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Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:06 am
by David Richoux
If you are in a CW re-enactment band or know American songs of the mid-1800s you should know this tune, but I am striking out! A name or even better a lead sheet would be great.

This is the first line of the song:
mystery tune.jpg

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:28 am
by Ace
David,

That song is "Kingdom Coming". Send me a PM.

My copy of the song is from a song book, "Music of America--Songs of the Union", and has the following notation:
"A Northener, Henry Clay Work, is noted for writing anti-slavery songs. 'Kingdom Coming', written in minstrel style, became an immediate success when introduced April 23, 1862 in Chicago by the Christy Minstrels, ----------------------and was used by the Abolitionists to further their cause. The song, popular in the North with both whites and Negroes, is said to have been sung by Negro troops as they marched into Richmond."

Ace

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:56 am
by David Richoux
Thanks, Ace!

That was fast... I think we will do just the instrumental version the lyrics don't work too well these days.

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:06 pm
by Art Hovey
The same tune was made popular about 50 years ago as "The Sunday Barbecue".
The lyrics were ok, as I recall.

I may be confused here, but I think it's also the same tune that Harvey recorded with the Sauter-Finnegan band as the "Doodletown Fifers". His cadenza was unforgettable.
Maybe it's on You-tube?

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:31 pm
by eupher61
"A Walk In The Black Forest" was the first thing that came to mind, except the rhythm...

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:27 am
by David Richoux
eupher61 wrote:"A Walk In The Black Forest" was the first thing that came to mind, except the rhythm...
Yes! I knew there was something familiar about the song... :D

Wonderful world of slightly jazzy Schlagers!

(but the first version Ace found is what I was looking for. Black Forest is similar only in a few parts of the melody)

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:33 am
by David Richoux
Art Hovey wrote:The same tune was made popular about 50 years ago as "The Sunday Barbecue".
The lyrics were ok, as I recall.

I may be confused here, but I think it's also the same tune that Harvey recorded with the Sauter-Finnegan band as the "Doodletown Fifers". His cadenza was unforgettable.
Maybe it's on You-tube?
You are correct, sir! Doodletown Fifers and Tennessee Ernie Ford did "The Sunday Barbecue".

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:34 pm
by peter birch
You'll find a great arrangement of this and may other Civil War songs in a piece called Postbellum Rhapsody written by Erik Liedzen for the Salvation Army. We adopted many of the tunes for our congregations to sing hymns to in our church meetings, and we still use them to this day.

Re: Slightly OT:Anybody know this US Civil War era song?

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:22 am
by 1895King
'Postbellum Rhapsody is a neat piece; our Community band played it on last months concert. I had never heard of it before that.