Music and our Military Ancestry

It's Memorial Day (officially) and the weekend when we take time to remember those who served and, especially, died so that we can enjoy our freedoms. It's easy to take these things for granted, but there are many ways that those memories are brought back to mind. One way this is done is with music (you knew I was going there). Many songs born of wartime are still sung in all types of venues: in churches, around the piano in the parlor, and around campfires (the Boy Scouts sing a version of "Tenting on the Old Campground," many not realizing that this song is from the Civil War and the "Campground" was the area where revival encampments took place, not where folks pitched tents for recreation).

Many popular songs about war focus on the opposition to war (check Songfacts for a list of titles and links), but songs that recognize the service of our military personnel date back to the prior Centuries. WWI and WWII both spawned songs of patriotism and hope. The series "Songs that got us through WWII" is a perfect example. Wikipedia has a great article on the role of music in WWII. Perhaps by the 1940s they'd discovered that previous wars benefited from having music as an element of conflict: WWI had its songs, too (many are still sung today). And all of these are a carry over from the 1861-1865 conflict where music was prolific on both sides. There are so many websites devoted to this topic that it is hard to select just a few to share here, but here's an attempt:

The Music of the American Civil War
The Civil War Music Site
Keith & Rusty McNeil's Civil War Music Site
The Civil War Music Store
Check this collection of videos of the songs of the War of the Rebellion

My own CD of Civil War songs is also available on-line.

There are also songs from the Revolutionary War. Check these:

Songs and Ballads of the American Revolution
Keith & Rusty McNeil's Colonial and Revolution Songs
And this collection of videos of the songs of the Revolutionary War

So, as you remember the men and women who served this country to obtain and preserve our freedom, take a moment to make music part of that recognition.

Cemetery Stroll & Civil War Music

This Sunday, Oct. 25, Sunnyslope Cemetery on Rimpau in Corona, CA, will be the location for a "Cemetery Stroll" in which visitors will be educated by reenactors participating as deceased Civil War veterans, interred in that graveyard, describing their lives and experiences. Visitors are invited to this event between 2 and 4 pm. Donations are welcome.

Butch & I are honored to be included in this year's event and will entertain visitors at the conclusion of the stroll where refreshments will also be provided. We will be singing the songs of the soldiers and their families from that era. Among the songs that we will sing will be "Marching through Georgia," "Battle Cry of Freedom," "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp," "Vacant Chair," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," "Tenting on the Old Campground," and more. We will also be playing the instrumental tune, "Ashokan Farewell," made famous in Ken Burns's Civil War series on PBS. Stop by to listen to the music as well as learn about Corona residents who served the country in the War between the States. (We will also have CDs available for sale.)

"Comrades! Touch the Elbow" - Song of the GAR

In a previous post, I included the picture of a songbook used at Civil War reunion encampments. I have stewardship over this booklet and have enjoyed using it to research some of the songs of the war. In his autobiography, Take Me Home, discussed last week, John Denver states that an unnamed 19th Century philosopher stated "when music plays, canons [sic] keep quiet" (p. 199). I have been unable to find the source of that quotation (thus far . . . if anyone out there can give me the exact quote and/or its origin, I'd be pleased to learn about it), but I believe that there is a lot of truth in this. But after the war, the music continues.

One of my favorite songs from the booklet I included in yesterday's blog is "Comrades! Touch the Elbow" by I. E. Thorpe (sung to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by George Frederick Root):

1) We will rally to the Post, boys, we'll rally once again;
Comrades, come and touch the elbow.
To those who served upon the land, or upon the raging main,
Comrades, come and touch the elbow.

Chorus) The old flag forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
We stood by Old Glory, it hasn't lost a star.
We will rally to the Post, boys, we'll rally once again,
Comrades! Fall in and touch the elbow!

2) We'll gather in the Post, boys, to talk of times that's past,
Comrades . . .
How we marched in summer's sun, how we stood mid-winter's blast,
Comrades . . . (chorus)

3) We will welcome to our numbers, the loyal true and brave . . .
Who put on the Union blue, our dear nation's life to save . . . (chorus)

4) We will gather in the Post, boys, we'll gather once again . . .
Though death open wide our ranks, we will close them up again . . . (chorus)

5) So we'll rally to the Post, boys, we'll rallly once again . . .
Those old songs we used to sing, we will sing them o'er again . . . (chorus)

I have found another song that also uses this phrase, sung to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." Like the one given here above, there is no explanation of this term. This unusual phrase refers to the sense of solidarity the soldiers would feel when, in battle, with the smoke of cannon fire obliterating everything within even just inches from their faces, they could touch the elbow of the comrades next to them. There is even a blog on the web that uses that phrase, "touch the elbow," as its title. Check out Touch the Elbow-Blogging the Civil War to read more about the war and experiences of these men and boys. An explanation of the phenomenon can be found in an 1860s soldier handbook as well as in a guide for reenactors.

I have recorded the song listed above on my own CD, "Songs of the War of the Rebellion," but I know of no other recording of this unusual and rare piece that, I would like to think, was sung with gusto by my great-grandfather and his comrades at the Robert Chivas GAR Post #2 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (If you would like an MP3 download version of this song, contact me directly.)

The music question I can't answer

I don't want the title to appear as if I can answer all, or even most, music-related questions, but there is one I get frequently that I really don't know how to answer: "Where do you find those songs?" I present programs of historical significance, introducing audiences to the music their ancestors played and sang, so often people want to know where I dug up the material (no, I don't write these songs ... well, at least not most of them!). I have been collecting music since I was about 8 (my first music books, besides Mel Bay "How to play ukulele/banjo/mandolin," were a Christmas songbook my Dad gave me - it has so many notations in it that, even if it were a collector's item, it couldn't be resold! - and "Folk Sing!" a great book of folk songs that has long since lost its original cover and is actually in many pieces ... but I still use it).

Anyway, I thought I'd give folks some ideas of books that might provide ideas of the songs your ancestors sang. Some of these have music notations but some are just words and chords (for those of us who are somewhat musically-challenged).

The Burl Ives Song Book
This is a collection of American (and some British) songs throughout history. Songs range from children's songs to political pieces from all eras of the country. Short introductions tell a little history of the songs.

Folksinger's Wordbook Compiled by Fred & Irwin Silber (out of print)
While there is no music notation in this, the huge collection of songs from all over the world is cataloged into sections ranging from love to murder, war to holidays.

Folk Songs of North America by Alan Lomax
This was my text book in my Cal. State Fullerton class on Ballads and North American Folk Songs (fabulous course). It is also the book I use to help me write virtually every program I create. Again, songs are arranged in historical categories and all include a commentary about the origin and events surrounding their creation. If you get just one book about historical songs, this should be it. Search the web for the best price (the range goes from affordable to collectible).

Pioneer Songs compiled by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
This is a tough one to find at an affordable price, but worth the effort to locate. Contrary to the immediate impression, it is not a compilation of only Mormon Pioneer Songs, though many of those songs are included; this includes songs that were sung by the early Utah (and other state's) families. Some songs have been altered to fit LDS ideals, but it is a great expose of the music those early pioneers sang.

Songs of the American West edited by Richard E. Lingenfelter & Richard A. Dwyer
This is another "no longer in print" book that is worth the search. Historical commentary explains the details about the songs of those who "won the west." It has a huge section on Mormon pioneer songs (not all complimentary) and other regional/ethnic and occupational sections. A good addition to one's historic music library.

Rise Up Singing edited by Peter Blood-Patterson, a Sing Out publication
This is the book that is referred to as "the hymn book" or "the bible" by parlor musicians in song circles all across America. Note-dependent musicians are frustrated by the fact that there is no music notation, but "folkies" are content with the unique chord notation that is included. Songs of world-wide interest, including contemporary as well as traditional pieces, show tunes as well as children's favorites, make this a great addition to a family's music collection. I promise, whoever gets this book will find at least a half dozen songs he/she already knows.

Songs of the Civil War compiled & edited by Irwin Silber
For those who are interested in music of this historical event, this is the most comprehensive collection of such songs, both from the North and the South. There is also historical commentary in each section, telling the history of the battles as well as the music. Songs sung on the battlefields as well as in the homefront are included.

So there is a lengthy response to "where do you find these songs?" While not all these books are readily available, they can be found through used book outlets. And if you are looking for a particular song, there is always the old favorite: Google. Search by putting a short phrase, in quotation marks, in the search section, just remember that there are alternate titles for songs and, through the Folk Process (more on that in a later blog), lyrics get changed, so you may need to try different options.

Keep singing!