Colonial Music

Most music in the American colonies was music that was brought here not music that was written or composed here.  Knowing something about colonial music can help us understand more about the colonists.  There were a few type of colonial music:  ballads (story songs), dance songs, folk songs, theatre music (for operas and such), church music and military songs.  The music came from all the countries represented in the colonies - England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France and even Africa.  This melodic melting pot set the stage for a type of music to come that would later become distinctly American.

Many people lew a whole lot of songs.  It was very common to write new words for the melodies or 'tunes' of these songs.

Here is the song that I played in class yesterday - this song has many different sets of lyrics and there are even versions of it that children learn as a rhyme:



Here are some other songs you can listen too (credits to Kieth and Rusty McNeil).  These have a short historical narrative before and after them:

Soldier, Soldier Will You Marry Me?  (this is a folk and military song)
Kugadza Umambo (this is an African drum rhythm)
Free America (a song written by Dr. Joseph Warren)