The Titanic (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Titanic" is a folk song
and children's song
most known for being sung in the United States at summer camp
. "The Titanic" is about the sinking of the RMS Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg.
. Other versions from around 1920 are documented in the Frank C. Brown Collection at Duke University
in North Carolina
. Early recordings include Ernest Stoneman's "The Titanic" (Okeh 40288) in September 1924 and William and Versey Smith's "When That Great Ship Went Down" in August 1927.. According to Jeff Place, in his notes for the American Anthology of Folk Music: "African-American musicians, in particular, found it noteworthy and ironic that company policies had kept Blacks from the doomed ship; the sinking was also attributed by some to divine retribution."
Traditionally, the University of California Marching Band sings Titanic during its march up to Memorial Stadium from Sproul Plaza on the Berkeley campus.
The Great Ship Titanic is commonly sung at many Boy Scout Camps with numerous more hilarious verses added on.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and children's song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
most known for being sung in the United States at summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
. "The Titanic" is about the sinking of the RMS Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg.
Background
There are several regional variations on the song. According to Newman I. White's 1928 book American Negro Folk-Songs, "The Titanic" has been traced back to 1915 or 1916 in Hackleburg, AlabamaHackleburg, Alabama
Hackleburg is a town in Marion County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 1,430. It is also the hometown of country music singer Sonny James. James had numerous country and cross over pop hits starting in the 1950s though the 1970s...
. Other versions from around 1920 are documented in the Frank C. Brown Collection at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Early recordings include Ernest Stoneman's "The Titanic" (Okeh 40288) in September 1924 and William and Versey Smith's "When That Great Ship Went Down" in August 1927.. According to Jeff Place, in his notes for the American Anthology of Folk Music: "African-American musicians, in particular, found it noteworthy and ironic that company policies had kept Blacks from the doomed ship; the sinking was also attributed by some to divine retribution."
Recordings
- William and Versey Smith on Anthology of American Folk MusicAnthology of American Folk MusicThe Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records , comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.Experimental filmmaker and notable eccentric Harry Smith compiled the music...
, Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
1952 - Lead Belly on The Titanic (Volume 4)
- Bessie JonesBessie JonesBessie Jones , gospel singer from Smithville, GA. She learned her songs from her grandfather, a former slave born in Africa. She was a founding member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Alan Lomax first encountered Bessie Jones on a southern trip in 1959...
on The Alan LomaxAlan LomaxAlan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
Collection Sampler RounderRounder RecordsRounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
1997 - Woody GuthrieWoody GuthrieWoodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
on The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1: This Land Is Your Land, Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
1999
In popular culture
The Titanic was sung by Paul Newman and Brandon de Wilde's characters after a night out in the film Hud.Traditionally, the University of California Marching Band sings Titanic during its march up to Memorial Stadium from Sproul Plaza on the Berkeley campus.
The Great Ship Titanic is commonly sung at many Boy Scout Camps with numerous more hilarious verses added on.
External links
- The Titanic (It Was Sad When That Great Ship Went Down) – Lyrics.
- The Sinking Of The Titanic – Music and lyrics.