Chapter 2: American Popular Music in the Nineteenth Century Pt.1
As the colonies developed, music began to serve not only religious and communal functions but also political ones. Broadside ballads, printed on single sheets of paper known as broadsides, were one of the earliest and most widespread forms of popular music distribution. These ballads, popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, consisted of lyrics printed without musical notation and were meant to be sung to familiar tunes of the day. Their simplicity and affordability made them widely accessible, and they were often posted in public spaces or sold cheaply on street corners.
Many broadside ballads were explicitly political, using satire and humor to mock British officials, celebrate colonial resistance, or spread news and opinion. They reflected and helped shape public sentiment, especially leading up to and during the American Revolution. One of the most enduring examples is "Yankee Doodle," which gained popularity during the Revolutionary War (1775–1783), a conflict that secured American independence and concluded with the Treaty of Paris. The lyrics were set to an older melody of English or Dutch origin, believed to have been used as early as the Seven Years' War. Its jaunty, march-like rhythm and catchy refrain made it an ideal vehicle for new political lyrics and satire. Although its origins are debated, the song evolved from a British mockery of colonial soldiers into a patriotic anthem, emblematic of the colonists’ ability to reclaim and repurpose cultural materials for their own identity.
Another important example of a broadside ballad is "The Star-Spangled Banner." Written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, the lyrics were inspired by the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Key was aboard a British ship under a flag of truce, negotiating the release of an American prisoner, when he witnessed the intense overnight attack. As dawn broke, he saw the American flag still flying above the fort and was moved to write a poem titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry." The poem was quickly published and set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven," a popular British drinking song composed by John Stafford Smith. Known for its wide vocal range and elaborate melody, the song had originally served as the official song of the Anacreontic Society, a London gentlemen's club. As a broadside ballad, "The Star-Spangled Banner" circulated widely in print without musical notation, intended to be sung to this familiar melody. Over the course of the 19th century, "The Star-Spangled Banner" grew in popularity as a patriotic song, and in 1931, it was officially adopted as the national anthem of the United States.
In addition to ballads, instrumental music traditions also flourished. Scottish and Irish fiddle tunes, which often served as the musical backbone for dances and community gatherings, became deeply embedded in American folk traditions. Tunes such as "Turkey in the Straw" (also known as "Natchez Under-the-Hill") demonstrate the staying power of these melodies, which have been reinterpreted in American culture from the nineteenth century through to the present day.