Transcript From Sea to Shining Sea - Illinois State University

From Sea to Shining Sea
American History Told Through
Music
Colonial Era

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Colonists often sang
Religious songs they
learned in England.
People would
sometimes go to singing
schools where they
would sing with friends.
They sang songs like
Amazing Grace.
Wondrous Love
Revolutionary War
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Music during the
Revolutionary war was
written for many
reasons: to get people
excited about the
cause, to comfort
them, and to make
fun of the enemy!
Yankee Doodle, God
Save the King, and My
Country Tis’ of Thee
are all from this time.
My Country Tis’ of Thee
The Star Spangled Banner

The song that would become our national
anthem was written in 1840 by Francis Scott
Keys
This is the first
printed edition to
combine the words
and melody to the
Star Spangled
Banner!
After the Revolutionary War


Now you could get printed music to sing and
play at home. People would often crowd around
the piano or fiddle and sing with friends and
family for entertainment.
Folk songs were very popular. Spirituals were
commonly sung by African American Slaves.
Stony Point, Played by Henry Reed
Civil War
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The sound of the fife and drum
were a part of military life. This
is a fife that was said to be used
in the Civil War.
Bands played for ceremonies
and marching. People sang at
home for enjoyment, expressing
patriotism, and comfort.
When Johnny Comes Marching Home

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" became
popular with northerners and southerners alike.
Years later, in 1939, one child of the Civil War
era remembered:
The songs we sang were all patriotic. My niece
Mary Hill, or Mollie, as we called her, but two
years younger than I, was a little songbird. She
learned all the popular songs of the day and was
ready to sing on any occasion. "Dixie Land" was
one of her favorites. She earned the pet name of
"Dixie" by this song. Other songs that were sung
in school entertainments were "When Johnny
comes marching home again," [and] "On the
field of battle, mother."
Mrs. Hortense Applegate, February 21, 1939
American Life Histories: 1936-1940
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Washington, D.C. Band of 10th Veteran Reserve Corps
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Brandy Station, Va. Band of the 114th Pennsylvania Infantry
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Popular songs included
Dixie
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Johnny Comes Marching Home
Tenting On the Old Campground
Ragtime
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Ragtime music became popular in the
1890’s along with other styles influenced
by African American rhythm and melody.
Scott Joplin was the most famous ragtime
musician. One of his well known pieces is
the entertainer.

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Jazz and the blues
grew popular in
the 1920’s
During the
depression,
people looked for
music, movies,
and entertainment
that could make
them forget their
troubles.

WWII Music helped keep the country
optimistic about the war and showed their
support for the soldiers.
World
War II
One very popular song was I’ll Be Home for
Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby.
Music Today


Today we sing some of the same music
Americans have been singing since the
beginning.
All of the Military Branches have bands
and choirs. Presidents are announced
with Hail to the Chief. Music is an
important part of our country.
•Stony Point Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection. Library of Congress, American Folklife Center
•Sacred Harp singing-Kendall, Raymond. Wondrous Love. Stanford University Choir. 1939. Sound Disk. Sidney Robertson Cowell 1939. California Gold: Northern California Folk
Music from the Thirties. Editor unknown. Date of posting unknown.
•Organ Advertisement-Advertising Ephemera Collection - Database #B0160
Emergence of Advertising On-Line Project
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/eaa/
•My Country Tis’ of Thee-Library of Congress, Music Division
•Men Dressed in Colonial Costumes-DN-0067856, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society .
•Star Spangled Banner-http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm065.html
•Fife-Library of Congress, Music Division
•When Johnnie Comes Marching Home-Library of Congress, Music Division
•Washington Regiment-Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8171-7879 DLC ]
•Band of the 114-LC- Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [B8171-7611 DLC]
•The Entertaner-mutopiaproject.org
•Jazz poster-Historic American Sheet Music, “Jazz Baby” Music B-764, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library
•WWII Photograph-Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [LC-USW361-78 DLC ]
•John W. Bratton and Geoffrey O'Hara.
"Let's Get Together." Cleveland: Sam Fox Publishing Company, 1941.
Sheet music cover.
Music Division, Library of Congress
•Autographed photograph
of Bing Crosby, 1945.
Courtesy of Bob Hope Archives (74)
•Military and Government Photos-http://www.navyband.navy.mil/photos.shtml, http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/