Battle Cry of Freedom
Encyclopedia
"Battle Cry of Freedom" is a song written in 1862 by American composer George F. Root (1825–1895) during the American Civil War
. A patriotic song advocating the cause of the Union
, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederate States of America
. The Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln
-Johnson
ticket in the 1864 presidential election. The song was so popular that the music publisher at one time had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Charles Ives
quoted the song in his own patriotic song, "They Are There."
There are two lyrics, a Union and a Confederate version. This is notable, because their citizens were enemies but sang the same patriotic song.
, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with a million freemen more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave
,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again!
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Their motto is resistance -- "To the tyrants never yield!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Our noble women also have aided them at home.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
and Johnson
, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the rebellion and on with the war,
While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might,
Singing the holy cause of freemen.
performed this song as Rally 'Round the Flag on his Boomer's Story
album. The song is also performed in the "Long Riders" (1980), with music produced by Cooder. In the film, former Confederate irregular Clell Miller (played by Randy Quaid) confronts a musician playing this song, and threateningly insists he play "I'm a good ole rebel" instead. (This is probably an anachronism, as the latter song was not copyrighted until 1915, well after the scene in question, presumably in the 1870s).
Eric Taylor
has a live recording of this song as Rally 'Round the Flag on his Hollywood Pocketknife album in 2007.
Keith and Rusty McNeil perform both the Battle Cry of Freedom and Southern Battle Cry of Freedom on "Civil War Songs with Historical Narration" (WEM Records, 1989, ISBN 1-878360-11-6)
This song features prominently in Ken Burns
Documentary The Civil War. This song is performed by Jacqueline Schwab.
Joe Hill
wrote a song based upon the 'Battle Cry of Freedom' with a socialist slant called "There is power in a Union" which has been recorded several times, including by Billy Bragg
on the Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
album. For example the chorus goes:
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters from many far off lands
There is power in a Union
Homer & Jethro (Henry Haynes and Ken Burns) had a big hit with a parody called "The Ballad of Roger Miller"...
Indie rock band Titus Andronicus
employ an adaptation of "Battle Cry of Freedom" in "A More Perfect Union", the first song on their Civil War-themed 2010 album The Monitor
. The rejigged verses include references to Jefferson Davis
, the first and only President of the Confederate States of America
, and radical abolitionist John Brown
.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. A patriotic song advocating the cause of the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. The Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
-Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
ticket in the 1864 presidential election. The song was so popular that the music publisher at one time had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
quoted the song in his own patriotic song, "They Are There."
There are two lyrics, a Union and a Confederate version. This is notable, because their citizens were enemies but sang the same patriotic song.
Lyrics (Union version)
Yes we'll rally round the flagFlag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
-
- (Chorus)
- The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
- Down with the traitor, up with the star;
- While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
- Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
- (Chorus)
We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with a million freemen more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
-
- Chorus
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave
History of slavery in the United States
Slavery in the United States was a form of slave labor which existed as a legal institution in North America for more than a century before the founding of the United States in 1776, and continued mostly in the South until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in...
,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
-
- Chorus
So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
-
- Chorus
Lyrics (Confederate version)
Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main,Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again!
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
-
- (Chorus)
- Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss!
- Down with the eagle and up with the cross!(albatross)
- We'll rally 'round the bonny flag, we'll rally once again,
- Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
- (Chorus)
Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
-
- Chorus
They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Their motto is resistance -- "To the tyrants never yield!"
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
-
- Chorus
While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Our noble women also have aided them at home.
Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!--
-
- Chorus
Chorus (1864 election campaign)
For LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the rebellion and on with the war,
While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might,
Singing the holy cause of freemen.
Modern Recordings
Ry CooderRy Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
performed this song as Rally 'Round the Flag on his Boomer's Story
Boomer's Story
Boomer's Story is an album by American roots rock musician Ry Cooder, released in 1972.-Side one:# "Boomer's Story" – 4:13# "Cherry Ball Blues" – 4:10# "Crow Black Chicken" – 2:14...
album. The song is also performed in the "Long Riders" (1980), with music produced by Cooder. In the film, former Confederate irregular Clell Miller (played by Randy Quaid) confronts a musician playing this song, and threateningly insists he play "I'm a good ole rebel" instead. (This is probably an anachronism, as the latter song was not copyrighted until 1915, well after the scene in question, presumably in the 1870s).
Eric Taylor
Eric Taylor
Eric Taylor may refer to:* Eric Taylor , American singer and songwriter* Eric Taylor , football player in the Canadian Football League* Eric Taylor , Hollywood screenwriter...
has a live recording of this song as Rally 'Round the Flag on his Hollywood Pocketknife album in 2007.
Keith and Rusty McNeil perform both the Battle Cry of Freedom and Southern Battle Cry of Freedom on "Civil War Songs with Historical Narration" (WEM Records, 1989, ISBN 1-878360-11-6)
This song features prominently in Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
Documentary The Civil War. This song is performed by Jacqueline Schwab.
Joe Hill
Joe Hill
Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund in Gävle , and also known as Joseph Hillström was a Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World...
wrote a song based upon the 'Battle Cry of Freedom' with a socialist slant called "There is power in a Union" which has been recorded several times, including by Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
on the Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
Talking with the Taxman about Poetry is the third release by Billy Bragg, released in 1986. With production by John Porter and Kenny Jones, Talking with the Taxman about Poetry featured more musicians than Bragg's previous works, which were generally little more than Bragg himself and a guitar....
album. For example the chorus goes:
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters from many far off lands
There is power in a Union
Homer & Jethro (Henry Haynes and Ken Burns) had a big hit with a parody called "The Ballad of Roger Miller"...
Indie rock band Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus (band)
Titus Andronicus is a punk/indie rock band from Glen Rock, New Jersey, USA, formed in 2005. The group takes its name from the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus, and has cited musical and stylistic influences as diverse as Neutral Milk Hotel and Pulp...
employ an adaptation of "Battle Cry of Freedom" in "A More Perfect Union", the first song on their Civil War-themed 2010 album The Monitor
The Monitor (album)
# "A More Perfect Union" - 7:09# "Titus Andronicus Forever" - 1:55# "No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future" - 5:16# "Richard II" - 5:06# "A Pot in Which to Piss" - 8:53# "Four Score and Seven" - 8:38# "Theme From 'Cheers'" - 5:01...
. The rejigged verses include references to Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
, the first and only President of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, and radical abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
.
Media
External links
- Battle Cry of Freedom at Allmusic
- Battle Cry of Freedom at Civil War Songs
- Sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom", from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
- MIDI for "Battle Cry of Freedom", from Project Gutenberg
- "Battle Cry of Freedom", Walter Van Brunt (Edison Blue Amberol 2904, 1916)—Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project.