Axeman79 - Posted - 01/22/2010:  05:28:04

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I’m steppin’ out of my territory here because I don’t play clawhammer, even though I really enjoy it. A couple of months ago volunteers were needed for TOTW so I raised my hand. My selection for the week, which may have been on here before, is “Bonnie Blue Flag.” If you’ve seen the movie, “Gods and Generals,” then you’ve heard it before.

Here’s some of the history, according to Wikipedia:

“’The Bonnie Blue Flag’, also known as ‘We Are a Band of Brothers’, is an 1861 marching song associated with the Confederate States of America. The words were written by Irish born entertainer Harry McCarthy, with the melody taken from the song "The Irish Jaunting Car". The song's title refers to the unofficial first Flag of the Confederacy, the "Bonnie Blue Flag that bears the ‘single star’ of the chorus.”

The author, Harry McCarthy (1804-1874) wrote the song about the first “unofficial” first Confederate flag and was almost as popular as "Dixie.”

You can hear the tune, as played by the 97th Regimental String Band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LQfRXalvHQ

Also, here is the clip from “Gods and Generals”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-3WAhbulFs

Here is some tab I created by converting a midi file. I have no clue how difficult it will be to play, but it can be used as a starting place for someone that wants to learn the song:



You can find a version one octave lower in my pictures

Here are the lyrics:

We are a band of brothers and native to the soil
Fighting for our Liberty, With treasure, blood and toil
And when our rights were threatened, the cry rose near and far
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!

Chorus:
Hurrah! Hurrah!
For Southern rights, hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

As long as the Union was faithful to her trust
Like friends and like brethren, kind were we, and just
But now, when Northern treachery attempts our rights to mar
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

First gallant South Carolina nobly made the stand
Then came Alabama and took her by the hand
Next, quickly Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Ye men of valor gather round the banner of the right
Texas and fair Louisiana join us in the fight
Davis, our loved President, and Stephens statesmen rare
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Now here's to brave Virginia, the old Dominion State,
With the young Confederacy at last has sealed her fate,
And spurred by her example, now other states prepare
To hoist high the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Then cheer, boys, cheer, raise a joyous shout
For Arkansas and North Carolina now have both gone out,
And let another rousing cheer for Tennessee be given,
The single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag has grown to be eleven.

Then here's to our Confederacy, strong we are and brave,
Like patriots of old we'll fight, our heritage to save;
And rather than submit to shame, to die we would prefer,
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

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Edited by - Axeman79 on 01/22/2010 05:35:00

BANJOJUDY - Posted - 01/22/2010:  09:52:38

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That's a cool tune. I love the video you linked us to on Youtube.

Maybe I can convince Yigal Zan to tab it out in double D with g on the fifth instead of open G - are you reading this Yigal? It is your kind of tune, I think, so maybe you'll help us out here and convince others how nice is it to play Celtic tunes in that neat tuning.

Judy

vrteach - Posted - 01/22/2010:  13:34:19

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It's a great tune. As you point out, like many pop songs before strong copyright, the melody is borrowed. A song entitled "The Irish Jaunting Car" was written by Valentine Vousden in the 1850s inspired by Queen Victoria's visit to Ireland, and her ride in a "Jaunting Car". I find it published in One Hundred Songs of Ireland: Music and Words. Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1859.

http://books.google.com/books?id=oa...e&q=&f=false

The Jaunting Car was a two-wheeled cart that had side-facing seats



picture from, and described in, the Dublin Penny Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 14, 1832

http://www.booksulster.com/library/...ar/index.php

and the lyrics of the 1859 publication are:

quote:

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THE IRISH JAUNTING CAR
Music by Valentine Vousden.

1. Do you want a car, your honor? Och! sure that's the one for you.
It's an outside Irish jaunting car, just painted green and blue.
It belongs to Larry Doolan, and you'll have to travel far
To find a better driver of an Irish jaunting car.
The fare is fifteen pence, but as the distance isn't far,
I'll just say one and three pence, ma'am, so jump upon the car.

2. If you want to drive round Dublin, sure you'll find me on the stand.
I'll take you to Roheny to pick cockles on the strand,
To the Phoenix Park, to Nancy Hands, the Monument, and then
I'll take you to the Strawberry Beds, and back to town again.
Get some bread and beef and porter, and some whiskey in a jar—
That's the way to take your pleasure, on an Irish Jaunting Car.

3. Oh, then, if that car should speak, sir, sure a moral 'twould disclose!
It has carried Whigs and Tories, repealers and their foes,
Yet, it looks well by obliging all, and keeps me better far,
With my whip, my pipe, my pony, and my Irish Jaunting car.
So, if you want to hire me, call into Mr. Mahar,
And he'll send for Larry Doolan, and his Irish Jaunting Car.

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There were, of course Union replies to the Confederate lyrics.

quote:

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REPLY TO "THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG" [Also known as The Stripes and Stars] by Colonel J.L. Geddes

We're fighting for our Union,
We're fighting for our trust,
We're fighting for that happy land
Where sleeps our father dust.
It cannot be dissevered,
Though it cost us bloody wars,
We never can give up the land
Where floats the stripes and stars.

Chorus: Hurrah, Hurrah,
For equal rights hurrah,
Hurrah for the good old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

We trusted you as brothers,
Unitl you drew the sword,
With impious hands at Sumpter
You cut the silver cord.
So now you hear the bugles,
We come the sons of Mars,
To rally round the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

Chorus

We do not want your cotton,
We do not want your slaves,
But rather than divide the land,
We'll fill your Southern graves.
With Lincoln for our chieftain,
We wear our country's stars,
And rally round the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

Chorus

We deem our cause most holy,
We know we're in the right,
And twenty million freemen
Stand ready for the fight.
Our pride is fair Columbia,
No stain her beauty mars,
On her we'll raise the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

Chorus

And when this war is over,
We'll each resume our home,
And treat you still as brothers,
Where ever you may roam.
We'll pledge the hand of friendship,
And think no more of war,
But dwell in peace beneath the flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

Chorus

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Sometimes lyrics for "The Irish Jaunting Car" are sung to the melody of "Little Beggar man / Red-Haired Boy", and as I look them over the lyrics for Bonnie Blue Flag could also fit the melody of LBM/RHB.

Maybe I'll see if I can manage Bonnie Blue Flag on the banjo (I sometimes fiddle it)

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Edited by - vrteach on 01/22/2010 13:36:04

Axeman79 - Posted - 01/22/2010:  15:48:53

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The Northern rendition is very interesting. Some of the documents about Harry McCarthy state that he defected to the North near the end of the war and the song became less popular in the South.

Axeman

banjoike - Posted - 01/22/2010:  21:38:42

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Fortune......BHO member has this recorded in his Songs!

Frailinaway - Posted - 01/23/2010:  08:48:40

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This is one of the most interesting, informative and enjoyable posts I've seen since joining BHO! Lyrics, alternative lyrics, notes, tabs, history..............what more could anyone want? Thanks to all concerned!

Kitt - Posted - 01/23/2010:  09:08:35

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Here is the link to Fortune's playing of Bonnie Blue Flag, as mentioned.

Too bad about not being able to hear the banjo(s) in that Gods and Generals clip. Or at least I can't hear the banjo playing on my system, maybe others could on there's.


http://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjo...11362009.mp3

BANJOJUDY - Posted - 01/23/2010:  09:36:39

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There is quite of information in Irwin Silber's "Songs of the Civil War" - here is an excerpt:

As with so many popular Civil War songs, the exact circumstances surrounding the creation of "The Bonnie Blue Flag" are not clear, and a variety of conflicting stories has done little to clear up the mystery.

One rather dramatic account ascribes the song's origin to the Mississippi Secession Convention, where, on January 9, 1861, a Mr. C.E. Dickson came to the hall carrying a blue silk flag bearing a single white star which his wife had just finished making. According to this story, McCarthy witnessed this scene and was inspired to pen the words to the well-known anthem.

Other sources point out that South Carolina, the first of the states to secede, adopted a blue flag with a single white star as its standard upon leaving the Union, and that this was the direct inspiration for the song.

Still others take a more prosaic view of the matter, claiming that Macarthy merely dashed it off as an encore piece for his vaudeville turn, cashing in on the developing martial spirit of his Southern audiences in early 1861.

In any event, this much seems certain:The song was written by Macarthy early in 1861, and the entertainer began introducing it on his programs in Jackson, Mississippi, in the spring of that year. Its success was assured, however, when Macarthy sang it to a soldier audience in New Orleans in September of '61, winning an instantaneous response. Soon, with the catchy melody and the simple chorus on the lips of scores of marching Rebel troops, the song spread in popularity throughout the South.

Silber has much more to say, but an interesting paragraph on page 53 of the text states:

Many paradies to "Bonnie Blue Flag" sprang up throughout the South, two of which, "The Homespun Dress"and "The Bonnie White Flag," appear in this volume and are discussed separetly, immediately following. Perhaps some of the Southern literary elite were disappointed in the mundane lyrics to this extremely popular song, just as the literati had no use for the "common lyrics"of "Dixie".

The volume I own "Songs of the Civil War" was compiled and edited by Irwin Silber and has piano and guitar arrangements by Jerry Silverman. I bought it for $ 3.95 about 45 years ago. I didn't look at it much until about 5 years ago, when I started playing the banjo, and now I wonder how I could have shelved it for so long. What a great publication.

I checked on Amazon and there is a publication with the same title and I am fairly certain that it is the identical book. The index is identical, and on the same page as the publication I own, and it is priced at just $ 19.95. I highly recommend purchasing it if you have even a remote interest in songs from the Civil War era. It is a paperback (mine is hard back) and here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Civil-W...p/0486284387

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Edited by - BANJOJUDY on 01/23/2010 09:44:47

bjcole - Posted - 01/23/2010:  11:03:51

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A very early recording of the Bonnie Blue Flag on an Edison cylinder is available here:
http://tinyurl.com/ya8woh2

It is performed by Polk Miller, a Confederate veteran, and his black backup group the Old South Quartet.
More info about Polk Miller is available here:
http://www.polkmiller.com/Home_Page.html
http://tofuhut.blogspot.com/2007/02...tesy-of.html