Battle Cry of Freedom

For the 1988 book, see Battle Cry of Freedom (book).
"Battle Cry of Freedom"

Cover of the 1862 sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom".
Song
Composer George Frederick Root

The "Battle Cry of Freedom" is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root (1820–1895) during the American Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the cause of the Union, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy. A modified Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election, as well as Garfield in the 1880 U.S. presidential election.[1] The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought "it should be our national anthem" and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano "Le Cri de délivrance," opus 55, and dedicated it to Root, who was a personal friend. Charles Ives quoted the song in his own patriotic song, "They Are There".[2]

% Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21566/21566-h/images/battlecry.pdf \new Score { \new Staff { << \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' { \clef treble \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 8*2 bes8 c | d8 d d8. c16 bes4 g8. a16 | bes8 bes bes8. a16 g2 | f4 f8. ees16 d8 f bes8. c16 | d2 c4 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" { Yes we'll ral -- ly round the flag, boys, we'll ral -- ly once a -- gain, Shout -- ing the bat -- tle -- cry of Free -- dom } >> } }

Lyrics (Union version)

The Battle Cry of Freedom

Yes we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,[3]
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]

(Chorus)
The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah![3]
Down with the traitors, up with the stars;[3]
While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]

We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with a million freemen more,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]

(Chorus)

We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom![3]

(Chorus)

So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;[3]
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love best,[3]
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.[3]

(Chorus)

Lyrics (Confederate version)

Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main,
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again!
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!

(Chorus)
Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss!
Down with the eagle and up with the cross
We'll rally 'round the bonny flag, we'll rally once again,
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!

Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!

(Chorus)

They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Their motto is resistance – "To the tyrants never yield!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!

(Chorus)

While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Our noble women also have aided them at home.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!

(Chorus)

Chorus (1864 election campaign)

For Lincoln and Johnson, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the rebellion and on with the war,
While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might,
Singing the holy cause of freemen.

In popular culture

The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters from many far off lands
There is power in a Union

See also

References

  1. ↑ Destiny of the Republic. p. 70.
  2. ↑ Sinclair, James B. (1999). A Descriptive Catalogue of the Music of Charles Ives. Yale University Press. pp. 518–520. ISBN 9780300076011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 Silverman, Ballads and Songs of the Civil War, p. 8

Bibliography

External links

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