Today in Music (1897): “On the Banks of the Wabash” hit #1

On the Banks of the Wabash George J. Gaskin

Writer(s): Paul Dresser (music & lyrics) (see lyrics here) Published: July 1897 First Charted: November 6, 1897 (George J. Gaskin); January 8, 1898 (Steve Porter) Peak: 110 PM (Gaskin), 14 (Porter) (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 million (sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.013 video, 0.024 streaming

Awards (George J. Gaskin): Click on award for more details. Awards (Steve Porter):

About the Song: Paul Dresser grew up near Terre Haute, Indiana. His family had a home and farm adjacent to the Wabash River, which was the state’s primary internal waterway. TI Even after he headed off to New York to eventually become one of the most successful songwriters of the 19th century, he would come home to visit. In the spring of 1897, he wrote “On the Banks of the Wabash” as a reflection of his youthful years about his hometown. He said, “I was born on the banks of the Wabash at Terre Haute…My fondest recollections are of my mother and of my early days along the stream.” TI He finished it and published it in July. He dedicated the song to Mary E. South, a fourteen-year old from Terre Haute whom he’d never met. IN The song was an immediate success. A department store in Chicago claimed it sold nearly 1500 records of the song in one day. TI The song was compared to Stephen Foster’s “The Folks at Home” (aka “Down on the Swanee River”). SA An Indiana newspaper said, “certainly no song since the latter has awakened so much interest among lovers of a good song, nor has any other American author seemed as capable of filling the void left vacant by Foster. TI It reportedly wasn the second best-selling song of the 19th century in terms of sheet music sales, TI selling and estimated half million copies in its first year and eventually reaching sales of one million. TI From a chart stand point, George J. Gaskin was the first to chart with it in 1897. After ten weeks at #1, it was dethroened by Steve Porter’s version, which spent four weeks on top. PM Roger Harding also took it to #3 in 1898 and in 1913, Harry MacDonough and the American Quartet got to #5 with their rendition of the song. PM There are some interesting stories associated with the song. During a Coney Island blackout in 1900, the crowd of roughly 5000 people were kept calm by whistling “On the Banks of the Wabash.” SA The song was rewritten as “On the Banks of Havana” at the onset of the Spanish American War reflect anti-war sentiment. SA It was adopted as the Indiana state official song in 1913. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Steve Porter IN IN.gov SA SongOfAmerica.net by Christie Finn TI ThisIndiana.angefire.com PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Pages 563, 643. Related Links: First posted 6/26/2024.