McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-05-05


of that?
Among some Of the most beautiful
melodies in the world are the folk
songs of Russia and Germany, and es-
pecially the latter. One Of them,
When the Swallows Homeward Fly
mot drinking song) by Abt, is won
derful. Others, such as the Wine
Song, The Tyroler and His Child the
Hymn to freedom (Freiheit, die ich
meine), Must | 90 to the City Far A.
way. Soldiers Morning Song, and hun
dreds of others, have been delight
to me for years. The Swiss shepherd
songs, with their yodling attachments
(which sound like the hoo-ah-hoo that
our McNairy boys used to be fond of
|practicing while going home from
their pIowing) are very sweet. One
of them: "Maedele, ruck, ruck, ruck,
ruck an meme gruene Settle" (Girlie,
come along, come along, etc. used to
make my father laugh every time he
heard it, although he did not UNDER
stand a word of it.
Wagner's music, as rule, is heavy,
but his Swang Song from Lohengrin,
Pilgrims Chorus, and above all, 20
Thou Sublime. Sweet Evening Star,
"From Tannhaueser, put him in the
rank of the worlds best musicians.
Fit is a far cry from thst music to the
old-time hymns our fathers and moth
ers sang in the little country churches.
The favorites were few, but there
were old stand-bys like ron Canaan's
Stormy Banks Stand" and Gid Hun
dred, that never wore out. My moth
er told me of how the preacher would
give out the hymn, line or two at a
time, and the congregation would fol-
low the best they could. She heard
a joke, when a girl, Of q preacher
giving out the old, old-timer, begin
ming:
Jesus my all to heaven has gone"
While that line was being sung, he
looked out Of the window and called
out:
There goes horse with side
saddle onw which words, rhyming
with tie first line. were promptly
sung by the congregation as part Of
the hymn. l suspect this story is
about as old as the song itself. but it
hurts nobody to tell it once more.
One more joke will be enough here.
1t is told that a bridal couple, the man
being many years the Oldest, marched
TO the marriage altar to the tune Of
I"What Shall the Harvest Be-" the
song having been selected by the
bride herself.
! Let US not forget the old songs.
While we are keeping green the men,
cries Of the McNairy pioneers, let the
familiar hmyns and tunes of by-gone
years be sung again. As the sweet,
familiar strains are heard, the mind
will bring back the faces Of the loved
| and lost who once Joined in the sing
ing; and who has not some friend or
loved one connected in his memory
| with some melody they used to sing?
When that old song is heard.
j Remembrance, faithful to her
i trust,
j Calls them in beauty from the
/ dust"
i Few of the new songs can equal
those we knew long ago, either in
melody or sentiment. Some of the
best Of these songs are Of foreign or
4 igin. Nearer My God, to Thee"
! (McKinley's favorite) is adapted from
i Thomas Moore's loft in the Silly
! Night where he leads me, l will
| Follow" is Of Italian origin. and so is
the tune Of Home Sweet Home"
"Blest be the Tie that Binds is a
German tune, as is also "Joy to the
World, the Lord is Come" and many
others. The oldest known tune is
''There is Happy Land" known to
! have been sung 5000 years ago as a
! hymn by the Buddhist priests in India.
. Russian music is now making its way
! here. wish my readers could hear
the "Cossack Cradle Song" the words
! of which have translated into Eng
fish, but which cannot be described
here. If there we're mere music in the
world, there would be less war and
, misery.
> LINDSAY s. PERKINS.
Announcement.
A special low rate of ST.. Is to Jack.