Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-06-28
STORY OF TWO SONGS.
North American Review.


ashamed 10 call Our national mel
Ody. l give the story as / have
searched it out, the more readily
because l have lately seen para
graphs relating to it that betoken
both interests and ignorance. cyan
kee Doodle" has been a true mel
Ody of the people in many lands.
From the vine-Iands of France,
from different provinces of the free
Pyrenes, from the dykes of HOl-
land, and from the Puritan strug-
giles OF England, the air comes
down to us. In Holland the la
bOrers received for their wages "a
tenth of the harvest and as much
bulterInilk AS they can drink" As
they reaped they sang: 70 d
"Yankee dudle, doodle down,
Diddle, dudIe, lanther, IL
Yankee viver, vover yown,
Buttermilk and tanther." 80
In England, in the reign of
Charles l., the air was sung to a
rhyme which Is still heard In our
nurseries: EE% GfaN@
"Lucy L.ocket lost her pocket, ia
KitIie Fisher found It,
Nothing In IL, nothing on II,
But the binding round It,"
When Cromwell rode to Oxford
upon Il small horse, with his single
plume fastened into sort of knot,
the whole outfit intended to suggest
Puritan horror of housekeeping
stettis and waving plumage, some
waggish cavalier Invented the fol-
lowing rhyme, aud set it aflOat to the
homely melody OF labor: a
yankee Doodle came to town,
Upon a Kentlsh I.Ony; aH
He stuck n feather in his cap,
Upon nacaronl."
A "macarOni," was small r0-
settle, in shape and size like an ltal-
ian macarOOn, called so from blum
der of the English i'll confusing the
names of two italian dishes so SINH
lar i'm pronunciation and similar III
pronunciation and spelling. The
tune first came to this country in
1875. Braddock was assembling
our fOFefathers near Albany, for an
attack ON the French and Indians
at Forts Niagara and Frontenac. As
the Conlinentals 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, well-drilled
British troops, the old picture OF
Cromwell on Il kentish pony rose
before another waggish cavalier.
DIR. Richard Shuckburg, regimental
surgeon, was u wit and musician.
Planning joke for the amusement
OF the camp, he wrote out the score
OF "Yankee Doodle" and gave it
TO the leader of the Continental
band as the latest martial music. 1t
was easily caught and enthusiastic
cglly played, amid shouts OF laugh
ter in the English ranks. Twenty
five years later there was less mirth
i'm the British army, when with
Lord CORVALLIS al its head, il sur
rendered to COntinentals whose
band was playing yankee boo
die" II was happy augury that
sO linked the PuritanS of the Old
World and the New-CrOmwell and
Washington, both marching TO vic
tory over despOtism TO the music OF
labor and freedom set for them in
derIsion 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
IA place i'm a discussion of the r0iSOH
detre of songs. "TippecanOe and |
Tyler, too" was TO the political |
canvass of 1910 what the Marsellaise |
was to the French Revolution. 1t |
sang Harrison into the Presidency. |
Through this half-martial, half-rol- |
licking melody the pent-up feelings |
OF a people whose banks were sus-
pended, whose laborers were out OF
work, who were pinched by hard |
times, and to whom the Wings |
promised 1.-TWO dollars u day and |
roast beef,": had found expression,
and the song was sung throughout |
the country as IL by madmen. 1t |
has been attributed to John Green
er, the Ohio politician and editor,
who, in that sOng-singing campaign |
wrote "The Wagon Boy" and
"Zip Coon :" but the credit belongs !
to the late A. G.. Ross, of GAINESVILLE,
In the same State. Mr.. Ross was a
member OF u political glee-cIub and
OF church choir. "Martin's La
ment" and "Hard Times" and
many other songs had been made,
but none answered the popular de-
mand, when a friend suggested to
Ross that the air of Little Pigs"
would furnish q chorus il suitable
words could be written. Mr.. Ross
went to church with his brain full
of tho suggestion. lie sang gravely
through voluntary and opening
hymns, and then settled himself
gravCly TO his task. by the time
the minister had reached "lastly,"
"TippecanOe and Tyler, too" had |
hccn set dancing to the tune of
Little Pigs" One line, and that
mn important one in the refrain baf-
fled him. On Saturday night he
WAS obliged TO tell the club he had
a song-alI but one line. "What is
that ?" said some one. ivan, Van, |
you're n nice little man." said Ross.
Make it cyan, Vans used up
man." cried his fricnd-and so il
was, and he was, and that epithCt
had much TO do with using him up. |
Mr.. Ross came To New York to buy /
gOO,ls, and attended Al political
in Lafayette Hall. Chas.
Dclaven was presiding. PrentiSS of
Tallmadge OF New
York, and Otis of Boston, were To
speak. Songs had been exhausted,
aud the vast audience was bccOm-
ing restless, for still the speakers
lid not come. Dclavan called for
volunteer songs, when Ross arose
near the door, and said that il he
could reach the stage he would give
one. "Pass him alOng! and he
was passed along over the heads of
The dense mass until he stood upon
the platform. "WhO are YOU ?" de-
LnanCled the crowd. "a Buckeye,
from the Buckeye State" said Ross
When three cheers for the Buckeye
state had subsidized, Ross requested
Inc company TO be quiet until he
had sung three stanZas, and then
oIn in ifthey liked. By the time
he third chorus was reached, the
whole audience struck in with indie
,cribable effect. a--~E
An Answer Wanted.
80 one bring us n. case of