Full Answer
What is the origin of Yankee Doodle?
The earliest words of "Yankee Doodle" came from a Middle Dutch harvest song which is thought to have followed the same tune, possibly dating back as far as 15th-century Holland. It contained mostly nonsensical words in English and Dutch: "Yanker, didel, doodle down, Diddle, dudel, lanther, Yanke viver, voover vown, Botermilk und tanther ."
What is the story behind Yankee Doodle?
The “Yankee Doodle” tune was already well known by the 1750s. But tradition says that in 1755 a British doctor named Richard Schuckburg penned new words to mock his American allies. He portrayed the colonists as rude, crude, and cowardly.
Why did Yankie Doodle go to town?
The origins of the tune Yankee Doodle are lost to history now, but by the middle of the 18th century the melody was being sung to words ridiculing American colonial soldiers particularly during the French & Indian Wars. Billerica’s Thomas Ditson had a verse attributed to him: Yankee Doodle came to town, For to buy a firelock,
Why did he write Yankee Doodle?
The first version of “Yankee Doodle” seems to have been written by a British army physician, Dr. Richard Schuckberg, during the French and Indian War. It was a satiric look at New England’s Yankees. Brother Ephraim sold his cow. And bought him a commission. And then he went to Canada.
Was Yankee Doodle an insult?
It was also popular among the Americans as a song of defiance, and they added verses to it that mocked the British troops and hailed George Washington as the Commander of the Continental army. By 1781, Yankee Doodle had turned from being an insult to being a song of national pride.
Why did Yankee Doodle call the feather in his hat macaroni?
Yankee Doodle stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni? The song was not meant to be a compliment but rather a joke. A “Yankee Doodle” was a simpleton who thought that just putting a feather in his hat would make him macaroni or fashionable when, in reality, he was just a country bumpkin.
What did Yankee Doodle call his pony?
The members themselves were called macaronis. And eventually the word macaroni came to mean the same thing as dandy, or "a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance." Like one who wears feathered caps.
Who wrote Yankee Doodle Dandy song?
George M. CohanThe Yankee Doodle Boy / ComposerGeorge Michael Cohan was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans". Wikipedia
What did Yankee mean?
Union Soldier. A man dressed as a Union soldier participates in a Civil War re-enactment. During the Civil War, the term "Yankee" was used derogatorily in the South to refer to Americans loyal to the Union, but in World War I the term was used widely abroad to refer to all Americans.
What did macaroni mean?
A macaroni (formerly spelled maccaroni) was a pejorative term used to describe a fashionable fellow of mid-18th-century England. Stereotypically, men in the macaroni subculture dressed, poked, and behaved in an unusually sentimental and androgynous manner.
Is Yankee Doodle a patriotic song?
"Yankee Doodle" is an old melody of murky origins with many versions of humorous verses. During the French and Indian War of 1754-1763, the British sang one version to mock colonial Americans — but the Americans took ownership and turned the song into a one of patriotic pride, especially during the Revolutionary War.
Why wear a feather in your hat?
To have a feather in your cap means to be recognized for doing something well. This term stems from when knights of old were recognized for bravery on the battlefield by being awarded plumes for their helmets. American Indians were also awarded feathers for their headdress for slaying their enemies.
Where did Yankee Doodle stick a feather?
He stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni." Now the British were essentially using this to taunt the Americans for not being very wealthy, not being very well dressed and, generally, criticizing their deportment.
Where did Yankee come from?
"Yankee" likely originated in the Dutch name "Janke," a diminutive of "Jan" that first served as a British put-down of Dutch settlers in the American colonies, eventually applied to provincial New Englanders.
What state official song is Yankee Doodle?
Connecticut's stateConnecticut's state song is "Yankee Doodle." This popular song has an unusual history. The words were apparently written by an Englishman during the French and Indian War in 1755. Originally, the tune made fun of the poorly dressed and ill-equipped New England soldiers.
How did the British view the colonists?
Like their king, the British public initially hardened against the rebels in the colonies. After the Boston Tea Party, King George III wanted stronger more coercive measures against the colonists, perceiving that leniency in British regulation as the culprit of the escalating tension in North America.
Where did the song "Yankee Doodle" come from?
British Origins. Like many of the songs that have become characteristic of American patriotism, the origins of "Yankee Doodle" lie in old English folk music. In this case, and somewhat ironically, the song emerged before the American Revolution as a vehicle for the British to mock American soldiers.
Who is the author of Yankee Doodle?
The History of "Yankee Doodle". Kim Ruehl is a folk music writer whose writing has appeared in Billboard, West Coast Performer, and NPR. She is also the Community Manager for the folk music magazine NoDepression. The American patriotic song "Yankee Doodle" is one of the most popular songs of the U.S. and is also the state song of Connecticut.
Who wrote the song "Yankee Doodle"?
Although the exact origins of the tune and original lyrics of "Yankee Doodle" are unknown (some sources attribute it to the Irish or Dutch origin, rather than the British), most historians agree that the American version was written by an English doctor named Dr. Shackburg.
Who wrote the original Yankee Doodle?
Here are the lyrics to what the journalist George P. Morris believed to be the original song, written during the 1770s. Morris wrote about the original version in his 1941 publication ''The Original Yankee Words''.
What are the two key elements of the Yankee Doodle?
Today the popular children's version of the ''Yankee Doodle'' anthem has condensed down to two key elements: the first verse and the chorus. These two elements combine to depict Yankee Doodle as a spry, young man marching along joyfully, rather than the unflattering picture painted by the British army: Let's review.
Why did the colonists sing Yankee Doodle?
The song Yankee Doodle is believed to have originated with British troops during the American Revolution as a way to make fun of the colonists. This song has taken on many different versions over the years to include an estimated 120 verses. However, according to the Library of Congress, Yankee Doodle quickly became a form of prideful boasting after the colonists witnessed Great Britain's surrender at Yorktown in 1781.
Why did Yankee Doodle hide behind his father's coat tails?
There's also talk of Yankee Doodle essentially hiding behind his fathers coat tails as a sign of weakness and fear. After the colonists gained independence from Britain during the surrender at Yorktown in 1781, ''Yankee Doodle'' became the unofficial anthem of the new republic.
What is Yankee Doodle's hairstyle called?
When the song says that Yankee Doodle ''stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni,'' it refers to a popular hairstyle at the time called ''a macaroni'', or men's wig.
What is a doodle in the dictionary?
Mathews, the colonists were perceived as disorganized and thus labeled a Yankee. A Doodle was also a way to refer to a 'fool,' or someone extremely gullible.
What is the meaning of the song "Yankee Doodle Dandy"?
A doodle was a simpleton and the phrase "stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni" implied the backwoods bumpkins could put a feather in their coonskin hats ...
Where did the word "yankee" come from?
There are several theories as to the origin of the word, but the prevailing theory is that was a dismissive reference by the British towards American colonists and the Dutch origins of many northeast settlers. It is believed to be a corruption of Janke, or little Jan, a common Dutch name.
How many horses were shot out of Arnold?
Two horses were shot out from under him, the second one landing on him after Arnold was shot in the leg. Historian Richard M. Ketchum writes in "Saratoga" that the crucial American victory "was won in part by his extraordinary bravery, magnetism and energy. ...
What song did the Army play when the troops surrendered at Yorktown?
Cornwallis' troops surrendered at Yorktown to end the war, they march out of the fort playing "The World Turned Upside Down. ". They were met by an American band playing "Yankee Doodle Dandy.".
Who wrote the Yankee Doodle?
by Thomas Fleming. The first version of “Yankee Doodle” seems to have been written by a British army physician, Dr. Richard Schuckberg, during the French and Indian War. It was a satiric look at New England’s Yankees. Brother Ephraim sold his cow. And bought him a commission. And then he went to Canada.
Where was the Yankee Doodle written?
Instead of working out plans for a peacetime army, in 1783 Congress... Crailo State Historic Site in Rensselaer, NY is the supposed site where Shuckberg wrote “Yankee Doodle”.
Where is the site where Shuckberg wrote the Yankee Doodle?
Crailo State Historic Site in Rensselaer, NY is the supposed site where Shuckberg wrote “Yankee Doodle”. The circumstantial evidence is there; the farm was a muster spot for the militia, Shuckberg was in the area during the time when Abercrombie was assembling his force for the attack on Fort Ticonderoga.
What is Yankee Doodle about?
Summary. ‘ Yankee Doodle’ is a short poem that describes a man, someone called Yankee Doodle, and his actions. The man rides into town on a horse and sports a feather in his hat. The nonsensical-seeming moment of this poem comes when the speaker says the man called his feather “macaroni.”. The short lines of the piece, which can be explored in more ...
What is the meaning of the slang term "Yankee Doodle"?
This is a slang name given to Americans during the French and Indian War of 1754-1763. Someone who was a Yankee Doodle was uneducated and of lowly means.
What does the Yankee Doodle call his hat?
Here, the Yankee Doodle puts a feather in his hat and calls it “macaroni. ”. To our contemporary ears, this suggests that someone is calling a feather, or their hat, a type of pasta. But, it was, in reality, referring to an over-the-top hairstyle/wig that some men wore during the period.
How many syllables are in Yankee Doodle?
‘ Yankee Doodle’ is a four- stanza song that follows a rhyme scheme of ABCB. The lines are all quite short, around six to seven syllables each. The words “pony” and “macaroni” are perfect rhymes. Inside the lines, “Yankee” and “pony” also rhyme.
Was Yankee Doodle a patriotic song?
Both of these lines are quite short, and once Yankee Doodle is defined, easy to understand. No one should have trouble reading these and enjoying the rhythm.
British Origins
The American Revolution
- As the Yankees began to take the British in the Revolution, they also took over command of the song and began singing it as a proud anthem to taunt their English foes. One of the earliest references to the song was from the 1767 opera The Disappointment, and an early printed version of the song dates back to 1775, mocking a U.S. Army officer from Massachusetts.
The American Version
- Although the exact origins of the tune and original lyrics of "Yankee Doodle" are unknown (some sources attribute it to the Irish or Dutch origin, rather than the British), most historians agree that the American version was written by an English doctor named Dr. Shackburg. According to the Library of Congress, Shackburg wrote the American lyrics in 1755.
The Civil War
- Considering the popularity of the melody, new versions evolved throughout America's early years and were used to mock various groups. For example, during the Civil War, people in the South sang lyrics mocking the north, and Union Democrats sang lyrics mocking the South.
Tradition and Tomfoolery
- Even though it began as a song mocking American soldiers, "Yankee Doodle" has become a symbol of American pride. The unforgettable melody has been adapted and performed in theater, by big bands, and other variations of musical performances since its popularization. Today it's a fun patriotic song, and most people only know a few verses of only one version of the song.