Favorite Northern/Southern Civil War Tunes

I was actually just discussing this with some friends of mine.

I don't think it's my personal favorite song, but I learned recently that Frederick Douglass really liked "My Old Kentucky Home." He said:

"It would seem almost absurd to say it, considering the use that has been made of them, that we have allies in the Ethiopian songs; those songs that constitute our national music, and without which we have no national music. They are heart songs, and the finest feelings of human nature are expressed in them. 'Lucy Neal,' 'Old Kentucky Home,' and 'Uncle Ned,' can make the heart sad as well as merry, and can call forth a tear as well as a smile. They awaken the sympathies for the slave, in which anti-slavery principles take root, grow, and flourish." - Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, 1855


Obviously the song has a lot of racist elements to it, but I found Douglass's take interesting.

Personally, I really like this rendition of "The Girl I Left Behind Me," but it's more the British version than the American one:

This modern rendition of "Hard Times Come Again No More" is quite good:

This was an early favorite of mine (and the soldiers) - "Home Sweet Home":

And this is probably the best rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" I've ever heard. As one of the YouTube comments said - "She woke up that morning, and decided that she was gonna CUT UP!!!!"
 
All good choices. I was just about to submit my choice but I see 7th Mississippi Infantry beat me to it. The Southern version of Battle Cry of Freedom is very good, but this girl makes it even better.
It's actually three siblings.
The little girl sings and her two little brothers play the instruments.

They are all great !

These are ancient videos, but still show-case the talent that our young people have.
None of these kids were distracted by spectators, much less the "goober" that almost fell down.

:bounce:

Here's their follow-up tune.
As everyone knows, this one was not limited to the ACW, but popular around the world.

BTW, the young Lady looks just like her Mother.

 
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I'm a big fan of Bobby Horton.

My favourite Northern tune is 'Flag of Columbia'.


My favourite Southern tune is 'Dixie the Land of King Cotton'.


My favourite Civilian song is a satire on the Northern Government and the Speculators, called 'Treasury Rats'. There's only one version of it on YouTube, an old boy giving it a good old go, but I don't think he'd be in any danger of an appearance at Radio City :whistling:

(My apologies if you know the arl feller!)


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My favourite 'modern' tune is the inimitable Jimmy Driftwood's 'I'm a Pore Rebel Soldier' :thumbsup:

 
Many thanks 7th Mississippi Infantry for that second video. I have enjoyed watching both of them many times, now maybe others may get that pleasure as well.
I forgot to add, the youngest little boy plays the dulcimer better than some very famous "old school" country music legends.

He's no doubt an adult now with his own children, but I hope he landed in Nashville.

:smoke:

 
There are a couple of other videos out there that I stumbled across but can't locate at the moment. Some young girl playing the fiddle. The song is either "Come back Katie" or "Katie Come back" something liked that. I think youngest fiddle player is in the title as well.
 
My favourite Southern tunes:

"THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG." (H. MCCARTHY; 1861)

"GOD SAVE THE SOUTH."

"DIXIE'S LAND."

"HARP OF THE SOUTH AWAKE!" (J. M. Kilgoth & C. L. Peticolas; 1863)

"THE FLAG OF SECESSION" (1861)

"THE FORREST SCHOTTISCH" (E. C. E. Vile; 1863)

"UP WITH THE FLAG." (DR. Wm. B. HARRELL; 1863)

"CONFEDERATE LAND." (E. CHASSAIGNAC & H. H. STRAWBRIDGE; 1861)

"THE SONG OF THE SOUTH." (J. H. HUBER; 1861)

"GOD DEFENDETH THE RIGHT." (MRS DUBOSE & H. SCHREINER; 1861)

"AWAKE! TO ARMS IN TEXAS!"

"THE FLAG OF THE SOUTHLAND." (MAJOR E. W. CAVE, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS)

"OUR GLORIOUS FLAG." ("A VICKSBURG SONG.")

"SOUTHERN BATTLE SONG."

"BAYOU CITY GUARDS’ DIXIE."

"THE BARS AND STARS." (W. A. HAYNES)
 
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Favourite pieces part 2:

"PRO MEMORIA." (INA M. PORTER, OF ALABAMA)

"CAMP DOUGLAS BY THE LAKE." ("A PRISON SONG.")

"THE NAVASOTA VOLUNTEERS." (WM. NEELY, OF DURANT'S CAVALRY.")

"GOD BLESS OUR SOUTHERN LAND." (ca. Jan. 1863)

"THE CONFEDERATE OATH."

"GENERAL LEE'S GRAND MARCH." (H. SCHREINER; 1863)

"BEAUREGARD'S CHARLESTON QUICK STEP." (H. SCHREINER; 1863)

"THE STONEWALL QUICKSTEP." (J. H. HEWITT; 1863)

"CONFEDERACY MARCH." (ALFRED F. TOUMLIN; 1861)

"PICKETT'S CHARGE MARCH." (J. PROSINGER; 1863)

"GOD SAVE THE SOUTHERN LAND."

"THE SOUTHERN FLAG." (1861)

"OH SUSANNAH."

"ROSE OF ALABAMA."

"FAREWELL TO THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER" (MRS E. D. HUNDLEY; 1861)
 
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My favourite Southern tunes:

"THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG." (H. MCCARTHY; 1861)

"GOD SAVE THE SOUTH."

"DIXIE'S LAND."

"HARP OF THE SOUTH AWAKE!" (J. M. Kilgoth & C. L. Peticolas; 1863)

"THE FLAG OF SECESSION" (1861)

"THE FORREST SCHOTTISCH" (E. C. E. Vile; 1863)

"UP WITH THE FLAG." (DR. Wm. B. HARRELL; 1863)

"CONFEDERATE LAND." (E. CHASSAIGNAC & H. H. STRAWBRIDGE; 1861)

"THE SONG OF THE SOUTH." (J. H. HUBER; 1861)

"GOD DEFENDETH THE RIGHT." (MRS DUBOSE & H. SCHREINER; 1861)

"AWAKE! TO ARMS IN TEXAS!"

"THE FLAG OF THE SOUTHLAND." (MAJOR E. W. CAVE, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS)

"OUR GLORIOUS FLAG." ("A VICKSBURG SONG.")

"SOUTHERN BATTLE SONG."

"BAYOU CITY GUARDS’ DIXIE."

"THE BARS AND STARS." (W. A. HAYNES)
Haven’t heard any of these. Will have to listen to them later. Thanks!
 
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