Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-07-04
.YAsskGG DOODLE
Now the Tune wac Given to America.

How the Tune was Given to America.
f. cry one ia familiar with the tune
OF Yankee Doodle" and yet a deep
mystery surrounds the origin of this
air: A writer in the Philadelphia
Press says: How, when or where the
tune frst came into use nobody knows
1t is good deal like Topsy-1t was
never born but Rrpwed.' The, words
adapted 70 the rsusic and commonly
used In The Revolutionary War was the
product Of those stirring times. but
to attempt to write the history of the
tune, would ha ,nofhins less, than be-
wiiderinE There is d much obscur-
ity surrounding the tune of Yankee
DodlS' ~ there Is uncertainty con-
nectd with the airs of which we sing,
Ny Country. It's Of Thee and John
Brovpia,R Body Lies q eMoulding. in the
Grave The story Of Yankee Doodle"
from the time It was brought to this
country IL deAnate and absolutely IA.
teresting. It has a grsAt' mission."" !
The tune has been the subject Of
considerable derision' and the Press
writN ays that; with al the derision
thatrkaf been Aeaped upon it. it is
none the iess / great tune. When
one hears the sonce riducled' and roi-
licksome strains Of Yankee Doodle"
let him eogitate. the fact that it has
been the marching tune of all the vic
torious armies of American patriots
and had such a uniersal sentiment
and universal nationality that it will
measure the tread of the coming mil
lions. 1t is one Of the indestructabIe
institutions of America. 1t has char
acter Of its Qwn-comical. rampant,
'rattle-branish' with all it's odities it
has somehow entwined itself so closely
about the national heart that one
might as well try to rob the people of
Bunker Hill as this gathering. right
about-face. defiant battle-march"
This famous tune was brought to
this country in 1775 when the British
were engaged in a war with the French
and Indians The writer in the Press
says that the story goes that the mil
itia which was called to aid the Brit
ish regulars were strangely clad in
many colors. some wearing long coats
OBJ nd how m q
of any kind to wear. The British Army
Surgeon was one DR.. Ric,iar,. Shack
burg, who not only mended shattered
limbs but was somewhat of must
clan. One day he thought to pay a
joke on the militia because of their
grotesque figure and awkard manner
and with much mock solemnity he
presented them with the words and
music of Yankee Doodle commend
ing the tune as one of the most dis.
tinguished in martial music. The joke
greatly pleased the well dresse Brit
ish officers. but as a joke it proved a
stupendous failure. for the tune soon
became the battle march of the Rev
olution. The British officers would
raise shouts of laughter when they
heard the innocent and simple minded
militia play Yankee Doodle and tho
British bands would repeat it in deris
ion This contemptuous use of the
song by the English Army continued
more than twenty years; then came
the Battle of Lexington, and by ;
strange irony of fate the colonist
made the British dance to the tune o
'Yanke Doodle The giving of the
tune to the ill-circumstanced militi'
in mockery of their unfortunate ar
pearnce was a prophetic piece of fun
for twenty-five years later Lord Corn
wallis was forced to march to the tun
of Yankee Doodle when entering tn
lines Of the same colonists to surreni
er his sword and his army to Genra
Washington"