Introducing Catchy Tune Tuesday!

[Claude Bauer]

For today's Catchy Tune Tuesday, here's the Excelsior Brigade playing the lively fife and drum standard "Old 1812," a prominent tune in Clint Eastwood's Civil War-era film, "The Outlaw Josey Wales."

The melody for Old 1812 was taken from a popular Revolutionary War era tune, "Welcome Here Again." Because the two sound so much alike they are often played back to back. "Welcome Here Again" was also used in the movie, "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson. Here's the Yorktown Fifes and Drums playing a medley of the two:

 

[JOHN42768]

Enjoyed both, thanks

 

[Library Lady]

Here's a fun song by Stephen Foster from The Great American Songbook performed by the Black American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne.

If You've Only Got a Moustache

 

[Library Lady]

Here is another Stephen Foster song. "Catchy tune" has a happy connotation, but this one is anything but happy. Still, once you hear it, you can't forget it. The vintage photos in the video from the Depression era include a famous photo, Migrant Mother, by Dorothea Lange at 2:56.

Hard Times Come Again No More performed by Mavis Staples

Well OK, there is an amusing Civil War parody of the song.

 

[Claude Bauer]

For Catchy Tune Tuesday, here's "Sherman's March to the Sea" performed by 2 members of the US Army Band.

"While many fife and drum tunes signaled commands on the battlefield, others were more celebratory in nature. "Sherman's March" began as a poem by Samuel Beyers, a prisoner in a confederate camp. The poem was put to music by a fellow prisoner and then made its way north where it gained popularity as the momentum shifted during the Civil War. Staff Sgts. Troy Paolantonio and Derek Stults re-enacted the celebration of the Union on the Army Field Band's "March Kings" livestream on April 17, 2020."

This video tells the fascinating history of the poem and song, along with a fiddle version likely sounding much as it did in the 1860s:

 

[Claude Bauer]

Catchy tune for today is Paddy O' Toole by the Camp Chase Fifes and Drums. This lively tune reflects the heavy Irish influence on American martial music in the 19th Century. (See the related thread here for some background on the character of Paddy O' Toole https://civilwartalk.com/threads/fictional-figures-in-irish-american-civil-war-songs-paddy-o'toole-and-mister-mcfinnigan.199410/)

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Catchy tune for today is Paddy O' Toole by the Camp Chase Fifes and Drums.

That was a bonafide toe tapper! Here is another one perhaps?

 

[Claude Bauer]

That was a bonafide toe tapper! Here is another one perhaps?

Absolutely! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Claude Bauer]

For today's Catchy Tune Tuesday, here's an all time favorite--the Rose of Alabama by the 2nd Carolina String Band.

"The lyrics to this popular tune of African-American slave origin were written in 1846 by Silas S. Steele. Often called the "Rose of Alabamy," it's an example of the many pre-war "walk-around" minstrel show songs often performed in black-face by white entertainers in Northern cities. It has since become well-known to an entirely new generation because of its inclusion in the iconic 1976 film, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" starring Clint Eastwood." (https://www.civilwarheritagetrails.org/civil-war-music/rose-of-alabama.html)

 

[J. Hanger]

No music on this one that I could find?

In case you never heard the music, here is the best!

J

 

[J. Hanger]

In a salute to my wife's Great Grandfather, Corporal Joseph Buettner, who was a "participant" of America's most famous "march" . . .

Marching Through Georgia youtube - Google Search

J

 

[Library Lady]

Here is one of the 19th century American folk songs collected by John Lomax.

Raise a Ruckus Tonight

This is from a Smithsonian Folkways Recording. Pay close attention to the lyrics.

Debbie Reynolds did a much happier and up-tempo version in the movie How the West Was Won.

If you're into really vintage movies, you may have seen Bette Davis singing a short bit of it in Jezebel.

 

[Claude Bauer]

Here is one of the 19th century American folk songs collected by John Lomax.

Raise a Ruckus Tonight

This is from a Smithsonian Folkways Recording. Pay close attention to the lyrics.

Thanks for sharing! Here are the lyrics:

"Raise A Ruckus"

Well well well

Come along little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Now get on board going down the river float
We gonna raise a ruckus tonight

Well my old mistress promised me
Raise a ruckus tonight
That when she died she'd set me free
Raise a ruckus tonight
Well she lived so long that her head got bald
Raise a ruckus tonight
I finally had to kill her with a white oak maul

Well well well

Come along little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Now get on board going down the river float
We gonna raise a ruckus tonight

Well our old lady gets mad at me
Raise a ruckus tonight
When I won't drink at the India tea
Raise a ruckus tonight
Well now she is good and then she is bad
Raise a ruckus tonight
Boys she's evil like a devil when she gets mad

Well

Come along little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Now get on board going down the river float
We gonna raise a ruckus tonight
Well Raise a ruckus tonight
Raise a ruckus tonight
Now we gonna raise a ruckus tonight
Raise a ruckus tonight

Well well well

Come along little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Now get on board going down the river float
We gonna raise a ruckus tonight

Well raise a ruckus, raise a ruckus
Raise a ruckus tonight
Get on board going down the river float
We gonna raise a ruckus tonight

 

[Library Lady]

Here's another sinister set of lyrics for Raise a Ruckus. This song was originally posted on protestsonglyrics.net

My old master promised me,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
That when he died he'd set me free,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
He lived so long his head got bald,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
He got out the notion of dyin' at all,
Raise a ruckus tonight.


(CHORUS)
Come along, little children, come along,
Come while the moon is shining bright.
Get on board, little children, get on board,
We're gonna raise a ruckus tonight.


My old mistress promised me,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
Sarah, I'm gonna set you free,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
She lived till her head got slick and bald,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
And the Lord wouldn't kill her with a big green maul,
Raise a ruckus tonight.
(CHORUS)


Yes, they both done promised me,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
But their promise didn't set me free,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
A dose of pizin helped them along,
Raise a ruckus tonight,
May the Devil preach their funeral song,
Raise a ruckus tonight.
(CHORUS)

 

[J. Hanger]

"When This Cruel War is Over", Confederate Soldier sings Southern version to his sweetheart!

charles bradshaw when this cruel war was over - Google Search

J

 

[Claude Bauer]

For today's Catchy Tune Valentine Tuesday, here's The Girl I Left Behind Me, along with a vintage sketch from the war with some of the words:

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Thanks for posting! I was missing these

 

[Mrs. V]

This is one that I sing, at my sons urging. It is indeed a catchy tune.

I recently found "Uppa Dee" which is another very catchy tune indeed..Maybe next Tuesday?

 

[Claude Bauer]

This is one that I sing, at my sons urging. It is indeed a catchy tune.

I recently found "Uppa Dee" which is another very catchy tune indeed..Maybe next Tuesday?

Yes! Please post a rendition of Uppa Dee for CTC!

 

[Claude Bauer]

For today's Catchy Tune Tuesday, here's the Federal City Brass Band having some fun with a catchy tune called "Old Dog" at the Military through the Ages event at Jamestown last weekend:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=897805734823198