| "Battle Cry of Freedom" | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the 1862sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom" | |
| Song | |
| Published | 1862 |
| Songwriter | George Frederick Root |
The "Battle Cry of Freedom", also known as "Rally 'Round the Flag", is a song written in 1862 by American composerGeorge Frederick Root (1820–1895) during theAmerican Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the causes ofUnionism andabolitionism, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for theConfederacy.[1]
A modified Union version was used as the campaign song for theLincoln-Johnson ticket in the1864 presidential election, as well as in elections after the war, such as forGarfield in the1880 U.S. presidential election.[2] It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of itssheet music were put in circulation. The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand.Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought "it should be our national anthem" and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano "Le Cri de délivrance," opus 55, and dedicated it to Root, who was a personal friend.Charles Ives quoted the song in several compositions, including his own patriotic song, "They Are There".[3]
"Battle Cry of Freedom" proved popular among Union soldiers during theAmerican Civil War. According to Henry Stone, a Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s, the song helped the morale of Union soldiers:
Aglee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them the new song, "We'll rally 'round the flag, boys", and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory. Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent. I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line, "And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave." I do not know whether Mr. Root knows what good work his song did for us there, but I hope so.
— Henry Stone,The Century Illustrated, "Memoranda on the Civil War: A Song in Camp" (1887), emphasis added[4]
According to historian Christian L. McWhirter, the song's success and popularity among the Union was due to its even-handed references to both abolitionism and unionism. Thus, both groups of Unionists, those opposed toslavery andsecession, could utilize the song without reservation:
The ability of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" to bridge divisions over emancipation is not surprising. The song's definition of the Northern cause is purposely open-ended. Those looking for anti-slavery sentiments could find them, but these elements were not so pronounced as to offend those who were solely unionists. The chorus was the key, for it was there that Root described why Northerners rallied around the flag. The first line boldly endorsed a perpetual Union – "The Union forever" – followed by a strong dismissal of secession: "Down with the traitor, up with the star." However, the battle cry Root shouted was one of "freedom." Freedom had many meanings in the Civil War – for instance, freedom from Confederate political tyranny or the oft-perceived "slaveholders' conspiracy" – but, in the context of Root’s political beliefs and other activities, he clearly meant to suggest some degree of abolitionism.
— Christian L. McWhirter,The New York Times, "Birth of the 'Battle Cry'" (July 27, 2012)[5]
Oh we'll rally round theflag, boys, we'll rally once again,[6]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
And we'll rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
TheUnion forever, hurrah! boys, hurrah!
Down with thetraitors, up with thestars;
While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
Oh we're springing to the call for three hundred thousand more,[a]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a millionfreemen more,[7][8][b]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
We will welcome toour numbers theloyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although he may be poor,he shall never be a slave,[c]
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
(Chorus)
So we're springing to the callfrom the East andfrom the West,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll hurlthe rebel crew from the land we love the best,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
(Chorus)
As published in Hoge,The Boys in Blue (1867) pp. 477–479.[9]
Oh we'll rally round theflag, boys,
We'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
We will rally from the hill-side,
We will gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
TheUnion forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with theTraitors, up with theStars;
While we rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
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 the vacant ranks
With a millionfreemen more,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
We will welcome toour number
Theloyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
And although he may be poor,
He shall never be a slave,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom!
(Chorus)
So we're springing to the call
From the East andfrom the West,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
And we'll hurlthe Rebel crew
Fromthe land we love the best,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
We are marching to the field, boys,
Going to the fight,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
And we'll bear the glorious Stars
Of the Union and the Right,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
We'll meet the Rebel host, boys,
With fearless hearts and true,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
And we'll show whatUncle Sam
Has forloyal men to do,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
If we fail amid the fray, boys,
We will face them to the last,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
And our comrades brave shall hear us,
As we are rushing past,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
Yes, for Liberty and Union,
We are springing to the fight,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom;
And the victory shall be ours,
Forever rising in our might,
Shouting the battle-cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
Ourflag 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 theeagle and up with thecross
While we rally 'round theBonnie flag, we'll rally once 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!
Andthe 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)
Whileour 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)
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The song titled "Rally Round The Flag" was featured on Flamin' Groovies lead vocalist Chris Wilson's 1993 solo RecordRandom Centuries in which he sings all vocal harmonies (based on Ry Cooder's version).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
ranks with a million freemen more..
