The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-07-16
The History Of. Yankee Doodies
Descent from Cromwell and
Neutrality-suspicious. Cam
paign Songs.
From the North American Review.

ndllOfldl lDclObf. CIV eH~ N-S
as have searched it out, the more
readily because | have lately seen
paragraphs relating to it that bete-
ken both interest and ignorance.
Yankee Doodle" " has been true
melody ofthe people in many lands.
From the vineyards of France, from
the different provinces of the free
Pyrennees, from the dykes Of Hol-
land, and from the Puritan struggles
of England. the air comes down TO
us. In Holland the laborers recelv-
ed as their wages "a tenth OF
the harvest and as much butter
milk as they could drink. As
they reaped. they sang:
..Y Yankee dudel, doodle down,
piddIe. doodle lanther,
Yankee viver vover yown,
Yutterrnilk and tanther"
In England, in the reign of Charles
l.. the air was sung to a rhyme
which is still to be heard in our
nurseries:
Lacy Lockei lost her pocket,
Klttic fishor found Il,
Nothing IN Il. nothing on q,
Blu, the binding round IT,
When Cromwell rode into Oxford
upon a small horse, with his single
plume fastened into a kind OF knot,
the whole outfit intended to suggest
Puritan horror Of high-stepping
sieeds and waving Plu:nage, seme
wacgish cavalier invented the iol-
loving rhyme, and sci Il aioat 10 the
homely melody Of labor
Yankee Doodle cane 70 town
Upon a koniish IoEy;
H. sfuck q leather In his cap.
Up0n maoaronl"
A macaroni" was a small ro-
settle, in shape and size ike an Ital-
ian macaroon, called so from blum
der OF the English in confusing the
names OF two Italian dishes SO SINH
lar in pronunciation and spelling.
The tune first came to this country
in 1855. Braddock was assembling
our foreiathers near Albany, for an
attack on the French and Indians at
Forts Niagara and Frontenac. As
the Continental recruits came in
wearing all the fashions that had
been seen in England for hundred
years, and bearing every weapon
but those familiar to the fresh. we'll
drilled British troops, the old pic
ture of Cromwell on Kentish pony
rose before the mind ofanother wag-
gish cavalier. DR.. Richard Shuck-
burg, regimental surgeon, was a
wit and a musician. Planning a
joke for the amusement of the camp,
he wrote out the score of 4" Yankee
Doodle" " and gave it to the leader of
the Continental band as the latest
martial music. 1t was easily caught
and enthusiastically played, amid
shouts of laughter in the English
ranks. Twenty-Five years later
there was less mirth in the British
army when, with Lord CORVALLIS at
its head, it surrendered to Continen-
tails whose band was playing Yam
kee Doodle" 1t was happy au-
gury that so linked the Puritans of
the old world and the new-Crom-
well and Washington, both march
ing to victory over despotism 10 the
music of labor and freedom set for
them in derisien by their foes.
TIPPEcANoE AND TYLER, TOO.
There is another American song
which, although it is famous only
in memory, was growth Of occa-
sion, and was dependent on its air
for popularity, and therefore claims
place in a discussion of the rais0a
ee'e,re OF songs. Tippecanoe and
Tyler. too. was TO the political can
vass OF 1910 what the Marseillaiss
was 20 the French Revolution. Ii
sung Harrison into the Presidency.
Through this hal;-martial, half roll
licking melody, the pent-up feelings
of a people whose banks were sus-
pended, whose lab0rers were out Of
work, who were pinched by hard
times, and 10 owhom the whigs prom
ised two dollars a day and roast
beef, had found expression, and the
song was sung throughout the coun-
try as if by madmen. Ii has been
attributed TO John Greiner, the Ohio
politician and editor who, in that
song-singing campaign, wrote The
Wagner Boy" and " Zip Coon
but the credit belongs to the late A.
{. Ross. OF GAINESVILLE, in the same
state. Mr. Ross was member of
political glee-club and OF a churcn
choir. Martins lament - Hard
Times, and many other songs had
been made, but none answered the
popular demand. when friend sug-
gested to Ross that the air of Little
Pigs would furnish chorus if
suitable words could be written.
Mr.. Ross went TO church with his
brain through voluntary and open
ing hymns, full of the suggestion.
He sang gravely, and then settled
himself to his task. BY the time
the minister had reached "lastly,"
Tippecanoe and Tyler, too had
been set dancing to the tune of Lit
tie Pigs" 0he line, and that an i'm
portant one in the refrain, bafiled
him On Saturday night he was
obliged to tell the club that he had
song-all but one line. What is
that 2" said some one. Van, Van.
you're nice little man. said Ross.
Make it Van, Vans a used-up
man, cried his iriend-and SO it
was. and he was. and that epithet
bad much to do with his using up.
Mr.. Ross came to New York to buy
goods, and attended a political meet
ing in Lafayette Hall. Charles De-
lavan was presiding. Prentiss of
Mississippi, Talmage, of New York,
and Otis, of Boston, were to speak.
Songs had been exhausted. and the
vast audience was becoming restless
for still the speakers did not come.
Deiavan called for volunteer songs,
when Ross arose near the door. and
said that if he could reach the stage
he would give one. "Pass him
alongW and he was passed along
over the heads of the dense mass
until he stood upon the platform
WI ho are Won 2' demanded tle