The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-09
"YANKEE DOODLE"
Origin Of the Famous Song Lost In
Antiquity.

yankee Doodle" seems TO be- lost within
the borders of many lands. With only slight
variations, il seems TO have been immemo-
rally known in France, Spain, Italy, Hun.
gary, Germany and, probably, elsewhere.
The general opinion is that il came to us from
Germany, and there IL an old Dutch doggerel
harvest song-which, however, may have
been imported by Dutch settlers :in the states
to this effect:
Yanker didel, doodle down,
Didel dudel lauter.
Yankee viver, voover vown,
Botermilk und Tauther.
Being thus familiarly known in the old
country, II is surprising to find the melody
recorded in various forms. 1t occurs in a
collection Of dance music published in 1860,
whero IL is called FISHERS Jig" after n Ger.
tain Mrs. Kitty Fisher, an actress Of tho
Restoration mentioned by Pepys, who is thus
referred to in the old rhyme:
Lydia LoclSet lost her pocket,
Kitty Fisher found it:
Not IA bit OF money in 10,
Only binding round 1t.
But another nursery legend is certainly
older, and may, perhaps, be the very original
itself:
Nankeo Doodle came 10 town
Upon a little pony,
Stuck a feather in lns hat,
And called II macaroni.
Now. tho tradition is that the Nankee
Doodle aforesaid signifies no less personage
than Oliver Cromwell That illustrious gen.
eral did on n certain occasion journey 10 OK
ford with a feather In his nat ''in the Italian
fashion," According to the explanation on
which the story rests, Italian fashions were
then prevalent In England, and were naturally
most obnoxious to the aggressive sense of
decorum which the Puritans habitually dis.
played. A "macaroni'' then conveyed the
idea Of n superlative dandy OF the Italian
school, and I'm concocting the verse which
contained such an alluaion 20 Cromwell, tho
cavaliers nvailod themselves Of an excellent
opening for calling" their strnit.laced OPP
ponents In the most approved style. But, as
showing the curious doubts surrounding the
question, an American writer has contendcd
that during the whole period OF the wars be.
tween them, tho phrase "Nankeo Doodle"
was applied by the cavaliers To the Round
heads IA n general term OF contempt: and
that IL survived in England only ITO be
transferred TO America when tho occasion
arose" A kindly attempt NJ elucidation
which really appears 60 make the darkness
only more visible.
But whatever the origin either Of words or
music. the occasion did presently arise for
investing them with the patriotic glow which
they have ever since maintained aud inspired
But they were yet 10 experience some trans.
atlantic vicissitudos, due, perhaps, 90 the
hold which the strain had taken upon young
America. J1om ~ had so long lulled %
sleep" Tile Topical poets 81 each city and
dis,ric, aired their local wants and gricv.
snccs 20 its melody, and every Aunt Dinah
Of the nursery chantoi her own version N the
way she liked bost. In 1855 a large number Of
Colonial lovios were drawn together NJ Al.
hany'o move against the French posts oi
Niagara ana Fron,cnac. and hoing struck 10y
their particular raw" appearance an army
surgeon wrote some "auizzical' lines which
caught on" wonderfully. But even ihes,