CAMP # 1722
SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA
~ MUSIC OF THE ERA ~
"MUSIC AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM"
War Between The States Era Americans Preferred Antibellum Humns, Ballads, Marches And Songs Popularized By Entertainers. "The Last Rose Of Summer" (1813), "Home, Sweet Home" (1823), "Annie Laurie" (1835), "Listen To The Mockingbird" (1855), "Lorena" (1857), And A Version Of "Dixie" (1860) Were The Six Most Popular Songs Of The War Years. All Prewar Favorates, Of Which There Were Five, Focused On Senitimental Themes. Only The "Original Dixie" (2 October 1859), Written By A Black Northern Minstrel Performer Named Daniel D. Emmett, Made A Regional Reference. Ranking 7th In Sales, Entertainer Harry McCarthy's "Bonnie Blue Flag" (1861) Was The Most Popular Tune Lyrically Addressing The National Political Schism. A Growing Music Publishing Industry Molded Northern And Southern Tastes. During The War Over 9,000 New Songs Were Printed In The North And 750 In The South, Many Of Them Reproduced, For The Entertainment Of The Soldiers, In Single Broadsides Or Small, Inexpensive Songbooks Called "Songsters."
Neither The Union Or The Confederacy Had An "Official National Anthem" During The War. Joseph Hopkinson's "Hail, Columbia!" (1798), Played By Northern And Southern Musicians, Served As An Informal Anthem In The Antebellum years. In 1931 Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner" (1814) Was Adopted By The Congress As The "National Anthem" Of The United States Of America.
"THE ORIGINAL DIXIE"
By Daniel D. Emmett, Black Minstrel Performer ~ Written Sunday, 2 October 1859
I Wish I Was In The Land Of Cotton,
Old Times Dar Am Not Forgotten;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land Whar I Was Born In,
Early On One Frosty Mornin;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
Old Missus Marry "Will De Weaber?"
William Was A Gay Deceaber;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
But When He Put His Arm Around'er,
He Smiled As Fierce As A Forty-Pounder;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
His Face Was Sharp As A Butcher's Cleaber,
But Dat Did Not Seem To Greabe'er;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
Old Missus Acted The Foolish Part,
And Died For The Man Dat Broke Her Heart;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
Now Here's A Health To The Next Old Missus,
And All The Gals Dat Want To Kiss Us;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
But If You Want To Drive Away Sorroe,
Come And Hear Dis Nig To-Morrow;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
Der Buck Wheat Cakes And Ingen Batter,
Makes You Fat, Or A Little Fatter;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
Den Hoe It Down And Scratch Your Grabble,
To Dixie Land I'm Bound To trabble;
Look Away, Look Away, Look Away, Dixie Land.
~ Chorus: ~
Den I Wish I Was In Dixie,
Hooray ! Hooray !
In Dixie Land I'll Took My Stand,
To Lib And Die In Dixie,
Away, Away, Away Down South In Dixie,
Away, Away, Away Down South In Dixie.
The Song Of "Dixie" Is Indelibly Connected With The South And We All Know The Air, But How Few Have Seen The "Original Words" Of Daniel D. Emmett ! ! !
"THE SOUTHERN CROSS"
By St. George Tucker Of Virginia ~ Date Written War Era 1860 - 1865
~ Note: This Song Is Sung To The Tune Of The Star-Spangled Banner ~
Oh ! Say Can You See, Through The Gloom And The Storm,
More Birght For The Darkness, That Pure Constellation !
Like The Symbol Of Love And Redemption Its Form,
As It Points To The Haven Of Hope For The Nation.
Now Radiant Each Star, As The Beacon Afar,
Giving Promise Of Peace, Or Assurance In War,
'Tis The Cross Of The South, Which Shall Ever Remain,
To Light Us To Freedom And Glory Again !
How Peaceful And Blest Ws America's Soil,
'Till Betrayed By The Guile Of The Puritan Demon,
Which Lurks Under Virtue, And Springs From Its Coil.
To Fasten Its Fangs In The Life-Blood Of Freemen.
Then Boldly Appeal To Each Heart That Can Feel,
And Crush The Foul Viper 'Neath Liberty's Heel !
And The Cross Of The South Shall In Triumph Remain,
To Light Us To Freedom And Glory Again !
'Tis The Emblem Of Peace, 'Tis The Day-Star Of Hope,
Like The Sacred Labarum That Guided The Roman;
From The Shores Of The Gulf To The Deleware's Slope,
'Tis The Trust Of The Free, And The Terror Of Foemen.
Fling Its Folds To The Air, While We Boldly Declare,
The Rights We Demand Or The Deeds That We Dare !
While The Cross Of The Shough Shall In Triumph Remain,
To Light Us To Freedom And Glory Again !
And If Peace Should Be Hopeless And Justice Denied,
And War's Bloody Vulture Should Flap Its Black Pinions,
Then Gladly "To Arms," While We Hurt, In Our Pride,
Defiance To Tyrants And Death To Their Minions !
With Our Front In The Field, Swearing Never To Yield,
Or Return, Like The Spartan, In Death On Our Shield !
And The Cross Of The South Shall Triumphantly Wave,
As The Flag Of The Free, Or The Pall Of The Brave !
An Interesting Song Of The Era Which I found In A Book Published In 1904, Of Which I Am In Possession, About The Feelings Of The Southerners Towards Their Oppressors Of The North.
It Is Interesting To Myself That The Writer Of This Song, Mr. St. George Tucker Is Indeed, A Native Of The Old Dominion - The Sovereign State Of Virginia...
The Mother Of States And The State Of Presidents Along With Being The State Of No Less Than 100 Confederate Generals, No Less Than Eight Presidents Of The United States Of America, And...
Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury
"America's Most Decorated Man"
&
"Pathfinder Of The Seas."
RAMSr - 2001 ~ 2002
Fredericksburg, Virginia