Im a good old rebel

[1stMo Drummer]

Sirs,
I am a fan of the song Im a good old rebel, and though i know it is nto a period song, I was wondering if anyone knew when the song was written and had any information on who wrote it when where etc....
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Annette Bethke]

Re: Im a good old rebel

According to the notes by Charles K Wolfe in the material with the Time-Life Civil War Music Collector's Edition:

The song uses as its melody an old prewar minstrel song, Joe Bowers, but nobody knows for sure who wrote the words. An early edition of the song copyrighted in 1864 by Blackmar attribures the words only to a J.R.T. but the 1866 edition credtis the words to Maj. Innes Randolph, a "cultivated Sourtherner of Letters."

[1stMo Drummer]

Re: Im a good old rebel

Many thanks..This is more info than I had before..Ill keep searching.

[madasabagofcats]

Re: Im a good old rebel

Here's a bit more info:

'The essence of unreconstructed rebeldom was distilled into this song, credited to Major Innes Randolph, a Virginia lawyer, who not only flagrantly defied the victors and their rule, but satirically dedicated his resistance song to Thaddeus Stevens, the vengeful Radical Republican author of the most repressive Reconstruction measures.'

From 'Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents' by Vera Brodsky Lawrence

I've also read somewhere in the dim and distant past that Albert Pike, the infamous Cornfed former General claimed to have written the words and actually sang the song to Queen Victoria at a reception at the palace c.1866. But I can't remember where I read it...

[Delhi Rangers]

Re: Im a good old rebel

The credit for the lyrics was given to Major Innes Randolph, I believe that he served in a Mississippi Regiment. It was originally published in 1866 and was dedicated to the the Reconstructionist, Thaddeus Stevens.