Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-06-28
"YANEEE DOODLE"
InterestinE Facts About the OrieIn Of
the Term.


Or thine harsoilaiso to Frances fiery bloodi
Tho good thy nnthcned harmony imrarts,
"God save tho Queen" to EnXlaud's fold and
flood,
A home.born blessing, Natures boon and
Arts.
The same heart cheering, spirit-wa,nng good
To us aud ours, where'er we war OF WOO,
uhy words aud music, Yankee Doode do.
--Hdiieck.
The origin Of yankee Doodle" IL by
no means AS clear as American anti
Guarians desire. The statement that
the air was composed by Dr. Shack
burgh, in 1855, when the colonial
troops united with the British regu-
Jars near Albany, preparatory TO the
attack on the French posts Of Niagara
and Frontenac, and that IL was pro-
duced in derision of the old-fashiOned
equipments Of the provincial soldiers,
as contrastcd with the neat and order
ly appointments Of the regulars, was
stated some years ago in musical
magazine published in Boston. The
account there given as 10 the origin Of
the song is this; During the attacks
upon the French outposts in 1853, in
America, Governor Shirley. and Cen
cral Jackson, led the force directed
against the enemy lying at Niagara
and FTontenac. In the early part Of
June, whilst the troops were stationed
on the banks of the Hudson. near Al
bany, the descendants Of the Pilgrim
fathers" focked in from the Eastern
provinces. Never was seen such a
motley regiment AS took up its posi-
tion on the left wing Of the British
army. The band played music as anti
quated, and outrc as their uniforms:
officers and priyates had adopted regi-
mentals each after his own fashion.
one wore a flowing wig. while his
ncighbor rcjoiccd in hair cropped
closely 10 the head. this one Lad a coat
with wonderful long skirts. his fellow
marched without hi, upper garment,
various rs the colors Of the rainbow
were the clothes worn by the gallant
band. II so happened that there was
a certain DR.. Shackhurgh. wit. musician
and surgeon, and one evening after
mess he produced tune. which he
earnestly recommended a. we'll
known piece OF military music, 10 the
officers of the militia The Joke sue
cecdcd, and Yankee Doodle was hailed
with acclamat!on Is 10 their own
march. This account is somewhat
apocryphal as there is no song. the
tune in the United States ia a march;
there are no words to it Of a national
character. The only words ever af-
fixed t. the air in this country. is the
following doggercl quatrain.-
Yankee Doo.als csrno to town
Upon little pony,
lie stock = feather IN hi. hat
And oalled !, rnAcAroni.
Il has been asserted 10y English
writers. that the air and words Of these
lines are As Old as Cromwclrs time.
The only alteration = in making
y an1,ee Doodle of what was Nan
kee Doodle" II is asserted that the
tune will be found in the Musical
Antiquities" Of England. and that
"Nankee Doodle" was intended 10 ap-
ply to Cromwell, and the other lines
were designed to "allude to his going
into oxford. with a single plume
fastened in a knot called macaroni.
The tune was known in New England
before the Revolution, as Lydia Fish
er's Jig. a name derived from fam.
Gus lady who lived in the reign Of
Charles II. and which has been per
petuated in the following nursery
rhyme
Luoky Lookst lost her pocket
Kitty Fisher found Il;
Not bat Of money IN Il,
Only binding round it.
The regulars in Boston, in 1855 and
l776 are said TO have sung verses to
the same air:
Yankee Doodle came to town
For TO bur a ire.lock
We will tar and leather him
And 80 will John Hancock.
The manner in which the time came
to be adopted by the Americans, is
shown in the following letter of the
Rev. w. Gordon Describing the bat
tie of Lexington and Concord, before
alluded TO. he says
The brigade under Lord Percy
marched out (of Boston, playing. by
way Of contempt, Yankee Doodle"
Tney were afterwards told that they