Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885

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Go directly to the collection, Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885, in American Memory, or view a Summary of Resources related to the collection.

The subject matter and lyrics in Music for the Nation, American Sheet Music, 1870-1885 provide a number of opportunities for students to analyze the material or attempt to replicate the styles themselves. Songs in this collection can be used to introduce and discuss poetic devices, the expectations writers have of their intended audiences, first-person narratives and their use of dialect for comic effect, and familiar imagery in ballads and folklore. They also provide opportunities for creative writing.

Out of the Flames

Songwriters often commemorated local historical events and provided a way for them to achieve national attention. For example, the fire that swept through Chicago in 1871 is described in a number of songs. While many pieces recalled the fire, others, such as Out of the Flames, actually focused on the aftermath of the fire. Students can discuss the way in which specific details of the event may give way to poetic license. In The Chicago fire, songwriter Eff Bea uses alliteration, detail, metaphor, rhythm, and a strong narrative voice while depicting the tragedy:

Students can identify the techniques used to create such imagery and try their hand at commemorating an important event in the life of their own community. More songs based on specific historical events are available in the Music for Public Occasions section of "A Decade of Music in America, 1870-79."

Songs and Autobiography: Perspectives on the Civil War

Ballads commemorating Civil War soldiers' actions such as A Knot of Blue and Grey can be compared to autobiographical works in some of the Library's other collections. Students can discuss the ways in which autobiography might not be the most historically accurate form of narrative while examining the war imagery of songs and the more mundane descriptions in works such as Leon Louis' Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier might serve for an interesting contrast in genres. Questions to keep in mind include:

• What is intended goal of a songwriter?
• How does that compare to the writer of a diary or journal?
• Who are the intended audiences?
• How does this explain the difference between the two accounts?

Humor: Narration and Word Play

The U.S. Mail

A number of songs present narrators who rely on their vernacular, or dialect, for comic effect. For example, The U.S. Mail offers a variation on the comic German immigrant figure described in the U.S. History section:

"I'se Jake Von Kroot, goes about takes dem letters for de girls I knows; Books and tracts, pills for quacks, love lines for de beaux. I fear not der vinds and snows, drinks good beer und wear good clothes, At de girls sheep's eyes I trows, As I goes mit der mail!"

Good sweet ham, on the other hand, presents an African-American figure (probably portrayed on the stage by a minstrel) literally singing the praises of ham:

"You may talk about good eating, Of your oysters and your chowdered clam, But it's when I'm awful hungry, Then just give me good old sweet ham; Now some folks may differ with me, But their talk 'tis nothing but a sham, For to touch this darkie's palate, Oh! Just give me good old sweet ham."

Grandfather's Clock

Songwriters also allowed their narrators to toy with the meaning of the words instead of the way they were delivered. Henry Work's Grandfather's Clock is full of time-related humor:

"My grandfather said that of those he could hire, Not a servant so faithful he found; For it wasted no time, and had but one desire-At the close of each week to be wound. And it kept in its place-not a frown upon its face, And its hands never hung by its side;"

After searching on comic or examining the section Ethnic Groups and Popular Songs, students can identify the different techniques in such songs and write their own account of a favorite object or personal narrative.

Ballads, Folk Tales, and Nursery Rhymes

Ballads and folk tales are also featured in this collection. The Fox and the Crow presents a traditional story:

"One day a silly Crow Sat high among the trees, And held, within her bill, A dainty piece of cheese. Attracted by the same, A sly fox came a along, And to Miss Crow, at once, Politely sang this song...."

A Knight's love offers a tale of two lovers in ballad form: "They plighted their faith in the bower of love, And the parting word is spoken; Oh! Who could have deemed that so firm an oath Would be so lightly broken...." Students can discuss the way in which these songs fit into familiar patterns and prepare the audience for what to expect. Students might also look at these songs as well as a version of the nursery rhyme, Jack and Jill and compare them to the traditional folk tales recorded in the Library's collection, American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940.

Creative Writing

Gus Williams offers a starting point for brainstorming and creative writing in his song, The Crazy Quilt:

..."And suddenly I said That I would make a crazy quilt, But not for any bed; Instead of silk I would use scenes That happen ev'ry day, And so I put my wits to work, And this is my display:.... I'd have conductors on the train, And station agents, too, Reply to all your questions With civility in view; While newsboys, with their trashy wares, I'd bind and gag at sight, So that the travelers all would say I did exactly right. The cats that warble on the fence, The tramp dogs in the street, I'd have old Bergh transform them all and make them sausage meat...."

Students can use songs such as this and other songs, such as George Kimball's A Day dream, as a catalyst for their own poems or lyrics. Emphasis can be placed on rhyme scheme and word play.