Camp Meeting on the 4th of July
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
My Home’s Across the Blueridge Mountains
Each entry includes a brief, two-or-three-sentence-long description that addresses lyrical content, social context, and notable performers who may be responsible for the popularity of the song. Lyrics are by no means comprehensive, but include verses that may not be part of Pick & Bow’s official songbook. Definitions of words that might not be commonly used today and references are also included in each entry for further research.
This reference should not be treated as a one-stop encyclopedic source of song histories. Rather, it is meant to serve as a starting place for students (like you!) to begin considering how these songs have changed to fit the social conditions in which they are performed. By learning about the history and lyrics of songs, you can better make your own choices about what history to share, what lyrics to sing, and how you might relate the song to other experiences. If you decide to change lyrics or add new verses to a song that you wrote yourself, share with the audience when and why you made a change—they will appreciate learning more about the song and what it means to you.
What is a "minstrel-era" song?
Some songs that are part of Pick & Bow’s repertoire were performed in “minstrel shows,” which were a source of popular entertainment in the U.S. during the nineteenth century. Minstrel shows have a complicated racial history, as they often represented African Americans using negative stereotypes presented in song lyrics and through skits that featured white performers wearing blackface. Many of the songs that are popular today were once included in minstrel shows, so it is difficult to separate the histories of tunes from the history of minstrel shows. And while they portrayed African Americans in a negative light, many minstrel performers failed to recognize that the very songs that they performed were influenced by the musical styles of African Americans. Minstrel shows are a good example of why sometimes it is important to consider changing aspects of traditional music (such as lyrics, titles, or even the decision to perform a song, depending on your preference) to better reflect your own values as a performer and who you may be performing for in the audience.
REFERENCES
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2020/08/buffalo-gals-revisited-2/