50 Essential American Songs 1759-1859

50 Essential American Songs
(1759 -1860)
The classification of a song is one having both words and music.
Thus, there are no instrumental works included.
The categories include:
ballads
Christmas carols & songs
patriotic songs
religious music
sentimental songs
war songs

This list is based on three criteria:
1. songs which are representative of a musical style.
2. songs evoking their historical period.
3.songs important because of their popularity
in sheet music or music book sales.
No claim is made to be comprehensive or include all the popular songs of the time. This list is meant to be representative and a reference list for students, teachers, writers or listeners.
Some of these songs are available on the CDR:
America in Song, Volume I (see below)

Other songs are available from PineTree Productions
for a copying fee and shipping charge.

If you are in search of vintage American music collections
and CDs, go here:
AMP Store
Music Titles from PineTree Press

Do you enjoy songs and themes from the past?
Then consider joining this web group:
The Tune Lovers Society
Membership is Free.
See also
National Carry A Tune Week

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AMP

50 Essential American Songs
From
Francis Hopkinson
To
Daniel Decatur Emmett

(1759 -1860)
Selected by Roger Hall, music preservationist

Some of the songs listed below [ marked # ] are on this CDR:

America in Song, Volume I -
From The American Revolution to World War I

American Recordings Project

The year 2009 marks the the 250th anniversary of the
FIRST SONG WRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN.

To honor this anniversary, a survey of recommended recordings is being prepared listing American music from 1759 to 1959.

The recordings will include a cross section of music, including 18th century psalm tunes, 19th century patriotic songs; 20th century classical, jazz, stage & screen, country & western, rock, and rhythm & blues songs, plus more music.

Funds are needed to publish this important survey in 2009.

If you know of a possible publisher or
would like to help fund this important preservation project,
write to:

American Recordings Project

w= words/ m = music
I. Prelude to the Revolution
1. "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free" (1759) - w & m: Francis Hopkinson (the FIRST AMERICAN SONG)
2. "19th Psalm" (1761) - m: James Lyon
3. # "The Liberty Song" (1768) - w: John Dickinson/ tune: HEART OF OAK (the first propaganda song in America; words set to a British tune)
4. "Free America" (1770) - w: Dr. Joseph Warren/ tune: BRITISH GRENADIERS

II. The American Revolution
5. "The American Hero" (1775) - w: Nathaniel Niles/
tunes: BUNKER HILL and HEROISM
6. # "The Lexington March" (c. 1775) - author unknown/
tune: YANKEE DOODLE
7. # "Father and I Went Down to Camp" (1776) - w: Edward Bangs/
tune: YANKEE DOODLE

8. #"Chester" (1770/ 1778) - w & m: William Billings (first patriotic hit song with words and music by an American)
9. " Lamentation Over Boston" (1778) - m: William Billings (words adapated from Biblical passages)
10. "A Toast" (1778) - w & m: Francis Hopkinson (written in tribute to George Washington)
11. "Warren" (unknown) - m: Abraham Wood
12. #"Thanksgiving Hymn" (unknown) - m: Williiam Billings, 1778

III. The Federalist Era

13. # "The Grand Constitution" (1787) - author unknown/
tune: HEART OF OAK
14. "Beneath a Weeping Willow's Shade" (1788) -
w & m: Francis Hopkinson (dedicated to George Washington)
15.#"Ode to the President of the United States" (1789) - w: Samuel Low/
tune: GOD SAVE THE KING (written for the First Presidential Inauguration of George Washington in New York City)
16. # "Hail, Columbia! (1799) - w: Joseph Hopkinson/
tune: THE PRESIDENT'S MARCH
17. # "Adams and Liberty" (1798) - w: Thomas R.T. Paine/
tune: TO ANACREON IN HEAVEN

IV. From Singing Masters to Shakers

18. # "The Bird" (1790) - m: William Billings
19. # "Victory" (1793) - m: Daniel Read
20. #"Jubilant" (1794) - m: Supply Belcher
21. "New Jerusalem" (1796) - m: Jeremiah Ingalls
22. # "Dormant" (1802) - m: Jacob French
23. "Jefferson and Liberty" (1803) - author unknown
24. # "The Star Spangled Banner" (1814) - w: Francis Scott Key/
tune: TO ANACREON IN HEAVEN
25."Home, Sweet Home" (1823) - w: John Howard Payne/
m: Sir Henry Bishop
26. "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (1831) - w: Samuel F. Smith/
tune: GOD SAVE THE KING
27."Old Dan Tucker" (c. 1830) - w & m: Daniel Decatur Emmett
28. "Amazing Grace (c. 1835) - w: John Newton/
m: NEW BRITAIN (unknown composer)
29. "Woodman! Spare That Tree!" (1837) - w: George P. Morris/
m: Henry Russell
30. "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" (1840) - author unknown
31. "Columbia the Land of the Brave (1843) - w & m: David T. Shaw
32. "The Old Granite State" (1843) - w & m: The Hutchinson Family
33. #"The Erie Canal" - author unknown
34. #"Buffalo Gals" (1844) - w & m:Cool White/ later a 1940s hit song and also sung in the popular film, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
35."Joy to the World" (1839) - m: Lowell Mason ("arr. from Handel")
36. # "Come Life, Shaker Life" (1835) -
w & m: Issachar Bates (Shaker dance song)
37. # "Simple Gifts" (1848) -
w & m: Joseph Brackett Jr. (Shaker dance song)

V. Stephen Foster
38. "Oh, Susanna" (1848)
39. "Camptwon Races (1850)
40. " Old Folks at Home" (1850)
41. "My Old Kentucky Home" (1853)
42. "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair" (1854)

VI. Sentimental Songs and Slavery

43. "Get Off the Track" (1844) - w: Jesse Hutchinson/
tune: Old Dan Tucker [see No. 27] (Anti-salvery song)
44. "There's Music in the Air" (1854) - w: Fanny Crosby/
m: George F. Root
45. "Listen to the Mockingbird" (1855) - w: Alice Hawthorne (Septimus Winner)/ m: Richard Milburn
46. "Song of the Old Folks" (1855) - w: Albert Laighton/
tune: AULD LAND SYNE
47. "Darling Nellie Gray" (1856) - w & m: Benjamin Hanby
48. "We Three Kings of Orient Are" (1857) - w & m: John H. Hopkins
49. "Jingle Bells (or The One Horse Open Sleigh) " (1857) -
w & m: James Pierpont
50. "Dixie" (1859- 60) - w & m: Daniel Decatur Emmett

Songwriters with 2 or more songs on the Top 50:
William Billings = 4 [Nos. 8, 9, 12, 18]
Daniel Decatur EmmettI = 2 [Nos. 27 and 50]
Stephen Foster = 5 [Nos. 38 - 42]
Francis Hopkinson = 3 [Nos. 1, 10, 14]
Hutchinson Family = 2 [Nos. 32, 43 ]

Send comments or questions to:
AMP