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Post by Wade Dillon on Jun 13, 2007 18:07:58 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
What are some songs that we can name and the lyrics that go with them from the 1830's that could've been sung or played at the Alamo? I'd really like to know.
~Wade
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Post by Allen Wiener on Jun 13, 2007 19:20:08 GMT -5
I'm sure there were loads of fiddle tunes. There were also minstrel tunes that had regularlly updated lyrics, depending on what was going on in the world. When Crockett became famous at least two older minstrel songs, "Zip Coon" and "Pompey Smash" added verses about him. During the Mexican War a decade later, soldiers in the field.were known to improvise songs on tin whistles and made up their own lyrics. A number of derisive songs about Santa Anna were composed that way. I wonder if they didn't make up a few in the Alamo.
AW
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Post by sloanrodgers on Jun 15, 2007 16:41:12 GMT -5
I reckon they didn't play "Remeber the Alamo" by Johnny Cash and others. I can't think of any Alamo songs from that period.
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Post by billchemerka on Jun 15, 2007 18:56:32 GMT -5
A good collection of probably-played tunes of the period, although familiar to pre-1830s audiences ("Rising of the Moon," "The Girl I Left Behind," "Old Rosin The Bow," etc.), appear on the 1989 cassette Remember the Alamo!: Mexican and Texian Music of 1836.
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Post by Wade Dillon on Jun 17, 2007 0:52:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the information, guys!
Bill, is there any way I can get the songs from that cassette?
I'd love to read some of the lyrics from those songs. I'm writing a novel on the Alamo and thought the defenders singing a tune or two would make for a perfect scene in the story. George Washington's Birthday Fandango, anyone?
All the best, Wade
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Post by Herb on Jun 17, 2007 11:16:36 GMT -5
Wade, the Girl I Left Behind Me as many different lyrics. One of my favorites goes:
Oh, the girls of France are fond and free, and Flemish lips are willing, While sweet the maids of Italy, and Spanish eyes are thrilling.
Still, I'll not fall for all their wiles, their charms shall not ensnare me, For my heart turns back to Erin's Isle, and the girl I left behind me.
There's another version that was sung during the American Revolution to the same tune but totally different lyrics about a soldier fighting the British - not his girl!
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Post by billchemerka on Jun 17, 2007 17:25:53 GMT -5
The aforementioned cassette, Remember the Alamo!: Mexican and Texian Music of 1836, is an instrumental collection. The liner notes do not include any lyrics.
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Post by tmdreb on Jun 17, 2007 21:47:13 GMT -5
I'm sorry this is fairly speculative, but I have seen references of the CW era Texans singing quite a few songs of the slaves. I can't say that the same was true for 1835-36, but most Anglo immigrants to Texas were from the South, and would be somewhat familiar with this type of music. There's also the oft-quoted reference of the Texian band playing "Will You Come to the Bower" at the Battle of San Jacinto. Of course, this site: www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/texianpoetry.htm#bower says that's a myth (or, at least the link I found to that site) but it does have quite a few song lyrics on it.
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Post by stuart on Jun 29, 2007 0:58:45 GMT -5
Donald Graves, a Canadian military historian I have a lot of respect for, has an interest in soldiers' songs of the period (not always martial ones) and has included a fair few in his books on Chippewa, Lundy's Lane etc. You should find all you want in there and more.
He has also written a fascinating - and very readable - book; "Guns Across the River; The Battle of the Windmill 1838" - about an abortive American filibustering expedition to Canada, which also contains a large selection of contemporary songs.
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Post by stuart on Jul 1, 2007 13:15:20 GMT -5
The Hunters of Kentucky
Composed by Samuel Wordsworth and sung to a tune called “Ally Croker”, and later used for another song variously called “The Unfortunate Miss Bailey”, “Miss Bailey’s Ghost”, or “The Captain from Halifax”. I’ve never heard of any of these but it strikes me that it can be sung well enough to “The Girl I left Behind Me”
Date for the song isn’t stated, though it obviously celebrates the battle of New Orleans in 1815 and Donald Graves asserts it was adopted by Jackson’s supporters as a campaign song in 1829 and taken up as a marching song by a filibustering group in 1838. It is therefore exactly contemporary with the Texan Revolution and given the Jacksonian association very likely to have been sung by filibusters going to Texas. The “famous city” of the second line is of course New Orleans itself.
Ye gentlemen and ladies fair Who grace this famous city Just listen, if you’ve time to spare While I rehearse a ditty; And for the opportunity, Conceive yourselves quite lucky For ‘tis not often here you see, A hunter from Kentucky
Oh Kentucky The Hunters of Kentucky Oh Kentucky The Hunters of Kentucky
We are a hardy free-born race No man to fear a stranger Whate’er the game we join in chase Despising toil and danger And if a daring foe annoys Whate’er his strength or forces We’ll show them that Kentucky boys Are alligator-horses
Oh Kentucky…
I s’pose you’ve read it in the prints How Pakenham attempted To make Old Hickory Jackson wince But soon his schemes repented For we with rifles ready cocked Thought such occasion lucky And soon around the general flocked The Hunters of Kentucky
Oh Kentucky…
You’ve heard I suppose How New Orleans Is famed for wealth and beauty There’s girls of every hue it seems From snowy white to sooty So Pakenham he made his brags If he in fight was lucky He’d have their girls and cotton bags In spite of old Kentucky
Oh Kentucky…
Now Jackson he was wide awake And wasn’t scared at trifles For well he knew what aim we take With our Kentucky rifles So he led us to a Cypress swamp The ground was low and mucky There stood John Bull in partial pomp And here was old Kentucky
Oh Kentucky…
A bank was raised to hide our breast Not that we thought of dying But that we always take a rest Unless the game is flying Behind it stood our little force None wished it to be greater For every man was half a horse, And half an alligator
Oh Kentucky…
They did not let their patience tire Before they showed their faces We did not choose to waste our fire So snugly kept our places But when so near we saw them wink We thought it time to stop ‘em And it would have done you good I think To see Kentuckians drop ‘em
Oh Kentucky…
They found at last twas vain to fight When lead was all their booty And so they wisely took to flight And left us all the beauty And now if danger e’er annoys Remember what our trade is Just send for us Kentucky boys And we’ll protect ye, ladies
Oh Kentucky…
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Post by Wade Dillon on Jul 19, 2007 18:07:31 GMT -5
Thank you, everyone, for your input. I highly appreciate it and will surely find the information provided useful! Thanks again!
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Post by sitges on Jul 19, 2007 22:37:02 GMT -5
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Post by tmdreb on Sept 13, 2007 21:56:32 GMT -5
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Post by sloanrodgers on Sept 14, 2007 1:29:52 GMT -5
Now that's a zippy tune.
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Post by Wade Dillon on Sept 14, 2007 8:02:34 GMT -5
Ha, thank you! Pretty nice tune. Thanks for the input, fellas. ~Wade
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