The Western news., 1902-10-22
BIRTH OF NATIONAL AIRS.
Writing Of "Yankee DOod1e' and
''John Browns Body"

6JHJH Of NAJtONAl Airs.
Writing Of "Yankee Doodle" and
"John Browne Body"
In one sense national music is any
music which is beloved by a nation.
Under this head would come Home,
Sweet Home" and "Suwanee Rivers"
a more tender lyric Of home and Of
its memories than Stephen G. Fos-
ter's "Old Folks at Home" Of which
about $4,000 copies were sold, would
be hard to find. 1t was often under
interdict during the civil war because
it made soldiers down-hearted. An
other kind is of patriotic nature.
Often national song is at first OF
local fame and interest, and by merit
becomes national, and may even be
spread the world over. Thus, as the
voice Of friendship and loyalty, Aud
Lang Syne" is known the world over,
and the "Marseillaise." which began
as marching song for corps Of
the army Of the Lower Rhine, became
the universal cry of liberty in patri-
otic struggles everywhere. The whole
composition came to Rouget de llsle
in one night, 1892.
Two French songs sung during the
reign Of terror We're in some degree
induced by American events, and these
form preliminary to our American
music. In revolutionary times and pre-
viously there was but little music in
America.
During the revolution there was no
American composer Of note. No Amer
lean tune during the revolution took
root as the one which began and end
ed the war, and existed in England in
1775 or 1776-"Yankee Doodle" The
words were written during the French
and Indian war by DR.. Richard Shuck-
burg, British surgeon, in sort Of
parody way on seeing some Of the
New England troops marching into
Albany, and set to an English dancing
tune.
In Europe Hail. Columbia" is con-
sidered our chief national anthem, and
as 1t was composed on American soil,
only they put the cart before the horse,
and the tune was composed and played
nine years before the words were 1T
ted to it. The tune was known and
Immensely popular as "Washington's
March," and played till it was thread
bare.
Nine years after it was written Gil
bert Fox, an actor, was to have a ben
eft He was announced to sing new
patriotic song, and got Joseph Hop
kins to write words for him to the
tune of "Washington's March," A
new patriotic tune meant everything
in those times. The theater was
crowded. Fox sang the song, and had
to sing it over eight times, and then
the audience sang the chorus. This
was in 1898, and 1t was called the
1.-THE New Federal Song"
The oldest Of our national tunes Is
the English national anthem, "God
Save the King" and even during the
revolution people sang the tune with
patriotic words. Several songs were
sung to the tune with varying success,
and in 1882 the melody was given in
good earnest by the Rev. S. F. Smith
at children's temperance celebration
at the Park Street Church in Boston,
and 1t has taken such root that "My
Country, IT'S Of Thee" became our
national melody.
Now a word about what we call our
chief tune, "The Star-Spangled Ban
ner." The words were formed here,
the music abroad, and there Is much
false history about it. 1t began as a
drinking song in 1865, Of an English
club which met at the Crown and
Anchor Inn. on the Strand. Later, in
1902, it was used as a Masonic tune,
and in 1898 Thomas Paine, at Boston,
put words to it, called it adams and
Liberty" and it was sung everywhere.
In the darkest part Of the war Of 1912
Francis Scott Key, watching the Brit
ish lombard Fort McHenry, wrote, in
moment Of inspiration, this national
song. "The Star-Spangled Banner"
John Browns Body" was first
sung in a purely local way at Fort
Warren, but it became the chief march.
ing song of our army in the
rebellion, and Julia Ward Howe set
to the inspiring tune the great hymn,
mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of
the Coming Of the Lord" and thus was
a song of war transformed to song
Of peace.-Boston Herald.