Songs About Lincoln

[Gene C]

Young Abe Lincoln by Johnny Horton.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKA2Jo70wNA

You may be familiar with him.
He sang "The Battle of New Orleans", Sink the Bismark, North to Alaska and several others. He was married to the widow of Hank Williams.

[LincolnMan]

I know all those songs. He was a great artist. But I didn’t know he was married to the widow of Hank Williams. Nice fun fact!

[Donna McCreary]

Have you seen this little tune from the outdoor drama YOUNG ABE LINCOLN.
It was always one of my favorite high spirited songs. And to think, they performed this during the high temperatures and humidity of Southern Indiana summers!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFfnPQF1JzY

[AussieMick]

I dont think this one has been mentioned on the forum. It might not be actually about Lincoln the man, but it does tug on the heart. well it does for me. And I'm no socialist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht8qmL2oB1M

[Gene C]

Thanks for that post. The comments helped me understand what the song was about. Over here they don't teach American History in the public schools as much as they used to, especially events of the 20th century. European and world history is almost non-existent in public schools.

[Gene C]

Here's another song titled "Young Abe Lincoln" sung by Don Cornell
this one from 1955
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47eQtbv...&index=236

Where have I heard that tune before?

[LincolnMan]

Oldie but goodie!

[Amy L.]

oh oh this is good.

Maryland Repeals State Song that calls Lincoln a 'Tyrant' (I heard it on NPR)


As it relates to this thread, I do not know songs about Lincoln, only sometimes I sing to my daughter from The Wizard of Oz, "with the thoughts you'd be thinking, you could be another Lincoln..."

I've been tempted to compile a list of poems that are about or mention Lincoln, but there are perhaps so many, it'd quickly be overwhelming.

I really like James Russell Lowell's 'Ode to Lincoln' published in The Atlantic (July 21, 1865)
A longer, well-read Audioversion

Such was he, our Martyr-Chief,
Whom late the Nation he had led,
With ashes on her head,
Wept with the passion of an angry grief:
Forgive me, if from present things I turn
To speak what in my heart will beat and burn,
And hang my wreath on his world-honored urn.
Nature, they say, doth dote,
And cannot make a man
Save on some worn-out plan,
Repeating us by rote:
For him her Old-World mould aside she threw,
And, choosing sweet clay from the breast
Of the unexhausted West,
With stuff untainted shaped a hero new,
Wise, steadfast in the strength of God, and true.
How beautiful to see
Once more a shepherd of mankind indeed,
Who loved his charge, but never loved to lead;
One whose meek flock the people joyed to be,
Not lured by any cheat of birth,
But by his clear-grained human worth,
And brave old wisdom of sincerity!
They knew that outward grace is dust;
They could not choose but trust
In that sure-footed mind's unfaltering skill,
And supple-tempered will
That bent like perfect steel to spring again and thrust
Nothing of Europe here,
Or, then, of Europe fronting mornward still,
Ere any names of Serf and Peer
Could Nature's equal scheme deface;
Here was a type of the true elder race,
And one of Plutarch's men talked with us face face.
I praise him not; it were too late;
And some innative weakness there must be
In him who condescends to victory
Such as the Present gives, and cannot wait;
Safe in himself as in a fate.
So always firmly he:
He knew to bide his time,
And can his fame abide,
Still patient in his simple faith sublime,
Till the wise years decide.
Great captains, with their guns and drums,
Disturb our judgment for the hour,
But at last silence comes;
These all are gone, and, standing like a tower,
Our children shall behold his fame,
The kindly-earnest, brave, foreseeing man,
Sagacious, patient, dreading praise, not blame,
New birth of our new soil, the first American.

[David Lockmiller]

O Captain! My Captain!
BY WALT WHITMAN

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Together with "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", "Hush'd Be the Camps To-day", and "This Dust was Once the Man", it is one of four poems written by Whitman about the death of Lincoln.

During the American Civil War, Whitman moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the government and volunteered at hospitals. Although he never met Lincoln, Whitman felt a connection to him and was greatly moved by Lincoln's assassination. "My Captain" was first published in The Saturday Press on November 4, 1865, and appeared in Sequel to Drum-Taps later that year. He later included it in the collection Leaves of Grass and recited the poem at several lectures on Lincoln's death.

The poem is famously featured in Dead Poets Society (1989), and is frequently associated with the star of that film, Robin Williams.

[LincolnMan]

(05-20-2021 06:28 AM)Amy L. Wrote:  oh oh this is good.

Maryland Repeals State Song that calls Lincoln a 'Tyrant' (I heard it on NPR)


As it relates to this thread, I do not know songs about Lincoln, only sometimes I sing to my daughter from The Wizard of Oz, "with the thoughts you'd be thinking, you could be another Lincoln..."

I've been tempted to compile a list of poems that are about or mention Lincoln, but there are perhaps so many, it'd quickly be overwhelming.

I really like James Russell Lowell's 'Ode to Lincoln' published in The Atlantic (July 21, 1865)
A longer, well-read Audioversion

Such was he, our Martyr-Chief,
Whom late the Nation he had led,
With ashes on her head,
Wept with the passion of an angry grief:
Forgive me, if from present things I turn
To speak what in my heart will beat and burn,
And hang my wreath on his world-honored urn.
Nature, they say, doth dote,
And cannot make a man
Save on some worn-out plan,
Repeating us by rote:
For him her Old-World mould aside she threw,
And, choosing sweet clay from the breast
Of the unexhausted West,
With stuff untainted shaped a hero new,
Wise, steadfast in the strength of God, and true.
How beautiful to see
Once more a shepherd of mankind indeed,
Who loved his charge, but never loved to lead;
One whose meek flock the people joyed to be,
Not lured by any cheat of birth,
But by his clear-grained human worth,
And brave old wisdom of sincerity!
They knew that outward grace is dust;
They could not choose but trust
In that sure-footed mind's unfaltering skill,
And supple-tempered will
That bent like perfect steel to spring again and thrust
Nothing of Europe here,
Or, then, of Europe fronting mornward still,
Ere any names of Serf and Peer
Could Nature's equal scheme deface;
Here was a type of the true elder race,
And one of Plutarch's men talked with us face face.
I praise him not; it were too late;
And some innative weakness there must be
In him who condescends to victory
Such as the Present gives, and cannot wait;
Safe in himself as in a fate.
So always firmly he:
He knew to bide his time,
And can his fame abide,
Still patient in his simple faith sublime,
Till the wise years decide.
Great captains, with their guns and drums,
Disturb our judgment for the hour,
But at last silence comes;
These all are gone, and, standing like a tower,
Our children shall behold his fame,
The kindly-earnest, brave, foreseeing man,
Sagacious, patient, dreading praise, not blame,
New birth of our new soil, the first American.

---

(05-20-2021 07:24 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  

(05-20-2021 06:28 AM)Amy L. Wrote:  oh oh this is good.

Maryland Repeals State Song that calls Lincoln a 'Tyrant' (I heard it on NPR)


As it relates to this thread, I do not know songs about Lincoln, only sometimes I sing to my daughter from The Wizard of Oz, "with the thoughts you'd be thinking, you could be another Lincoln..."

I've been tempted to compile a list of poems that are about or mention Lincoln, but there are perhaps so many, it'd quickly be overwhelming.

I really like James Russell Lowell's 'Ode to Lincoln' published in The Atlantic (July 21, 1865)
A longer, well-read Audioversion

Such was he, our Martyr-Chief,
Whom late the Nation he had led,
With ashes on her head,
Wept with the passion of an angry grief:
Forgive me, if from present things I turn
To speak what in my heart will beat and burn,
And hang my wreath on his world-honored urn.
Nature, they say, doth dote,
And cannot make a man
Save on some worn-out plan,
Repeating us by rote:
For him her Old-World mould aside she threw,
And, choosing sweet clay from the breast
Of the unexhausted West,
With stuff untainted shaped a hero new,
Wise, steadfast in the strength of God, and true.
How beautiful to see
Once more a shepherd of mankind indeed,
Who loved his charge, but never loved to lead;
One whose meek flock the people joyed to be,
Not lured by any cheat of birth,
But by his clear-grained human worth,
And brave old wisdom of sincerity!
They knew that outward grace is dust;
They could not choose but trust
In that sure-footed mind's unfaltering skill,
And supple-tempered will
That bent like perfect steel to spring again and thrust
Nothing of Europe here,
Or, then, of Europe fronting mornward still,
Ere any names of Serf and Peer
Could Nature's equal scheme deface;
Here was a type of the true elder race,
And one of Plutarch's men talked with us face face.
I praise him not; it were too late;
And some innative weakness there must be
In him who condescends to victory
Such as the Present gives, and cannot wait;
Safe in himself as in a fate.
So always firmly he:
He knew to bide his time,
And can his fame abide,
Still patient in his simple faith sublime,
Till the wise years decide.
Great captains, with their guns and drums,
Disturb our judgment for the hour,
But at last silence comes;
These all are gone, and, standing like a tower,
Our children shall behold his fame,
The kindly-earnest, brave, foreseeing man,
Sagacious, patient, dreading praise, not blame,
New birth of our new soil, the first American.

Yes! Somewhere on this Forum I brought the subject of this song up years ago. I remember that Laurie was involved in the discussion also. Thanks for the update on it.

[David Lockmiller]

(05-20-2021 07:24 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  

(05-20-2021 06:28 AM)Amy L. Wrote:  oh oh this is good.

Maryland Repeals State Song that calls Lincoln a 'Tyrant' (I heard it on NPR)

Yes! Somewhere on this Forum I brought the subject of this song up years ago. I remember that Laurie was involved in the discussion also. Thanks for the update on it.

Will Lincoln go down in History,as America's Dictator President?
08-16-2012, 01:20 PMPost: #16

Laurie Verge

RE: Will Lincoln go down in History,as America's Dictator President?
I'd just like to pipe in and say that I was raised in red-neck country here in Southern Maryland, but I never remember hearing that term until the last thirty years or so.

In response to this thread, at Surratt House we try to make people understand Lincoln's necessity to protect the Union above all else, and that required questionable tactics by our modern standards.

[LincolnMan]

An excellent response by Laurie! Thank you for that!

[LincolnMan]

I don’t anyone has posted this song about Lincoln. It’s called Mr. Lincoln by Hank Williams Jr.
Can someone post a link to it please?

[Steve Whitlock]

(05-30-2021 06:03 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  I don’t anyone has posted this song about Lincoln. It’s called Mr. Lincoln by Hank Williams Jr.
Can someone post a link to it please?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fANcsFseFo

I think this is what you asked for.

[LincolnMan]

It’s a very moving song. I recommend it to all.