Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

[33rdaladrummer]

I've been thinking about this lately. As a drummer, we make a few assumptions when trying to accurately recreate the music of the period. We have to assume that northern and southern drummers played the same style, since the only source for drumbeats is the printed manuals/tutors, which were published in the north. If we don't make this assumption, then it's pretty much impossible to play anything outside perhaps the beats in Gilham's tactics or the old army camp duty known by drummers residing in the south who had been in the regular army prior to the war.

But I think that many people make the same assumption about minstrel music-- it was popular in places like New York City in the United States, therefore it was popular in the Confederate States as well. But how correct is this assumption? Were Dandy Jim and Old King Crow as well known as Devil's Dream and Irish Washerwoman?

The only antebellum printed source of music published in the south I know of is George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels. I have flipped through this book before, but today I discovered that two of the tunes in this publication, Ohio River and Midnight Serenade, are actually versions of Boatman's Dance and Buffalo Gals.

http://minstrelbanjo.ning.com/forum/topics/knauffs-virginia-reels

A popular tune with fifers, My Love is But a Lassie Yet, appears as "Richmond Blues."

I'm really just beginning to learn about the origins of minstrel music, and the more I see and read, it seems that much of it is traditional tunes from the British Isles, dumbed down, with lyrics in "vernacular." Looking though the manuscript collection of Dan Emmett, who was Scotch-Irish, shows much about the origins of minstrel music.

Even though a few minstrel performers hailed from Virginia, I am looking for evidence that minstrel music was well-known and appreciated in the south outside of large cities like New Orleans.

[joewhitney]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Depends on exactly what type of minstrel music you're talking about. "Northern" minstrel music, which often portrayed the negative aspects of slavery such as the separation of family and friends, and working hard in the fields all day, became very unpopular when the war started.

In fact, just as the country split in two, so did minstrelsy, with Confederate minstrel groups singing their own songs trying to justify slavery and put it in a positive light, even singing of how slaves freed by the Union Army desired to return home to the old plantation. Minstrel shows of this type were even held in Richmond as late as 1865.

Haven't really dug into what those tunes may have been to see how many were borrowed from British Isles melodies. Since it's much easier to borrow than invent, I would suspect many of them were old melodies, or variations of them.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19802

Lots of discussion and sources on the topic.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Hank Trent]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Depends on exactly what type of minstrel music you're talking about. "Northern" minstrel music, which often portrayed the negative aspects of slavery such as the separation of family and friends, and working hard in the fields all day, became very unpopular when the war started.

In fact, just as the country split in two, so did minstrelsy, with Confederate minstrel groups singing their own songs trying to justify slavery and put it in a positive light, even singing of how slaves freed by the Union Army desired to return home to the old plantation. Minstrel shows of this type were even held in Richmond as late as 1865.

Haven't really dug into what those tunes may have been to see how many were borrowed from British Isles melodies. Since it's much easier to borrow than invent, I would suspect many of them were old melodies, or variations of them.

"Darling Nellie Gray" comes to mind as a song blatantly about the separation of a slave by sending her to Georgia in chains to "wear her life away," but here's an account of General Pickett's band playing it on the march toward Gettysburg, from a long-post-war, highly edited collection of his letters, so I don't know how accurate it is:

So the command was given and the band played "Home Sweet Home," "Annie Laurie," "Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still," "Nellie Gray" and "Hazel Dell." Source, page 87.

But I can't think of other examples of minstrel songs that were so negative about slavery, other than including general references to the poverty of slaves in a humorous kind of way. What examples are you thinking of? And what are examples of new pro-slavery songs that Confederates sung during the war? Not necessarily disagreeing, just trying to get a picture of what you're describing.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19802

Lots of discussion and sources on the topic.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

Hank,

There is some good info in that thread especially the newspaper references to minstrel shows in the South. But the question I'm trying to answer is this: There is evidence of minstrel shows being performed in large southern cities and it is true that Sweeney was Stuart's banjo player, but is this enough to support the claim that minstrel music, in general, was popular with Confederate soldiers during the war? How many actually had the opportunity to attend a minstrel show before or during the war? What would be likelihood of a soldier knowing the words to several minstrel songs? What would be the likelihood of soldier/musician fiddlers and fifers having many these tunes in there repertoire, with the exception of a few wildly popular songs like Dixie, The Yellow Rose of Texas, and Oh Susanna? These few songs I mention are all examples of songs that crossed over from the minstrel stage to the mainstream. But what other examples are there of this occuring? Just because a handful or two of minstrel tunes were well-known in the South, should the door be opened to include all minstrel tunes?

[Hank Trent]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

I'm curious to see more evidence myself. I posted on that thread all that I could find, and it was certainly inconclusive one way or the other.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

For what it's worth, from the references to tunes being played by Confederate fifers I've found or others have shared with me, the only minstrel tunes I've found are Dixie and the general reference to "negro melodies" being played by fifers at Elmira prison.

The others are Bold Soldier Boy, Bonnie Blue Flag, Devil's Dream, The Girl I Left Behind Me, Granny Will Your Dog Bite, Highland Mary, "Irish Jigs," Marseillaise, Walk in the Light, and Who'll Be King but Charlie.

So if that's a good sample (it's probably not), then minstrel tunes made up only a small part of Confederate fifers' repertoire. Accounts of Union fifers turn up several additional tunes, but the only minstrel songs are Old Dan Tucker and Oh Susanna.

Here's another that Bill Bynum shared with me recently:

"The marching music came from their fifer whose favorite tune was 'St. Patrick's Day in the morning.'"
(Description of Hillsborough Border Guards, Loudoun County, Va., leaving home for camp of instruction in early May 1861, quoted in John E. Devine, 8th Virginia Infantry, 2nd edition, Lynchburg, 1983, unpaginated "Prologue")

I think I've pretty much exhausted google books as far as accounts of fifers playing specific tunes is concerned. Maybe I'll start looking into fiddle tunes next.

I'm curious to see more evidence myself. I posted on that thread all that I could find, and it was certainly inconclusive one way or the other.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Not finding too much...

From Battles and sketches of the Army of Tennessee By Bromfield Lewis Ridley:

p. 547

Uncle Billy, the dusky "laughing fiddler of the cove" was on hand, with scores of rosy girls and ruddv boys to "chase the glowing hours with flying feet." Among them, when Uncle Billy called "Podnuh fo' de comtilyom," was John Gueron, straight and lusty, and with black eyes gleaming amid the conscious clumsiness of the throng, and at his side, laughing and beautiful with happiness, was Lena Paxton.

Uncle Billy's "instrument" was "chuned1 up en put in cir'mstance," as he expressed it, and, because he was especially fond of Miss Lena and Marse John, who, for his faithful carrying of their notes, had contributed liberally of his slender revenues, gave exceptional zest to his performance of the favorite airs of the place and time, such as "Old Zip Coon," "Billy in de Low Ground," "The Devil's Dream," and "Chicken in de Bread Tray." The jocund fiddler chuckled over the bubbling bliss of the twain, and he lent a livelier crescendo than usual to his customary vocal interjections.

p. 469

We are getting restless about our stock—no organization—straggling soldiers threaten to take them—they swarm everywhere, some travel fifty miles a day, going to see father and mother, and wife and children and loved ones, and oh, the young bloods going to see "The Girl I Left Behind Me." That old song comes impressively before me now. Have sung "Just Before the Battle, Mother," "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys Are Marching," "Joe Bowers," "Lorena," "Maryland," "Dixie," and "When This Cruel War is Over." But light up the camp fire, boys, tune up the fiddle and the bow, bring in the old tambourine, and listen, oh! listen! to the tune of ''The Girl I Left Behind Me." As the spirit-stirring strains fall on old Jim's (our cook) ears, he begins to pat, and the soul-inspiring sound attracts servant Hannibal who begins to dance, and the welkin fairly rings when we come to that verse:

"If I ever get through this war,
And Lincoln's chains don't bind me,
I'll make my way to Tennessee—
To the girl I left behind me."

From Partisan life with Col. John S. Mosby By John Scott:

p. 197

The thunder you don't! Give us, then, 'Billy in the Low Grounds,' or 'Sugar in the Gourd,' or 'The Arkansas Traveler,' or some hell-bender of your own!'


From The story of a cannoneer under Stonewall Jackson: in which is told the part ... By Edward Alexander Moore:

p. 215
Forthwith he produced a short flute, took a seat on the foot of the stairs (in the far corner of the room), and played "The Devil's Dream," "The Arkansas Traveler," etc., beating time with his foot.

[eric marten]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Will:

Thank you for that great excerpt. The tunes referenced are interesting, Old Zip Coon being derived from the Irish "The Rose Tree" , Billy in the Low Ground and Devil's Dream being Scottish in origin, but I don't know anything about "Chicken in de Bread Tray" I wonder if it's related to "Chicken in the Bread Basket" which is played a lot in the Appalachians today.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Here's something I forgot I had. A while back Mark Jaeger sent me this account of fifers and drummers playing Lynchburg Town in 1847.

[Chip]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

I've taken a glance at some of the more prominent sheet music collections, and there does appear to be at least some access to the music from the distribution perspective.

For example, from the Johns Hopkins Collection:

https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/13905/067.017.000.webimage.JPEG?sequence=1

From the same collection, a reference to the Virginia Minstrels:

https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/23699/020.126.000.webimage.JPEG?sequence=5

Benteen distributed throughout the South. These particular printings are registered in the Maryland District, so they would have been available for distribution to Charleston, Savannah, and Mobile as well as New Orleans. (New Orleans is listed as a specific market)

[Hank Trent]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Just ran across something that reminded me of this old thread.

I was reading Letters from Alabama, written by Englishman Philip Henry Gosse, concerning his visit to Alabama in 1838, but published in 1859.

He noted that the slaves on a coon hunt sang "a snatch of a rattling song, the favourite burden being how a 'big racoon' was seen '--a sittin' on a rail.'..."

So somehow that song, usually dated as first being published in 1836 (see p. 38), got down to the slaves on a plantation near Selma Alabama within two years. For what it's worth, that 1836 version has the same tune and starts out the same, but has different words than I usually hear; don't know when the other version came about ("my old master's dead and gone, know some folks who helped him along," etc.).

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Silas]

One of my favorites

I recognize that one right away. I've seen sheet music from the 1840's which included this song. The Melodians sing this song. It's a good marching tune as it has a regular, quick beat. A solid story line keeps people listening and on step.

First four lines are the story. Next four lines constitute a chorus which changes throughout the song.

"Settin' on a Rail" (c1840s)
Words and Music --- anon.

1.
As I walk'd out by de light ob de moon,
So merrily singing dis same tune ;
I cum across a big racoon,
A sittin' on a rail.

Sittin' on a rail,
Sittin' on a rail ;
Sittin' on a rail,
And sleepin' berry sound.

2.
I at de Racoon take a peep,
An den so softly to him creep ;
I foun de Raccon fast asleep,
An' pull him off de rail.

Pull him off de rail,
Pull him off de rail ;
Pull him off de rail,
An' fling him on de ground.

3.
De Racoon 'gan to scratch and bite,
I hit him once wid all my might ;
I bung he eye, an spile he sight,
O I'm dat child to fight,

I'm dat child to fight,
I'm dat child to fight ;
I'm dat child to fight,
An' play de banjo, too.

4.
I tell de Racoon gin to pray,
While on de ground de Racoon lay ;
But he jump up, and ran away,
An soon he out ob sight.

Soon he out ob sight,
Soon he out ob sight ;
Soon he out ob sight,
Sittin' on a rail.

5.
My ole Massa dead an' gone,
A dose ob poisin help him on ;
De Debil say he funeral song,
Oh bress him, let him go.

Bress him, let him go,
Bress him, let him go ;
Bress him, let him go,
An' joy go wid him. too.

6.
De Racoon hunt do Berry quare,
Am no touch to kill de deer ;
Be Case you kotch him wid out fear,
A sittin on a rail.

Sittin' on a rail,
Sittin' on a rail ;
Sittin on a rail,
Sleepin' berry sound.

7.
Ob all de songs dat eber I sung,
De Racoon hunt's de greatest one ;
It always pleases old and young,
And den dey cry encore.

Den dey cry encore,
Den dey cry encore ;
Den dey cry encore,
An' den I come a-gin.

[Hank Trent]

Re: One of my favorites

I recognize that one right away. I've seen sheet music from the 1840's which included this song. The Melodians sing this song. It's a good marching tune as it has a regular, quick beat. A solid story line keeps people listening and on step.

First four lines are the story. Next four lines constitute a chorus which changes throughout the song.

The lyrics you quoted are basically the lyrics I know, but check out the lyrics at the link in my post, from 1836. The tune is the same, near as I can sight-read it, and the lyrics start out the same, but then they take a totally different turn.

The rather pointed lyrics about how master died are missing, among other things (I included those lines from memory, but defer to the even more pointed documented version you posted). It always struck me that those lines were just a little too--scary--for real slaves to be singing where any white folks could hear, so it certainly surprised me that they'd be happily singing the song on a coon hunt in an area where slavery was fairly brutal. But the 1836 version of the lyrics seems safe enough.

Edited to add:
It's interesting that the version I know (no idea where I learned it) is a transition form, between the one that has no poisoning and the one that blatantly explains it:

[from memory--not documented--do not sing unless you can document it :) )
My old master's dead and gone
Know some folks who helped him along
The devil sing his funeral song
With the bottle in his hand
Bless him let him go... etc.

I always took it to mean that the slaves poisoned his bottle, but the one you posted leaves absolutely no doubt. I tried searching for the version I learned, with no luck. Any idea where it came from or how the 1836 version got changed?

I find this pretty fascinating, because in my opinion, poisoning the master wasn't something a slave could joke about in the 1860s; it hit too close to real paranoia. Would be like a Muslim at his job in America singing a silly song about killing Americans today. Just... no.

So if the poisoning version ever got sung by real slaves in daily life in south, I'd have to change my world-view. Not that that hasn't happened before. :D

Edited to further add: The 1836 songster I linked to includes Fight mit Siegel on the following page, but I think the 1836 copyright date is still correct for the rest of the songs. Siegel is in a different typeface than the rest of the songs and immediately follows a picture, so I think it was added in a later, otherwise unchanged edition by being printed on the blank page that usually appears on the back of a picture (or possibly pasted in by someone on that spot).

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Silas]

Re: Popularity of "Minstrel" Music in the South

Hank, I'm on my way out the door to work. I'll send you a link to the sheet music when I get a chance.