Great Grandmother Whitley on second row, left. Turn of the century..1900..

Lone Star College - Kingwood

 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 describe events. Through music we can celebrate, lament, or send messages. In many ways, music can offer a more accurate picture of people and events than any other method available.   Once you visit the music collected here, you will be amazed at how musicendures throughout the centuries.

This chronologically arranged page is intended as an overview of American History through its music. Please write us if you have information or links which would supplement this information. Later, visit our 19th Century Popular Culture pages for backgroun on the century by decade.

music staff 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!
 
Scouting Songs
Collected song lyrics for scout troups. Great collections of old songs. Many from early American History.
A-Z Lyrics Universe Very neat site - wiki - Hit or miss on early music, but right on with today's lyrics. Some midis. Search by performer or lyrics.
Hymn Search
New Song's Old Songs has a nice long list of midi soundbytes for hymns.
 American Religious Music
Links to American gospel music sites from U of Indiana.

A Chronological History of American Music to 1900

music staff  1606-1776 THE COLONIAL ERA

Religious music was the first music of early colonists. Traditional English hymns were brought to America. Singing the Psalms was an early form for hymns. Pilgrims from Southhampton and Plymouth brought with them the Ainsworth Psalter imprinted in 1612 in Amsterdam. Music of the war was popular. It was used until 1667 when The Bay Psalter was adopted (Wikipedia says 1840.) . Benjamin Franklin wrote and published a book of Ballads. Operas appeared. A Mighty Fortress is Our God, The Eighth of January and Yankee Doodle are good examples of this period. The Trinity Psalter has examples of early singing of the Psalms.

Early Music of America and The Music of Early America offer links to early music and essays in Early American Music Journal.

InfoPlease - InfoPlease's American Music Timeline..

Mappamundi's Colonial American Music Performing group. Interesting site.

red star bullet Religious Music

The Bay Psalm Book Cambridge 1640 The first book published in British Colonial America

Hymn Search Listed above, use here for the Old Methodist Hymnal. Lyrics and music.

Sacred Harp Singing 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.

red star bullet Nursery Rhymes

  • Rhymes and Nonsense
    Rhymes, wonderful illustrations, a little history and dates.  Delightful - don't miss Three Little Mice. Links to other pages.
  • Nursery Rhymes
    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.

    red star bullet Ballads and Political Songs

  • Popular Songs in American History
    Great site with songs, lyrics and a little history.  Arranged chronologically.
  • Political Sheet Music
    Early 1800s brought about political music. Usually sung to familiar music.

    music staff 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 Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814. Other songs of this period include Rock of Ages, America, Oh Shenandoah!, 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.

    red star bullet Revolutionary War

    red star bullet Negro Spirituals and Slave Songs

    red star bullet Folk Music

  • Stephen C. Foster (1813-1893)
    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 and 19th Century Folk Music
    Many lyrics to folk music of the period and a bit later.  Mid-Century folk music here - browse further on the 19th Century page.

    Photographs and annotations from American Folklife, Library of Congress. Includes 18 hrs. of audio recording, graphics, texts. Wonderful archives.

  • The Yellow Rose of Texas
    AND the Yellow Rose of Texas written in 1858. Since we are Texans, we can't miss this one!

    music staff 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 , 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!

    red star bullet Civil War

  • Civil War Poems and Songs - a small collection of each. Links back to a hodgepodge of Civil War links.
  • Civil War Music 
    Good site 
  • Civil War Poetry and Music
    Information regarding the purpose of poetry and song in war. Also contains list of Union and Confederate song lyrics. Poetry's music too...

    red star bullet Gospel

  • Gospel Music
    Midis, information
  • Gospel and History of Gospel
    An essays about gospel . There is controversy about the early history - but its all good.
  • Gospel music - history and links

    red star bullet Mother Goose - Sarah Josepha Hale

  • Mary Had a Little Lamb
  •       Lyrics and midi
  •  The Lyrics for ...
    First Mother Goose. Written by Sara Josepha Hale.  Follow the lamb to school.

    red star bullet Work Songs - Railroad and Westward Expansion

  • She'll be Coming Round the Mountain
    An old-time Negro spiritual. The Railroad work gangs in the west sang it.
  • Casey Jones Home Page
    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
    This old song originated in a tramp minstrel show.
  • Westward Movement - music This neat school site teaches history through music.

    red star bullet Ragtime

  • Scott Joplin Don't miss listening to some of the ragtime of Scott Joplin. Maple Leaf Rag was his most famous.
  • Ragtime Home Page
    The "Big Three" Fathers of Ragtime and more. (Scott Joplin, James Scott and Joseph Lamb)
  • Ragtime Story
    Essay about Ragtime and information about the influence of Ragtimeon other music.
  • Ragtime Music
    Midis available.

    red star bullet Broadway Musical

  • American Variety Stage
    Vaudeville & Popular music 1870-1920. This is a Library of Congress Memory Project.
  • Gilbert and Sullivan Archive This is a terrific page - information, midis, lyrics, plot summaries..and more.
  • The Pirates of Penzance
    The web opera by Gilbert & Sullivan. With music and Lyrics.
  • John Philip Sousa
    The March King and sound for downloading of all his works.
  • Bab Ballads from W.S. Sullivan
    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.

    red star bullet Texas

  • Texas Music of the 19th Century
    Music published in Texas during this period. Some midis and lyrics..
  • 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.

    red star bullet Old Time Music

    Gate picture
  • The Southern Folklife Collection
    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
    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 Music
    Another website filled with links to browse for Anglo-American ("old-time") music.

    red star bulletMinstrelry

  • Al Jolson Award Winning Page
    Take a look at this great page. Take the Al Jolson Journey. Toot, toot, Tootsie, Goo'Bye!
  • Al Jolson - Wikipedia Contains biographical information and more.

  • red star bullet JAZZ

  • Jazz Roots
    Great site - take a look at the time line and all of the great information there.

    Dance bar divider

    red bullet AND, a look at an OLD magazine - in it's new format

  • Billboard Magazine
    Take a look at today's Billboard magazine, the authoritative amusement trades' weekly. First issue November 1894.

    red star bullet American Popular Music from 1900 - 1950
     American Popular Music from 1950 - present
    red star bullet Library Subject Guides | red star bullet Kingwood College Library |
    red star bullet American History before 1860
    red star bullet American Cultural History - 20th Century

    red star bulletAmerican Cultural History - 19th Century

  • Page by  Peggy Whitley

    music staffTwo 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
    Revision May, 2008 pw

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