*** see below ***

On Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:27:20 -0400 Diana Bennett <[log in to unmask]>
writes:

> 2. Songs: It is said that the North and South used each other's
melodies but changed the words. Any examples?

*** Here's a description from "Songs of the Civil War" by Charles Hamm,
Recorded Anthology of American Music, Inc., (C) 1976 ***

Fraternization of soldiers between battles was a curious phenomenon of
this bloody war that extended to music.  In 1863, Lt. W.J. Kinchelos of
the 49th Virginia regiment wrote to his father of one such episode: "We
are on one side of the Rappahannock, the enemy on the other . . . Our
boys will sing a Southern song, the Yankees will reply by singing the
same tune to Yankee words."

*** Hamm's article doesn't describe which songs might have been sung.
Here's an example I found of rival USA and CSA lyrics, set to the same
tune, an old Irish melody also known as "The Crimson Flag of Derry." ***

CSA: "The Bonnie Blue Flag"

We are a band of brothers and native to the soil
Fighting for the property we earned by honest toil,
But when our rights were threatened the cry rose near and far:
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star
Hurrah!  Hurrah!  For Southern rights Hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star

USA: "The Irish Volunteer"

Now when the traitors of the South commenced their warlike raid
I quickly lay down my hod, to the devil went me spade!
And to a recruitin' office I went, that happened to be near,
and joined the good old sixty-ninth like an Irish volunteer.
Then fill the ranks, and march away, no traitors do we fear.
We'll drive them all to blazes says the Irish volunteer . . .

________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html