The Campaign Songs of Old
Duke collection holds political sheet music
Thursday, March 20, 2008
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Durham, NC -- I think we’ve got another Washington
Some one who’s just as good as he can be
He’s called the man of Peace no matter where he goes
He’s just the one for me
It takes a little time for him to make up his mind
But he gets there just the same
I think we’ve got another Washington
And Wilson is his name
In 2008, presidential candidates are sticking to rehashed old pop hits to serve as campaign songs, but it wasn’t long ago that the parties depended upon original tunes to feature their efforts.
In 1916, Woodrow Wilson supporters rallied to “We’ve Got Another Washington, and Wilson is His Name.” In 1888, Benjamin Harrison rode into the White House behind “Harrison’s Victory March.” Rutherford B. Hayes wooed supporters with the catchy “The Boys in Blue Will See It Through.” His opponent, Samuel Tilden, responded with the less poetic “Tilden and Reform.”
The songs were distributed through sheet music, and much of it is documented in the Historic American Sheet Music Project, part of Duke’s Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collections Library. All of the sheet music songs were published in the United States between 1850 and 1920. More than 3,000 pieces from the collection have been put online and are accessible here. Of these, more than two dozen are songs with campaign or political themes. To access the sheet music, click here.
In addition to campaign songs, the collection includes protest songs, anthem for women’s rights and the Greenback Party as well as some that reflect the legacy of racism.
