on homecoming and victories. Songs such as "Coming Home from the Old Camp Ground", composed by William Rogers in 1865, and "The Boys in Blue Are Coming Home", composed by Wimmerstedt and Beyer in the same year, and similar songs became some of the most popular songs sang by the Union side. However, among those songs, the most popular song would perhaps be "Marching Through Georgia", composed by Henry Work in 1865. The popularity of the song could be described as known by both sides with perfect opposite feelings towards the song, which the North loved while the South hated.
"Marching Through Georgia" recounts the details of one of the most audacious and destructive campaigns of the war. After the battle of Atlantica, General Sherman send an army of 62,000 men and marched 285 miles to Savannah. Arriving at the destination, the soldier destroyed everything in their sixty-mile-wile path, in hoping that he could break the psychological backbone of the South.
The song, though controversial and error written, remained one of the most popular song in the North for many decades. Its popularity, as described by George Roots, may have been because of its unusual outlook. At the time, most songs were more about going into combat or its bloody sequence, it was retrospective instead.
Original Artist: Henry Work
Represented Artist: Harlan and Stanley
Represented Title: Marching thro' Georgia
Represented Album: Todd collection
Represented Label: Edison Gold Moulded Record
Catalog Number: Not Available
Full Version: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=21&query=civil%20war&num=1&start=37&sortBy=&sortOrder=id
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-dzCt2xeSo&fmt=18
The music of the Union also focused on Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate, mostly on insults. "How Do You Like It Jefferson D?" composed by Amos Patton in 1864 had its sheet music front with a African-American Soldier watching a Devil roasting Davis over a fire. The song itself contained many words of dominance over Jefferson Davis, as it laughs at him for taking the position opposite of the North.
The Union's final focus was on President Abraham Lincoln, especially after his assassination by John Wilkins Booth. Songs such as "Farewell Father, Friend and Guardian" composed by L.M. Dawn, "We Mourn Our Chieftain" by M.B. Ladd, and more came to honor the late President.
The music of the Confederates, in contrast, became more subdued as the war was coming to an end. The Confederate songs, however, didn't become more prideless. In "Why Can We Not Be Brothers, or, We Know That We Were Rebels" composed by Ward and Prentice in 1865, the lyrics showed no sense of resignation, and remained proud of being a rebel/traitor of the land.
Lyric "Why Can We Not Be Brothers, or, We Know That We Were Rebels":http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar2/65wcwnbb.txt
The composers of North and South eventually shifted the music away from the war altogether as they don't want to write more songs about suffering and death.
Picture Source: Cover Browser
"Marching Through Georgia" recounts the details of one of the most audacious and destructive campaigns of the war. After the battle of Atlantica, General Sherman send an army of 62,000 men and marched 285 miles to Savannah. Arriving at the destination, the soldier destroyed everything in their sixty-mile-wile path, in hoping that he could break the psychological backbone of the South.The song, though controversial and error written, remained one of the most popular song in the North for many decades. Its popularity, as described by George Roots, may have been because of its unusual outlook. At the time, most songs were more about going into combat or its bloody sequence, it was retrospective instead.
Original Artist: Henry Work
Represented Artist: Harlan and Stanley
Represented Title: Marching thro' Georgia
Represented Album: Todd collection
Represented Label: Edison Gold Moulded Record
Catalog Number: Not Available
Full Version: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=21&query=civil%20war&num=1&start=37&sortBy=&sortOrder=id
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-dzCt2xeSo&fmt=18
The music of the Union also focused on Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate, mostly on insults. "How Do You Like It Jefferson D?" composed by Amos Patton in 1864 had its sheet music front with a African-American Soldier watching a Devil roasting Davis over a fire. The song itself contained many words of dominance over Jefferson Davis, as it laughs at him for taking the position opposite of the North.
The Union's final focus was on President Abraham Lincoln, especially after his assassination by John Wilkins Booth. Songs such as "Farewell Father, Friend and Guardian" composed by L.M. Dawn, "We Mourn Our Chieftain" by M.B. Ladd, and more came to honor the late President.
The music of the Confederates, in contrast, became more subdued as the war was coming to an end. The Confederate songs, however, didn't become more prideless. In "Why Can We Not Be Brothers, or, We Know That We Were Rebels" composed by Ward and Prentice in 1865, the lyrics showed no sense of resignation, and remained proud of being a rebel/traitor of the land.
Lyric "Why Can We Not Be Brothers, or, We Know That We Were Rebels":http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar2/65wcwnbb.txt
The composers of North and South eventually shifted the music away from the war altogether as they don't want to write more songs about suffering and death.
Picture Source: Cover Browser
Songs of Civil War: Mother and Family
The civil war wasn't about one country divided into two different land, but it also torn apart family, a suffering that affected soldiers and officers alike. Mothers are one of the biggest victims of the war as they are constantly worried about the well-being of the son(s) that went to fight the civil war. Thus, the music about Mother and Family was formed.
Songs such as "The Dying Mother's Advice to Her Volunteer Son", composed in 1863 by A.J. Higgins, and "Dear Mother I've Come Home to Die", composed by Henry Tucker in the same year, combines the feeling of Motherhood and death into one song. These music generally combined the nurture feeling of motherhood as it symbolized fidelity, innocence, hearth, and home. As the horror of the war became better understood, the images of nation were replaced by images of mother. Most of these songs, however, had been more depressing as it generally focus on the feeling of the son to his mother before death, the feeling of the mother when she new the truth, or both.
There are other subgenre such as soldier's feeling to his children, but the other most famous subgenre would be songs that was about the son's feeling when they're imprisoned by enemy soldiers. "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp" (The Prisoner's hope), composed by George F. Roots, is one good example as it shows the feeling of prisoner of war, especially when prisoners tried to hold back tears when singing the second sentence of the lyric "Thinking Mother dear, of you."
Songs such as "The Dying Mother's Advice to Her Volunteer Son", composed in 1863 by A.J. Higgins, and "Dear Mother I've Come Home to Die", composed by Henry Tucker in the same year, combines the feeling of Motherhood and death into one song. These music generally combined the nurture feeling of motherhood as it symbolized fidelity, innocence, hearth, and home. As the horror of the war became better understood, the images of nation were replaced by images of mother. Most of these songs, however, had been more depressing as it generally focus on the feeling of the son to his mother before death, the feeling of the mother when she new the truth, or both.
There are other subgenre such as soldier's feeling to his children, but the other most famous subgenre would be songs that was about the son's feeling when they're imprisoned by enemy soldiers. "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp" (The Prisoner's hope), composed by George F. Roots, is one good example as it shows the feeling of prisoner of war, especially when prisoners tried to hold back tears when singing the second sentence of the lyric "Thinking Mother dear, of you."
Original Artist: George F. Root
Represented Artist: Harlan and Stanley
Represented Title: Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!
Represented Album: Edison Amberol
Represented Label: Creative Engineering, Inc.
Catalog Number: Not Available
Full Version: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=21&query=civil%20war&num=1&start=10&sortBy=&sortOrder=id
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0I3inaIQPA&fmt=18
Picture Source: Cover Browser
The Anti-War songs of Civil War
Not all songs composed during the Civil War era were for martial passions. Some were actually for pacifist actions. The pacifistic anti-war songs are, though sometimes prove to be awkward, actually popular among both side of the war.
The first anti-war song written for Civil war was by Will Shakespeare Hays, a Unionist. He wrote the song "Let Us Have Peace" to the South in hoping that this song will let the South and the North to reunite into one again. However, instead of reuniting the two land, it sparked the idea of having more anti-war song.
The first anti-war song written for Civil war was by Will Shakespeare Hays, a Unionist. He wrote the song "Let Us Have Peace" to the South in hoping that this song will let the South and the North to reunite into one again. However, instead of reuniting the two land, it sparked the idea of having more anti-war song.
Original Artist: Henry Russell
Represented Artist: Caroline Moseley
Represented Title: The Old Arm Chair
Represented Album: None
Represented Label: Not Available
Catalog Number: Not Available
Lyrics and Song(with permission by user): http://www.iath.virginia.edu/utc/sentimnt/armchairf.html
Original Artist: John H. Hewitt
Represented Artist: 97th regimental string band
Represented Title: All Quiet Along The Potomac
Represented Album: Authentic Songs Of The American Revolution & The Civil War Era
Represented Label: Grammercy Records
Catalog Number: B001R6JGE2
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/All-Quiet-Along-The-Potomac/dp/B001R6JGE2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1238899242&sr=8-2
Alternate Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dVMpRfiD0s&fmt=18
All in all, the anti-war song music became popular because it provided a different contrast to all the fighting, and hoped that it will end as soon as possible.
Pictures Source: Sheridan Libraries
Liberty Songs of the Confederate
The songs of the North and the South as the war progressed shifts more towards the songs of liberty and death. On the previous blog, the North had some examples of the songs focusing on death. Here the South tends to focus more on the songs of Liberty.
Some examples of the Liberty songs of the south included James Pierpont's "We conquer or die" composed in 1861, which the lyrics focuses on conquering the enemy to gain the freedom they deserve.
"Southern Song of Freedom", a song with no composed date, nor a recorded composer, focused more on a happier ending of the war for the south than most other examples. It focused about the possibilities of the South once the war was over, and the freedom that they could achieve.
Lyric "We Conquer or Die": http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/01591/conquer-t.html
Lyric "Southern Song of Freedom": http://books.google.com/books?id=FkoCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA42&dq=southern+song+of+freedom#PPA42,M1
Some examples of the Liberty songs of the south included James Pierpont's "We conquer or die" composed in 1861, which the lyrics focuses on conquering the enemy to gain the freedom they deserve.
"Southern Song of Freedom", a song with no composed date, nor a recorded composer, focused more on a happier ending of the war for the south than most other examples. It focused about the possibilities of the South once the war was over, and the freedom that they could achieve.
Lyric "We Conquer or Die": http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/01591/conquer-t.html
Lyric "Southern Song of Freedom": http://books.google.com/books?id=FkoCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA42&dq=southern+song+of+freedom#PPA42,M1
War Death Song of the Union
Some of the Civil war songs weren't just made for propanganda, morale boost, but some are made to honor the war dead. These songs were created because of their services they made to support their side.
Some example of the honoring the war dead songs included "Ellsworth Requiem", composed in 1861, was to honor the first officers that was killed in the war, Colonel Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth. Alfred Delaney in 1863 assured the listeners that death with honor was no death at all with a song that he composed called "Dirge". The lyric of "Dirge" focused on how death for country is a honor within. The glory that the soldier made will never be forgotten because they will always be remembered by his fellow comrade in arms.
Lyrics to "Dirge": http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar2/63dirge.txt
Some example of the honoring the war dead songs included "Ellsworth Requiem", composed in 1861, was to honor the first officers that was killed in the war, Colonel Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth. Alfred Delaney in 1863 assured the listeners that death with honor was no death at all with a song that he composed called "Dirge". The lyric of "Dirge" focused on how death for country is a honor within. The glory that the soldier made will never be forgotten because they will always be remembered by his fellow comrade in arms.
Lyrics to "Dirge": http://www.pdmusic.org/civilwar2/63dirge.txt
Maryland, My Maryland
Original Artist: James Ryder Randall(lyric)Represented Artist: The Cumberland
Represented Title: Maryland, My Maryland
Represented Album: Civil War Tribute Collection: 15 Traditional Timeless Classics
Represented Label: Rural Rhythm
Catalog Number: B0013AQBHM
A confederate song that tried to convince Maryland to secede after the Baltimore incident on April 19, 1861. The origin of the song came to be after the attack on Fort Sumtor had fallen. Lincoln ordered 75,000 troops to Maryland to defend the nation's Captial. However, at Baltimore, a pro-confederate city at the time, a confederate mob was formed, and attack the troops that was boarding the train. This resulted in the first casualities of the war with 4 soldiers and 12 civilians dead. James Ryder Randall, a Confederate sympathizer wrote the poem "My Maryland" as a plea for Maryland to secede to the South. This, however, failed to convince Maryland to secede as most of the population were still Pro-Union. It remained popular with the South as a symbol to hopefully secede Maryland to the South, and eventually became the State Song of Maryland.
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/Maryland-My-Album-Version/dp/B0013AQBHM/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1238882723&sr=8-1
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJcHNCZNj24&fmt=18
Picture Source: Ragtime Society
First Civil War song: The First Gun is Fired
After the Confederate's first victory in the very first battle of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, the artist George F. Roots composed this song in April of 1861 to boost the morale of the fallen Union Soldiers. The lyric of the song suggested that although the North had lost the first battle, it wasn't the last battle they will participate. Rather, the lyrics tried to promote the reason for fighting with the South. Although this song didn't become as popular as expected, it brought the Artist George Roots to fame with some of his future work such as "The Battle Cry of Freedom".
Lyric of the song: http://www.pdmusic.org/root-gf/gfr61g.txt
Lyric of the song: http://www.pdmusic.org/root-gf/gfr61g.txt
Official Anthem of the Confederate: God Save The South
Original Artist: Ernest Halphin
Represented Artist: Bobby Horton
Represented Title: God Save the South
Represented Album: Homespun Songs of the C. S. A., Volume 6
Represented Label: Bobby Horton
Catalog Number: B001BVJVAC
The Official Anthem of the Confederate. It was composed by Ernest Halphin. Due to the popularity of the Dixie, however, this music was rarely heard, and most of the confederate soldiers preferred the Dixie. Dixie, however, was also popular in the north, especially with Abraham Lincoln. From my guess, the piece was created as the National Anthem so that the Confederate could distinguish themselves away from the Union with a piece that the North can never replicate, "God Save the South". This song can't be replicated as the lyrics focused on viewing the South as the victim of the war, and request asistance from god to prevail in the war.
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/God-Save-the-South/dp/B001BVJVAC/ref=sr_f2_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1238834828&sr=102-1
Alternative Full: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpyBNKZ7FEA&fmt=18
Represented Artist: Bobby Horton
Represented Title: God Save the South
Represented Album: Homespun Songs of the C. S. A., Volume 6
Represented Label: Bobby Horton
Catalog Number: B001BVJVAC
The Official Anthem of the Confederate. It was composed by Ernest Halphin. Due to the popularity of the Dixie, however, this music was rarely heard, and most of the confederate soldiers preferred the Dixie. Dixie, however, was also popular in the north, especially with Abraham Lincoln. From my guess, the piece was created as the National Anthem so that the Confederate could distinguish themselves away from the Union with a piece that the North can never replicate, "God Save the South". This song can't be replicated as the lyrics focused on viewing the South as the victim of the war, and request asistance from god to prevail in the war.
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/God-Save-the-South/dp/B001BVJVAC/ref=sr_f2_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1238834828&sr=102-1
Alternative Full: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpyBNKZ7FEA&fmt=18
Marching Song of the Confederate: The Bonnie Blue Flag
Original Artist: Harry McCarthy
Represented Artist: Polk Miller
Represented Title: The Bonnie Blue Flag
Represented Album: Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette
Represented Label: Tompkins Square
Catalog Number: B001GEQP44
One of the most infamous marching songs for the Confederate. Composed in 1861, the song basically restated the history of the confederate and how it came to be. This was used as an effective marching song as the lyrics were heavily emphasized on propanganda of the Confederacy. This song constantly reminded the reason that the south is fighting in this Civil War, and help boosting the morale of the Confederate soldiers.
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bonnie-Blue-Flag/dp/B001GEQP44/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1238833304&sr=8-5
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uTfM5vKTwE&fmt=18
Patriotic Song of the Union: The Battle Cry of Freedom
Original Artist: George F. Root Represented Artist: Harlan and Stanley
Represented Title: The battle cry of freedom
Represented Album: None
Represented Label: Edison Gold Moulded Record
Catalog Number: Not Available
Catalog Number: Not Available
The Battle Cry of Freedom is the most esteemed flag song of the Union. The music was composed in 1862 for a Chicago war rally in response to Lincoln's call for additional 300,000 voluntter. Roots began to write the song swiftly after President Lincoln had requested.
The song quickly became one of the songs that's memorized by soldiers of the Union, and is usually sang under the most desperate situations such as difficult of regrouping, on the verge of defeat. David Crotty, a soldier from the 3rd Michigan Infantryman, found a wounded soldier in the battle. As the wounded soldier was borne to the rear on a stretcher, he began to sing the Battle Cry of Freedom. Soon Afterwards everymen on the Union side began to sing. This boosted the morale of the soldiers greatly. Although they eventually lost that battle, their morale wasn't faltered at all.
Full Version: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=21&query=civil%20war&num=1&start=58&sortBy=&sortOrder=id
Alternative Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhCheCryopA&fmt=18
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Unofficial War Anthem of the Confederate: Dixie
Original Artist: Daniel Decatur EmmettRepresented Artist: Alan Baker
Represented Title: I Wish I was in Dixie Land
Represented Album: Songs of the Civil War
Represented Album: Songs of the Civil War
Represented Label: New World Records
Catalog Number: B001FO2KX0
Created by Dan Emmett in 1859, an Unionist before the Civil War, the piece "Dixie" rose in popularity in matter of moments when he first created for a stage performance. Although the south had recognized it as the unofficial anthem of the Confederates, it remained popular in the North even after the outbreak of Civil War, albeit the lyric had changed a little.
The music and the lyrics of "Dixie" was trying to represent the south as the land of paradise, as the lyric continued to focus on how Dixie land is somewhere that people want to live. The Confederates used this piece to represent the south as a place of paradise, and to represent that they don't want the south to be changed by the North.
The Unofficial War Anthem of Union: The Battle Hyme of the Republic
Original Artist: Julia Ward HoweRepresented Artist: Judy Collins
Title: The battle hymn of Republic
Represented Album: Songs Of The Civil War
Represented Label: Sony
Catalog Number: B00000283E
The Battle Hymn of the Republic, originally known as the "John Brown's Body", was one of the two most popular music during the Civil War. It was considered as the unofficial war anthem by scholars.
Because of its popularity in the pre-war, even parts of the Confederates would occasionally sang it with a different lyrics than the Union while it was still known as "John Brown's Body".
It wasn't until 1862, when an abolitionist named Julia Ward Howe heard and saw a potential in the music when she decided to create a better lyric for the song. Thus, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic was born". The piece represented as the reason why we were in a civil war, and boosted the morale of the troops in the company that it became one of the most infamous songs of the Union. This music was popular even among the African American soldiers, as historian Eileen Southern calls it "the unofficial theme song of black soldiers." Though more different lyrics were created from "John Brown's Body", none were able to match the lyrics of the apocalytic vision made by Howe.
Sample: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00137R9V2/ref=dm_dp_trk9?ie=UTF8&qid=1238824731&sr=1-2
Alternate Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VslzcciRmZg&fmt=18
Thursday, April 2, 2009
History/Descriptions:
During the Civil War, music had been one of the most important thing to both side of the conflict: Union and the Confederate. In fact, during the early periods of the war the Union side were given at least two musicians for every infantry, artillery, or cavalry company, and each regiment would have at least 24 musician. Around December of 1861 it was deterimined that at least 28,000 men in the Union Army were musicians, and approximately the same amount was in the Confederate Army as well. Although this idea was eventually abolished around July of 1862, as more soldiers were needed than musicians, most of the musicians re-enlisted themselves to be soldiers as well as musicians.
As stated by the great Confederate General Robert E. Lee after enjoying a brass serenate, "I don't think we can have an army without music". Lee spoke for majority of the soldiers, both North and South. Instrumental musicians were especially important in the civil war military experiences. On a typical day for a soldier, listening to music had became part of life. Starting with the morning, the soldiers would wake up to the rattling beat of the drums. The Band Music would energize soldiers on the march and break the monotony of camp life. During combat, each side would play music that symbolizes each side, such as "Dixie" for the Confederates, or "Battle Hymn of the Republic." for the Union. After a combat, when the soldiers are in a hospital, the musicians would play music of home and country, mainly to remind themselves of love and family.
The army had two categories of music: Field music and Band Music. Field Musicians are more for everyday life such as time organizations, marching, and battlefield, while Band Musicians are more for Entertainment purpose. However, they also support the army in the battlefield by playing strong patriotic songs to frighten the oppositions. It was once said that music was the equilvalent of a thousand men. Both were essential as each provided different functions to the army. Without either one the soldiers would most likely suffer from loss of morale, and ultimately lose the reason to fight.
The sound of camp and combat music were never forgotten by those who lived with them. From the words of one of the soldiers that participated in the civil war that had a reunion in 1888, he stated that when a bugler sounded the old Dan Butterfield call, veterans who had been scattered everywhere came to the hill in answer to the call, most of them had tears in their eyes. It was then that they were once again reminded by the memories of the war while having a breath-taking sense of reality.
As stated by the great Confederate General Robert E. Lee after enjoying a brass serenate, "I don't think we can have an army without music". Lee spoke for majority of the soldiers, both North and South. Instrumental musicians were especially important in the civil war military experiences. On a typical day for a soldier, listening to music had became part of life. Starting with the morning, the soldiers would wake up to the rattling beat of the drums. The Band Music would energize soldiers on the march and break the monotony of camp life. During combat, each side would play music that symbolizes each side, such as "Dixie" for the Confederates, or "Battle Hymn of the Republic." for the Union. After a combat, when the soldiers are in a hospital, the musicians would play music of home and country, mainly to remind themselves of love and family.
The army had two categories of music: Field music and Band Music. Field Musicians are more for everyday life such as time organizations, marching, and battlefield, while Band Musicians are more for Entertainment purpose. However, they also support the army in the battlefield by playing strong patriotic songs to frighten the oppositions. It was once said that music was the equilvalent of a thousand men. Both were essential as each provided different functions to the army. Without either one the soldiers would most likely suffer from loss of morale, and ultimately lose the reason to fight.
The sound of camp and combat music were never forgotten by those who lived with them. From the words of one of the soldiers that participated in the civil war that had a reunion in 1888, he stated that when a bugler sounded the old Dan Butterfield call, veterans who had been scattered everywhere came to the hill in answer to the call, most of them had tears in their eyes. It was then that they were once again reminded by the memories of the war while having a breath-taking sense of reality.
Introduction:
During the era of the American Civil War, music had became one of the most important part of the war, perhaps as important as the cause of the war. On this blog we will explore some of the music created during the American Civil War, how the music changed as the war progressed. This blog will also explore some of the most popular music of the war, how it affected the war, and why these songs were popular. This blog will also explore the Anti-War music, the family affected by the war, and finally the music as the war reached its final stage.
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