Songbooks

The composer of this song, Henry Russell (1812-1900), was actually an Englishman who travelled to America. The song became regarded as of American origin.

This popular song was written in the 19th century. It refers to the gold rush of 1849-56 in the first verse, when the first gold-miners were nicknamed 'forty-niners'.

This popular song was written in 1854.

This song, which was published in 1853, soon became very popular and was frequently sung in the minstrel shows of the time.

This is perhaps the best-known of Stephen Foster's songs, but like so many of his works, he withheld his name from the published version.

This song became popular on the American vaudeville stage. The 'tarriers' were Irishmen who blasted through the mountains to make the railways in the 1880s.

This beautiful spiritual has a theme of hope for a new life of peace in 'the promised land'.

This sea shanty originated as a work song, referring to the hoisting steam engine used to load cargo. These engines were known as 'donkeys' as they were very small - less than one h.p.

This simple folk song from the Appalachian mountains probably originated in England.

A question and answer song from the Blue Ridge Mountain area of Virginia. More verses can be added using different colours ad lib.

John Brown (1800-1859), was an American farmer and opponent of slavery, who was executed after leading an uprising in 1859. The words of this song were added to a revivalist hymn tune.

This popular Canadian folk song is one of the few which show the influence of the native Indian culture.

This children's Afro-American dancing song developed from a square dance called Liza Jane'.

A West Indian work song calypso. 'Number 'leven' means 'A1', top quality fruit.

One of the many 19th century work songs, this one from the Irishmen who worked on the railroads.

This song has a calypso rhythm, but the melody is a variation on the English sea shanty 'Blow the Man Down'. It is thought to have been sung by the men loading the ships with rice, indigo and cotton a...

This song celebrates the victory of General Taylor over the Mexican Genreal Santy Anno in the war of 1846-48 for California. The subsequent Californian gold rush, when many sailors left the sea to go...

This is a river shanty about the Shenandoah River in Virginia, and has a typical call and response structure.

This song comes from the religious group the Shakers, which was founded in the 18th century by secession from the Quakers. The name refers to the contortions and movements they made dancing and singin...

This song was sung by the workers on the Erie Canal, which was built in 1816-25 and is 361 miles long, running from the city-port of New York to the Great Lakes.

American boats started fishing whales around Greenland in the 19th century.

This is an American version of a popular ballad which also has English, Scottish and Irish versions.

This was an extremely popular American folk song. It reflects the hardships of the early American settlers.

This is one of the oldest known lumberjack songs, dating from the 1840s, and and found in many different versions around North America, varying according to local traditions and conditions.