The American Songbook

Some time ago, several years ago in fact, I was in Court and the judge presiding over the case (we were in chambers) noted that his children, who were approximately the same age as mine, didn't learn the songs we all learned as kids in school.  I was quite surprised by that, but upon returning home I found that was indeed true of my own. Entire groups of songs that we learned in school were completely unknown to them.

In grade school, in the 1960 and early 1970s, we learned a range of "traditional" songs, some of which, in thinking back, weren't all that old at the time, but seemed so.  These included the Hudie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) series of songs that most people believe are age old folk songs, some genuine old folks songs, folk songs of the 1930s and some well known U.S. military ballads.

Songs that I can recall learning this way, if not always understanding, include Down In the Valley, Jimmie Cracked Corn, Johnnie Came Marching Home, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Little Brown Church In the Vale,  Red River Valley and This Land is Your Land, amongst others.

The lyrics of some included cultural references that were never explained to us, such as Jimmie Cracked Corn, which is sung from the prospective of a Southern slave.  By today's standards, that song would be both rather shocking, and not exactly socially tolerable.  Others were cleaned up versions of songs that had heavy situational references unknown to us.  Down In The Valley, for example, is a Leadbelly song that includes a references to being in prison, if all the lyrics are included, 

Write me a letter, send it by mail;
Send it in care of the Birmingham jail,
Birmingham jail, dear, Birmingham jail, 
Send it in care of the Birmingham jail,

At least one standard was somewhat controversial in its origin, but it seems to have gotten over it quickly, perhaps in spite of the desires of Woodie Guthrie, it's author, that being This Land Is Your Land.  Guthrie, who was basically a fellow traveler prior to World War Two, meant the lyrics of the song much more literally than most seem to believe.  Of course, the last three stanzas of the song are usually omitted.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

One of the more unusual songs, looking back, that we learned was the Field Artillery Song.  I later had to learn it again, or sing it rather as I already knew it, at Ft. Sill.  I'd already learned it as a child in grade school.

Over hill, over dale,

We will hit the dusty trail,

And those Caissons go rolling along.

Up and down, in and out,

Counter march and left about,

And those Caissons go rolling along,

For it's high high he,

In the Field Artillery,

Shout out your "No" loud and strong,

For wher-e’er we go,

You will always know,

That those Caissons go rolling along.

I had to ask my father what a caisson was, at some point, I recalled.  It isn't something that a person encounters everyday, of course.  Similarly, we learned the lyrics of The Marine Corps Hymn.

We learned a selection of national or patriotic songs as well.  Of course The Star Spangled Banner was one. So was My Country Tis of Thee, which I learned at home was to the same tune as the British National Anthem, The Queen.  My Country Tis of Thee is much less less martial.

My country, 'tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims' pride,

From ev'ry mountainside

Let freedom ring!

The "land where my fathers died" caused some distress to us, as young children, in hearing it as thankfully all of our fathers were alive.  It would be years later before I"d actually hear all of the lyrics to the origianal song, The Queen.

God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save The Queen!

O Lord our God arise,

Scatter her enemies,

And make them fall:

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On Thee our hopes we fix:

God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,

On her be pleased to pour;

Long may she reign:

May she defend our laws,

And ever give us cause,

To sing with heart and voice,

God save the Queen!

One song we learned that was probably unique to us was the state song, Wyoming.

These songs tended to be taught in music class, in which a music teacher who went from school to school taught the songs and occasionally played the piano.  I can't recall her name, but I do recall that she tried to teach us something by making us memorize the words Tee Tee Te-te Tong, in much the same way the children in The Sound Of Music learn the "Doe, a deer" song.   Sometimes we gathered in school assemblies, seated by grade and sang them along with clips from "film strips".

Now all of this seems to be a thing of the past, and there's a lot to teach so perhaps that's no surprise. But in looking back at it, it's a bit of an open question, maybe, of what occurs when a culture loses its base of common songs.  The country won't collapse, of course, but a bit of a widely shared heritage is lost in the process.