Kingwood College Library
A Chronological Subject Guide To
AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC BEFORE 1900
One of the really neat things about music, and there are many, is that it reflects the times. Lyrics tell how people feel and about the events of the period. In many ways music gives us a more accurate picture of people and events than any other method available.
This chronologically arranged web page is intended as an overview of American History through its music. Please if you have information or links which would supplement this information.
Table of Contents
| GENERAL INFORMATION |
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| 1600-1776 | THE COLONIAL PERIOD |
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| 1776 - 1860 | REVOLUTIONARY WAR / POST COLONIAL |
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| 1860 - 1900 | CIVIL WAR & RECONSTRUCTION THROUGH TURN OF CENTURY |
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LYRICS - ALL PERIODS
- 19th century Sheet Music
- Links and music of the 19th century - from UNC at Chapel Hill
- Sheet Music - Historic American
- From the library of Congress American Memory collection.
- Folk Music of America and the British Isles
- Beautifully site arranged chronologically. Arranged also by country. Information about the origin of the songs is included. Thanks!
- Scouts Old Song Book or Scouting Songs
- Collected song lyrics for scout troups. Great collections of old songs. Many from early American History.
- Hymn Search
- Search titles for soundbytes from the Methodist, Baptist, and Lutheran hymnals.
- American Religious Music
- Links through 1840.
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A Chronological History of American Music to 1900
1606-1776 THE COLONIAL ERA
Religious music was the first music of early colonists. Traditional English hymns were brought to America. Pilgrims from Southhampton and Plymouth brought with them the Ainsworth Psalter imprinted in 1612 in Amsterdam. It was used until 1667 when The Bay Psalter was adopted. Benjamin Franklin wrote and published a book of Ballads. Operas appeared. A Mighty Fortress is Our God, and Yankee Doodle are good examples of this period.
- Early Music of America
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- Links to early music and essays in Early American Music Journal.
- Colonial American Newspapers - Performing Arts clips
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- The performing arts in Colonial American newspapers, 1690-1783. The 235,676 index entries reveal a rich environment for the performing arts in colonial America as it was reflected by the commercial press. A real find.
- Mappimundi's Colonial American Music
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- Performing group. Interesting site.
Religious Music
- The Bay Psalm Book Cambridge 1640
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- The first book published in British Colonial America
- Hymn Search
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- Listed above, use here for the Old Methodist Hymnal. Lyrics and music.
- Sacred Harp Singing
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- Information regarding shape note singing, a style that began in early 1800s. Various other links to other music sources here as well. Early hymnals were printed in 4 shape notion system. At least 38 were published before 1856.
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Nursery Rhymes
- Rhymes and Nonsense
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- Rhymes, wonderful illustrations, a little history and dates. Links to other pages.
- Nursery Rhymes
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- Many Nursery Rhymes were set to music and sang to the children during this period. A huge listing of rhymes from all periods. Historical notes are being added.
Up to the Contents
Ballads and Political Songs
- Lyrics to Ballads
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- Great site to lyrics to songs, most written during this period. A bibliography of resources.
- Political Sheet Music
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- Early 1800s brought about political music. Usually sung to familiar music.
Up to the Contents
1776-1860 REVOLUTIONARY WAR /POST-COLONIAL ERA
The printing of individual items of music began in North America only after the Revolution. Music still closely linked to England. The Stars Spangled Banner was written in 1814. Other songs of this period include Rock of Ages, America, Oh Shennandoah!,Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes and Johnny's Gone For a Soldier . Folk music and ballads were the rage. Negro spirituals and slave music came from the African slaves.
Revolutionary War
- Loyalist British Music of the American Revolution
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- Songs and lyrics to songs the British loyalists sang.
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Negro Spirituals and Slave Songs
- History of Slave Spirituals
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- An article by Radno in Critical Inquiry Journal.
- Origin of Black Spirituals
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- From Info, Please: Black Spirituals: A History.
- Negro Spirituals
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- Written by Alain Locke From The New Negro edited by Alain Locke. Copyright 1925 by Albert & Charles Boni, Inc..
- Essay - Negro Spirituals
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- Essay by Thomas Wentworth Higginson from the Atlantic Monthly, June 1867. Includes lyrics of several songs of the time. Very good.
- Georgia Sea Island Singers - St. Simons Island Gullah African American Music
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- Performing group who tells the history of the natives of the Georgia Sea Island through their music. See Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands on the American Music Path finder.
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Folk Music
- Stephen C. Foster (1813-1893)
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- Camptown Races, Old Folks at Home, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and My Old Kentucky Home are songs by Foster during his short life.
- Folk Music
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- Many lyrics to folk music of the period and a bit later. Includes the following folk headings:
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[Love] [War] [Lullaby/Sad] [Home] [Songs of the Sea] [Drinking/Crime]
[America] [Canada/Australia]
- American Folklife Center
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- Photographs and annotations from American Folklife, Library of Congress. Includes 18 hrs. of audio recording, graphics, texts. Wonderful archives.
- The Yellow Rose of Texas
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- AND the Yellow Rose of Texas written in 1858.
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1860-1900 CIVIL WAR / RECONSTRUCTION ERAS
Popular music just before and during the Civil War concerned itself with political and military events. Songs included Amazing Grace , Battle Hymn of the Republic , Dixie, I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, Old Black Joe, Carry me Back to Old Virginny, and Marching Through Georgia. Religious songs were popular including He Leadeth Me ,Gimme that Old Time Religion,Go Tell it on the Mountain, and My Faith Looks Up to Thee . Folklore music started during this period and included the music of the Indians, negroes, mountainneers, cowboys, lumberjacks, sailors and others. How about listening to Oh My Darling, Clementine!
Civil War
Gospel
- Gospel Music
- Midis, information
- Gospel
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- An essay about gospel.
Up to the Contents
Mother Goose - Sarah Josepha Hale
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Lyrics and midi
- The Lyrics for ...
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- First Mother Goose. Written by Sara Josepha Hale.
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Work Songs - Railroad and Westward Expansion
- She'll be Coming Round the Mountain
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- An old-time Negro spiritual. The Railroad work gangs in the west sang it.
- Casey Jones Home Page
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- We've broken our own rule. This research done by a first grade class: The story of Casey Jones.
- I Been Wukkin' on de Railroad
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- This old song originated in a tramp minstrel show.
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Ragtime
- Ragtime Home Page
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- The "Big Three" Fathers of Ragtime and more. (Scott Joplin, James Scott and Joseph Lamb)
- Ragtime Story
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- Essay about Ragtime and information about the influence of Ragtime on other music.
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Broadway Musical
- American Variety Stage
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- Vaudeville & Popular music 1870-1920. This is a Library of Congress Memory Project.
- The Pirates of Penzance
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- The web opera by Gilbert & Sullivan. With music and Lyrics.
- John Philip Sousa
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- The March King and sound for downloading of all his works.
- Bab Ballads from W.S. Sullivan
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- W. S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) wrote a large number of "ballads" for the magazine Fun using his pen-name "Bab." These Bab Ballads became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plots and songs for the G&S operas. Lyrics and information at this site.
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Texas
- The Yellow Rose of Texas
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- Written in 1858.
- Handbook of Texas
Wonderful source for the history of Texas music. Use search word music or gospel music or blues. Completely searchable and hyperlinked. You'll never leave this site.
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Old Time Music
- The Southern Folklife Collection
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- The Southern Folklife Collection on the fourth floor of Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill houses one of the world's largest collections of Southeastern-tradition derived music. This page has information about early country, old-time string bands, gospel and spirituals, and southeastern blues.
- Old Time Music Home Page
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- Old Time Music is a collection of great websites you can browse. Includes newsgroups, instruments, vendors, , personalites, and links to magazines. Very good.
- Old Time Radio
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- A Newsletter and other information about early radio days. Links to other sites.
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Minstrelry
- Al Jolson Award Winning Page
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- Take a look at this great page. Take the Al Jolson Journey. Toot, toot, Tootsie, Goo'Bye!
- The International Al Jolson Society
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- Contains biographical information and more.
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JAZZ
Jazz Roots
- Great site - take a look at the time line and all of the great information there.
Up to the Contents
AND, a look at an OLD magazine - in it's new format
- Billboard Magazine
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- Take a look at today's Billboard magazine, the authoritative amusement trades' weekly. First issue November 1894.
Up to the Contents
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American Popular Music from 1900 - 1950
American Popular Music from 1950 - present
Library Subject Guides | Kingwood College Library |
American History before 1860 Guide
American Cultural History by Decades
Argus Subject Guides
Two invaluable books used for research on this page are:
- The Great Song Thesaurus by Roger Lax and Frederick Smith
- Early American Music: Music in America from 1620 to 1920 by Harold Gleason and Warren Becker
Links checked & revised 9/99
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