Lesley Nelson/Contemplator.com: Traditional American Tunes

Lesley Nelson/Contemplator.com: Traditional American Tunes

Lesley Nelson helmed Contemplator.com, which focused on traditional folk music of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and America. As she explained on her website, her interest in history and folk music led to her creating pages focused on a variety of regions, eras, and themes. This page ranks the 46 songs listed on Nelson’s page on “Traditional American Tunes” based on how many lists the songs are featured on according to Dave’s Music Database. Songs are identified by title, year of publication, and writers. Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations. 1. “Amazing Grace” (1772) by John Newton 2. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka ‘Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!’)” (1861) by Julia Ward Howe & William Steffe 3. “Home on the Range” (1873) by Dr. Brewster M. Higley & Daniel E. Kelly 4. “Yankee Doodle (aka ‘Yankee Doodle Went to Town’)” (1754) by Dr. Richard Schukburgh 5. “Oh! Susanna” (1847) by Stephen Foster 6. “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” (1863) by Louis Lambert as Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore 7. “Dixie” (1859) by Daniel Decatur Emmett 8. “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1853) by Edwin Christy, John Kelly, & Don George 9. “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (1881) by Charles E. Pratt 10. “The Battle Cry of Freedom” (1862) by Geoge Frederick Root 11. “Polly Wolly Doodle (All the Day)” (1843) by Daniel Decatur Emmett 12. “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” (1863) traditional 13. “Red River Valley” (1895) traditional 14. “Shenandoah” (1837) unknown 15. “My Wild Irish Rose” (1899) by Chauncey Olcott 16. “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That’s an Irish Lullaby)” (1913) by James R. Shannon 17. “I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair” (1854) by Stephen Foster 18. “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” (1875) by Thomas Paine Westendorf 19. “Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)” by William Whiting & John Bacchus Dykes 20. “Lorena” (1857) by Rev. Henry David Webster & Joseph Philbrick Webster 21. “Dem Golden Slippers” (1879) by James A. Bland 22. “Taps” (1860) arranged by Daniel Butterfield 23. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (1865) writer unknown 24. “Down in the Valley” (1835) by Frank Luther/traditional 25. “When You and I Were Young, Maggie” (1866) by George W. Johnson & J.A. Butterfield 26. “The Bonnie Blue Flag” (1961) by Annie Chabers-Ketchum & Henry “Harry” Macarthy 27. “Dill, Ye Terriers, Drill” (1888) anonymous 28. “I Gave My Love a Cherry” (1785) unknown 29. “Follow the Drinking Gourd” (1860) by Epe Sargent & Henry Russell 30. “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” (1910) unknown 31. “Goober Peas” (1866) by A. Pindar & P. Nutt 32. “Lily of the West” (1857) unknown 33. “The Lakes of Pontchartrain” (1900) unknown 34. “Sweet Rosie O’Grady” (1895) by Maud Nugent 35. “Chester” (1778) by William Billings 36. “A Life on the Ocean Wave” (1838) by Epe Sargent & Henry Russell 37. “The Greenland Whale Fishery” (1725) unknown 38. “Green Grow the Lilacs” (1800) unknown 39. “Aura Lea” (1861) adapted by Ken Darby 40. “All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight” (1864) by Lamar Fontaine & John Hill Hewitt 41. “Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies” (1904) unknown 42. “The Rose of Alabama” (1846) by S.S. Steele/anonymous 43. “Skibberdeen” (1869) unknown 44. “I’m a Good Old Rebel” (1857) by Major James M. Dacy 45. “Lady Mary” (1930) collected by Carl Sandburg 46. “Molly and Tenbrooks” (late 19th century) unknown Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: lists from critics and individuals Dave’s Music Database: lists from publications and/or organizations Contemplator.com “Traditional American Tunes” First posted 12/21/2025.

 

Folk/Traditional: Top 100 Songs

Folk/Traditional: Top 100 Songs

Originally this was a list of the top top folk and folk rock songs. However, I’ve now split it into two lists – one focused on folk rock and this one on folk and traditional songs. These lists were generated by aggregating multiple lists that focused on folk and folk rock and then reordering the songs based on their overall status in Dave’s Music Database. Songs are listed by songwriters, then title, and then year. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. George M. Cohan “You’re a Grand Old Flag” (1906) 2. Katharine Lee Bates (lyrics) and Samuel A. Ward (music) “America the Beautiful” (1910) 3. Irving Berlin “God Bless America” (1918) 4. Ella Fitzgerald, Al Feldman “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” (1938) 5. Francis Scott Key (lyrics) John Stafford Smith (music) “The Star-Spangled Banner” (1814) 6. John Newton “Amazing Grace” (1772) 7. James M. Black, Katharine E. Purvis “When the Saints Go Marching In” (1896) 8. “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)” (music & lyrics: Stephen Foster, 1851) 9. Patty S. Hill & Mildred J. Hill “Happy Birthday to You” (1893) 10. Woody Guthrie “This Land Is Your Land” (1940) 11. Julia Ward Howe (lyrics), William Steffe (music) “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” (1862) 12. John Kelly, Don George, traditional “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1853) 13. Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter “Goodnight Irene” (1933) 14. Stephen Foster “Oh! Susanna” (1847) 15. Daniel E. Kelly (music), Dr. Brewster M. Higley (lyrics) “Home on the Range” (1874) 16. Harry Dacre “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)” (1893) 17. Louis Lambert as Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (lyrics), unknown (m) “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” (1863) 18. Daniel Decatur Emmett “Dixie” (aka “I Wish I Was in Dixie” or “Dixie’s Land”) (1859) 19. traditional, adapted by Fred Weatherly “Danny Boy” (1913) 20. Robert Burns (adapted by) “Auld Lang Syne” (1799) 21. Stephen Foster (music/lyrics) “Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night)” (1850) 22. Richard Shuckburgh (lyrics), music: traditional “Yankee Doodle (aka ‘Yankee Doodle Went to Town’)” (1754) 23. James R. Shannon (music/lyrics) “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That’s an Irish Lullaby)” (1913) 24. Traditional “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (1894) 25. Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell “You Are My Sunshine” (1940) 26. Hugo Peretti et al “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)” (1939) 27. Percy Montrose “Clementine” (1863) 28. Frank Kidson (first published by) “Scarborough Fair” (1891) 29. Dave Guard “Tom Dooley” (1958) 30. Thomas D'Urfey (music), Frederick Thomas Nettleingham (lyrics) “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (1706) 31. J.A. Roff, adapted by A.P. Carter “Wabash Cannonball” (1882) 32. Wallace Willis, arranged by Henry Thacker Burleigh “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (1872) 33. Traditional “Jimmy Crack Corn” (1848) 34. Jane Taylor (lyrics) “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (1806) 35. Traditional “She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain” (1899) 36. Cool White “Buffalo Gals (Buffalo Girls Will You Come Out Tonight)” (1844) 37. Carl Sandburg “Skip to My Lou” (1832) 38. Unknown “Greensleeves” (1580) 39. Ada R. Habershon, Charles H. Gabriel, A.P. Carter (adapted by) “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” (1935) 40. A.P. Carter “Wildwood Flower” (1928) 41. unknown “Baa Baa Black Sheep” (1744) 42. Daniel Decatur Emmett (music/lyrics) “Old Dan Tucker” (1843) 43. Traditional “On Top of Old Smoky” (1841) 44. Charles E. Pratt “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (1881) 45. Effie I. Canning (music/lyrics) “Rock-a-Bye Baby” (1884) 46. Lowell Mason (music), Sarah Josepha Hale (lyrics) “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1830) 47. Traditional “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” (1863) 48. Eliphalet Oram Lyte “Row Row Row Your Boat” (1852) 49. Anonymous “Froggie Went A-Courtin’” (1700) 50. Edith Piaf (lyrics), Louiguy (music) “La Vie En Rose” (1950) 51. Septimus Winner (music/lyrics) “O Where, O Where Has My Little Dog Gone” (1864) 52. Unknown “Frère Jacques” (aka “Brother John, Are You Sleeping?”) (1780) 53. Eugene Raymond (adapted by) “Pop Goes the Weasel” (1852) 54. Unknown “Shenandoah” (1837) 55. Daniel Decatur Emmett (music/lyrics) “Polly Wolly Doodle (All the Day)” (1843) 56. John Wesley Work Jr. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (1865) 57. William Jerome (lyris), Harry Von Tilzer (music) “The Green Grass Grew All Around” (1913) 58. Sabine Baring-Gould (lyrics), Sir Arthur Sullivan (music) “Onward Christian Soldiers” (1871) 59. Bill Monroe “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1947) 60. William Swords (lyrics), unknown (music) “Bingo (B-I-N-G-O)” (1780) 61. Traditional “Alouette” (1879) 62. Geoff Love (adapted) “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (1927) 63. Traditional “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” (1709) 64. Billy Reeves (w), Frank Campbell (m), arranged by Rollin Howard “Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me” (1869) 65. Traditional “Red River Valley” (1896) 66. William King (publisher) “Old King Cole” (1708) 67. Traditional “This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddiwack)” (1842) 68. Jay Roberts (copyrighted by) “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” (1865) 69. Unknown “Three Blind Mice” (1609) 70. translated and arranged by Dr. Theodore Baker “We Gather Together (Thanksgiving Prayer)” (1630) 71. “The Hokey Pokey” (1826) 72. Traditional “The Farmer in the Dell” (1883) 73. Unknown “Blow the Man Down” (1849) 74. Traditional/Alan Price “The House of the Rising Sun” (1933) 75. Traditional; arranged by Harry Belafonte, William Attaway, Lord Burgess “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” (1956) 76. Elliott Daniel “Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)” (1685) 77. Verna Hills “The Wheels on the Bus” (1939) 78. Traditional “Hickory Dickory Dock” (1744) 79. “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” (1910) 80. Dr. Alfred B. Smith “If You’re Happy and You Know It” (1905) 81. Unknown “The Wayfaring Stranger” (1807) 82. Traditional “Sweet Betsy from Pike” (1851) 83. Lester A. Walton, C. Lucky Roberts “Billy Boy” (1800) 84. Clarence (Tom) Ashley “The Coo Coo Bird” (1929) 85. “Ring Around the Rosie” (1881) 86. Bill Dooley “Frankie and Johnny” (1899) 87. “Rock Island Line” (1937) 88. Traditional “The Midnight Special” (1923) 89. Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins “Peter Cottontail” (1950) 90. H. Wylie “Kumbaya” (1926) 91. Jean-Jacques Rousseau “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” (1752) 92. “John Henry” (1859) 93. Ken Darby (adapted by) “Aura Lea” (1861) 94. Carl Sandburg “Down by the Riverside” (1918) 95. “Do You Know the Muffin Man” (1829) 96. Epe Sargent (lyrics), Henry Russell (music) “Follow the Drinking Gourd” (1860) 97. “Hush Little Baby” (1918) 98. “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” (1842) 99. “Over the River and Through the Woods” (1844) 100. “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” (1870) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk Rock Songs” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Modern Folk Songs (1980-)” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk/Americana Albums of All Time” First posted 4/19/2020; last updated 11/17/2025.

Gospel Songs & Hymns: Top 100

Gospel Songs & Hymns: Top 100 Songs

More than 30 lists focused on gospel songs or hymns were aggregated to create this list. The top 50 point getters were ranked first. After that, any songs featured on 2 or more lists were ranked by overall DMDB points and then re-ordered based on their points specifically on gospel songs and hymns lists. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
1	Amazing Grace	John Newton (w)	1779	The Pipes & Drums & Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (1972)
2	How Great Thou Art	Carl Boberg (w)	1885	George Beverly Shea (1955)
3	What a Friend We Have in Jesus	Hartius Bonar (w), Charles Crozat Converse (m)	1876
4	It Is Well with My Soul	Horacio C. Spafford (w), Paul P. Bliss (m)	1873
5	Blessed Assurance	Fanny Crosby	1873
6	Oh Happy Day	Philip Doddridge (w)	1891	Edwin Hawkins Singers with Dorothy Combs Morrison (1969)
7	I'll Fly Away	Albert E. Brumley	1929	The Chuck Wagon Gang (1948)
8	Be Thou My Vision	Elizabeth Byrne (w), Dallan Forgaill (m)	1905
9	Abide with Me	Henry Francis Lyte (w), William Henry Monk (m)	1861
10	Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty	Reginald Heber (w), John Bacchus Dykes (m)	1826

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
11	Take My Hand, Precious Lord	Thomas A. Dorsey	1932	Thomas A. Dorsey (1932)
12	Rock of Ages	Augustus Montague Toplady (w), Thomas Hastings (m)	1763	Alma Gluck & Louise Homer (1914)
13	Jesus Paid It All	Elvina Hall	1865
14	His Eye Is on the Sparrow	C.D. Martin, C.H. Gabriel	1905	Mahalia Jackson (1951)
15	The Old Rugged Cross	Rev. George Bennard (m/w)	1913	Homer Rodeheaver with Virginia Asher (1921)
16	Morning Has Broken	Eleanor Farjeon/Bunessan/Rick Wakeman	1931	Cat Stevens (1971)
17	Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)	Ada R. Habershon, Charles H. Gabriel, A.P. Carter (adapted by)	1907	The Carter Family (1935)
18	There'll Be Peace in the Valley	Thomas A. Dorsey	1937	Elvis Presley (1957)
19	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	Geoff Love (adapted)	1927	Laurie London (1957)
20	Great Is Thy Faithfulness	Thomas Chisolm	1923	Jordan Smith (2015)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
21	When I Survey the Wondrous Cross	Isaac Watts	1707
22	I Saw the Light	Hank Williams	1947	Hank Williams (1948)
23	Just a Closer Walk with Thee		1941	Jimmie Rodgers (1960)
24	Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing	Robert Robinson	1757
25	Swing Low, Sweet Chariot	Wallace Willis, arranged by Henry Thacker Burleigh	1873	Fisk Jubilee Singers (1910)
26	Give Me That Old Time Religion	Charles Davis Tillman	1873	Etta James (1983)
27	Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen		1867	Marian Anderson (1925)
28	All Hail the Power of Jesus Name	Edward Perronet	1779
29	All Creatures of Our God and King	St. Francis of Assisi	1225
30	Touch the Hem of His Garment		1956	The Soul Stirrers (1956)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
31	When the Saints Go Marching In	James M. Black/Katharine E. Purvis	1896	Louis Armstrong (1939)
32	Crown Him with Many Crowns	Matthew Bridges, Godfrey Thring	1852
33	Mary Don't You Weep	traditional	1915	Swan Silvertones (1959)
34	There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood	William Cowper	1771
35	In the Garden	C. Austin Miles	1912	Elvis Presley (1967)
36	Just As I Am	Charlotte Elliot (w)	1834
37	Move on Up a Little Higher	Rev. William Herbert Brewster	1946	Mahalia Jackson (1948)
38	Jerusalem	William Blake (w), Hubert Parry (m)	1916	Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1973)
39	How Firm a Foundation	John Rippon	1787
40	The Lord's My Shepherd	traditional (w), Jessie Seymour Irvine (m)	1871

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
41	Jesus on the Mainline	traditional	1960	Ry Cooder (1974)
42	Down by the Riverside	Carl Sandburg	1918	The Four Lads (1953)
43	Wings of a Dove	Bob Ferguson	1958	Ferlin Husky (1960)
44	Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer	William Williams (w), John Hughes (m)	1745
45	Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus	Helen Lemmel	1922
46	The Lord's Prayer	Albert Hay Malotte	1935	Sister Janet Meade (1974)
47	I Vow to Thee My Country	Sir Cecil Spring Rice (w), traditional	1910
48	Ave Maria	Charles Gounod/J.S. Bach (m)/Franz Schubert (m)	1825	Enrico Caruso (1913)
49	Great Is Your Mercy	Donnie McClurkin	2000	Donnie McClurkin (2000)
50	Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho	traditional	1930	Elvis Presley (1960)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
51	All Things Bright and Beautiful	Cecil Frances Alexander (w)	1849
52	Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour	Frances Jane Crosby (w), William Howard Doane (m)	1870	Lyle Lovett (1992)
53	O God, Our Help in Ages Past	Isaac Watts (w), William Croft (m)	1708
54	A Mighty Fortress Is Our God	Martin Luther	1529
55	Nearer My God to Thee	Sarah Adams Flower (w), Lowell Mason (m)	1861	Richard Jose (1906)
56	Shackles (Praise You)	Erica Atkins, Trecina Atkins, Warryn Campbell, Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert, Duane Hitchings	2000	Mary Mary (2000)
57	In the Sweet Bye and Bye	Joseph Philbrick Webster (m), Sanford F. Bennett	1868
58	Bridge Over Troubled Water	Paul Simon	1970	Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
59	Never Would Have Made It	Matthew Brownie, Marvin Sapp	2008	Marvin Sapp (2008)
60	Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)	William Whiting (w), John Bacchus Dykes (m)	1860

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
61	Jesus Loves Me	Anne Warner (w), William Bradbury (m)	1862
62	At the Cross	Isaac Watts (w), R.E. Hudson (m)	1707
63	When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder	James M. Black (m/w)	1893	Haydn Quartet with Harry Macdonough (1906)
64	Jesus Is Just Alright	Art Reynolds	1966	The Doobie Brothers (1972)
65	The Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka "Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!")	Julia Ward Howe (w), William Steffe (m)	1862	Charles Harrison & the Columbia Stellar Quartet (1918)
66	I Surrender All	Judson W. Van DeVenter	1896
67	People Get Ready	Curtis Mayfield	1965	The Impressions (1965)
68	Dear Lord and Father of Mankind	John Greeleaf Whittier (w), Hubert Parry (m)	1872
69	I Need Thee Every Hour	Annie S. Hawks (w), Rev. Robert Lowry (m)	1872
70	Onward Christian Soldiers	Sabine Baring-Gould (w), Sir Arthur Sullivan (m)	1871	Harry Simeone Chorale (1960)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
71	My Sweet Lord	George Harrison	1970	George Harrison (1970)
72	The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended	John Ellerton (w)	1870
73	Awesome	Charles Jenkins	2012	Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago
74	I’ll Take You There	Al Bell	1972	The Staple Singers (1972)
75	Let the Church Say Amen	Andraé Crouch	2011	Andraé Crouch & Marvin Winans (2011)
76	Faith of Our Fathers	Frederick William Faber (w), Henri F. Hemy (m)	1849
77	Up to the Mountain	Patty Griffin	2007	Kelly Clarkson with Jeff Beck (2007)
78	Fairest Lord Jesus (Crusader's Hymn)	anonymous	1850
79	For the Beauty of the Earth	Folliott Sandford Pierpont	1864
80	Hallelujah Chorus	George Frideric Handel	1741	Reginald McAll (1916)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
81	This Train	Flick/Foley/Paine/Kirkland	1922	Sister Rosette Tharpe (1939)
82	Wade in the Water	unknown	1901	Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (1961)
83	We Shall Overcome	Charles Albert Tindley	1901	Pete Seeger
84	Shall We Gather at the River? (aka "Beautiful River" and "Hanson Place")	Robert Lowry	1864
85	Grateful	Eric Davis, Deon Kipping, James Leon Hairston	2005	Hezekiah Walker & the Love Fellowship Choir
86	Make Me a Channel of Your Peace	Sebastian Temple	1967	Sinéad O'Connor (1997)
87	Put Your Hand in the Hand	Gene MacLellan	1971	Ocean (1971)
88	How Great Is Our God	Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash	2004	Chris Tomlin (2004)
89	Michael Row the Boat Ashore	traditional	1867	The Highwaymen (1961)
90	10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)	Matt Redman	2013	Matt Redman (2013)

Rank	Song Title	Songwriter(s), w = words, m = music	Year of Publiciation	Highest Ranked DMDB Version, if applicable (Year of Release)
91	A Change Is Gonna Come	Sam Cooke	1964	Sam Cooke (1964)
92	Yah Mo B There	James Ingram, Quincy Jones, Michael McDonald, Rod Temperton	1983	James Ingram & Michael McDonald (1983)
93	Wholy Holy	Marvin Gaye, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Cleveland	1971	Aretha Franklin (1972)
94	Wanna Be Happy?	Kirk Franklin, Al Green	2015	Kirk Franklin (2015)
95	Blessings	Chancelor J. Bennett, Peter Wilkins, Nico Segal, Nate Fox, Fred Hammond, Byron Cage	2016	Chance the Rapper (2016)
96	The Battle Is the Lord's	V. Michael McKay	1996	Yolanda Adams (1996)
97	Lead Kindly Light	John Henry Newman (w), John Bacchus Dykes (m)	1868
98	Love Lifted Me	James Rowe, Howard E. Smith	1912	Kenny Rogers (1975)
99	Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us	Dorothy Ann Thrupp	1836
100	Safe in the Arms of Jesus	Frances Jane Crosby (w), William Howard Doane (m)	1870

Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” First posted 9/1/2023.

Ronald Herder 500 Best-Loved Song Lyrics

Ronald Herder: Best-Loved Song Lyrics: Top 100

The book 500 Best-Loved Song Lyrics, collected and edited by Ronald Herder, was published by Dover in 1998. It doesn’t offer any background or history about the songs, focusing just on printing the lyrics. The book doesn’t rank the songs but I have created a top 100 ranking by looking at how many other lists the songs are featured on. Publication years for songs and the songwriters are indicated, but no specific artist is attached to each song. Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations 1. “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (1911) by Irving Berlin 2. “St. Louis Blues” (1914) by W.C. Handy 3. “Amazing Grace” (1772) by John Newton 4. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (1908) by Albert Von Tilzer & Jack Norworth 5. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka ‘Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!’)” (1861) by Julia Ward Howe & William Steffe 6. “When the Saints Go Marching In” (1880) by James M. Black & Katharine E. Purvis 7. “Over There” (1917) by George M. Cohan 8. “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)” (1906) by George M. Cohan 9. “The Star-Spangled Banner” (1814) by Francis Scott Key & John Stafford Smith 10. “Silent Night” (1818) by Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber, & John Freeman Young 11. “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” (1902) by Hughie Cannon & Johnnie Queen 12. “Home on the Range” (1873) by Dr. Brewster M. Higley & Daniel E. Kelly 13. “America the Beautiful” (1895) by Katherine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward 14. Billy Murray “Give My Regards to Broadway” (1905) by George M. Cohan 15. “You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)” (1913) by Jimmy Monaco & Joseph McCarthy 16. “Yankee Doodle Boy” (1905) by George M. Cohan 17. “Jingle Bells” (1857) by James S. Pierpont 18. “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (1806) by Jane Taylor 19. “Oh! Susanna” (1847) by Stephen Foster 20. Arthur Collins with Bryon G. Harlan “Darktown Strutters’ Ball” (1918) by Shelton Brooks 21. “Some of These Days” (1911) by Shelton Brooks 22. “Shine on Harvest Moon” (1909) by Jack Norworth & Nora Bayes 23. “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (1706) by Thomas D’Ufey & Frederick Thomas Nettingham 24. “Swanee” (1920) by George Gershwin & Iving Caesar 25. “Hello Ma Baby” (1899) by Joseph E. Howard & Ida Emerson 26. “After the Ball” (1892) by Charles K. Harris 27. “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” (1832) by Henry Carey/music: traditional French melody 28. “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” (1863) by Louis Lambert as Parick Sarsfield Gilmore 29. “Tiger Rag” (1918) by Harry DeCosta & the Original Dixieland Jazz Band 30. “Dixie” (1859) by Daniel Decatur Emmett 31. “My Melancholy Baby” (1928) by Ernie Burnett & George A. Norton 32. “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (1894) by traditional 33. “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis” (1904) by Arthur B. Sterling & Kerry Mills 34. “O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)” (1751) first published by John Francis Wade 35. “Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night)” (1850) by Stephen Foster 36. “For Me and My Gal” (1942) by George Meyer, Edgar Leslie, & E. Ray Goetz 37. “Carolina in the Morning” (1923) by Walter Donaldson & Gus Kahn 38. “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” (1909) by Edward Madden & Gus Edwards 39. “Moonlight Bay” (1912) by Edward Madden & Percy Wenrich 40. “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” (1910) by Leo Friedman & Beth Slater Whitson 41. “In the Good Old Summertime” (1902) by Ren Shields & George Evans 42. “Joy to the World” (1719) by George Frideric Handel & Isaac Watts, arranged by Lowell Mason 43. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (1852) by Eliphalet Oram Lyte 44. “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1853) by Edwin Christy, John Kelly, & Don George 45. “Peg O’ My Heart” (1913) by Alfred Bryan & Fred Fisher 46. “After You’ve Gone” (1918) by Turner Layton & Henry Creamer 47. “Anchors Aweigh (U.S. Navy Song)” (1906) by Alfred Hart Miles, Royal Lovell, Charles A. Zimmerman, & George D. Lottman 48. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (1739) by Charles Wesley & Felix Mendessohn 49. “O Holy Night (Minuit, Chrétiens)” (1847) by Adolphe Adam & John Sullivan Dwight 50. “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)” (1903) by Richard H. Gerard & Harry Armstrong 51. “Whispering” (1920) by John Schonberger, Richard Coburn, & Vincent Rose 52. “Oh, You Beautiful Doll” (1911) by Nat D. Ayer & Seymour Brown 53. “Auld Lang Syne” (1799) adapted by Robert Burns 54. “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)” (1892) by Hary Dacre 55. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (1873) by Wallace Willis, arranged by Henry Thacker Burleigh 56. “On Top of Old Smoky” (1841) traditional 57. “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” (1899) traditional 58. “Clementine” (1884) by Percy Montrose 59. “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1830) by Lowell Mason & Sarah Josepha Hale 60. “London Bridge is Falling Down” (1744) writer unknown 61. “Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” (1780) traditional 62. “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)” (1851) 63. “Home Sweet Home” (1823) by John Howard Payne, arranged by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop 64. “Turkey in the Straw” (1820) by George Washington Dixon, Bob Farell, Otto Bunnell/traditional 65. “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” (1918) by Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, & Jean Schwartz 66. “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” (1922) by Turner Layton & Henry Creamer 67. “My Old Kentucky Home” (1853) by Stephen Foster 68. “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning” (1918) by Irving Berlin 69. “I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl Who Married Dear Old Dad” (1911) by William Dillon & Harry Von Tilzer 70. “Rock-a-Bye Baby” (1884) by Effie I. Canning 71. “The Alphabet Song (The ABC Song)” (1834) by Charles Bradlee, music unknown 72. “Danny Boy” (1913) traditional, adapted by Fed Weatherly 73. “The Japanese Sandman” (1920) by Richard A. Whiting & Ray Egan 74. “Jimmy Crack Corn (The Blue Tail Fly)” (1846) by Daniel Decatur Emmett 75. “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now” (1909) by Joseph E. Howard, Harold Orlob, Frank R. Adams, & Will M. Hough 76. “The Sidewalks of New York” (1894) by Charles B. Lawlor & James W. Blake 77. “Ballin’ the Jack” (1914) by James Henry Burris & Chris Smith 78. “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (1881) by Charles E. Pratt 79. “Rock of Ages” (1763) by Augustus Montague Toplady & Thomas Hastings 80. “Away in a Manger” (1882) by James Ramsey Murray & Charles H. Gabriel 81. “The First Noel” (1823) by Davies Gilbert 82. “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (1927) adapted by Geoff Love 83. “Till We Meet Again” (1919) by Richard A. Whiting & Raymond B. Egan 84. “In My Merry Oldsmobile” (1905) by Vincent Bryan & Gus Edwards 85. “My Buddy” (1922) by Walter Donaldson & Gus Kahn 86. “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)” (1907) by Gus Edwards & Will D. Cobb 87. “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie” (1906) by Andrew B. Sterling & Harry Von Tilzer 88. “Down by the Old Mill Stream” (1910) by Tell Taylor 89. “A Hot Time in the Old Town” (1896) by Theodore August Metz & Joe Hayden 90. “Skip to My Lou” (1832) by Carl Sandburg 91. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (1868) by Lewis H. Redner & Phillips Brooks 92. “My Gal Sal” (1907) by Paul Dresser 93. “In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree” (1905) by Harry H. Williams & Egbert Van Alstyne 94. “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody” (1919) by Irving Berlin 95. “The Battle Cry of Freedom” (1862) by Geoge Frederick Root 96. “When You Wish Upon a Star” (1940) by Leigh Harline & Ned Washington 97. “Margie” (1921) by Benny Davis, Con Conrad, & J. Russell Robinson 98. “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay” (1891) by Henry J. Sayers 99. “Pop Goes the Weasel” (1853) adapted by Eugene Raymond 100. “The Marines’ Hymn” (1919) arranged by A. Tregina Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lists from other publications and/or organizations” Ronald Herder (10/1/1998) 500 Best-Loved Song Lyrics. Dover Publications. First posted 12/20/2025.

This Month in Music (1779): “Amazing Grace” published

Amazing Grace John Newton (words)

Writer(s): John Newton (words), traditional (music) (see lyrics here) First published: February 1779 Released: -- First Charted: December 5, 1970 (Judy Collins) Peak: 15 US, 13 CB, 8 GR, 12 HR, 5 AC (Collins), 15 UK, 13 CN, 15 AU (Royal Scots Dragoon Guards) (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.96 UK, 7.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 413.30 video, -- streaming

Awards (Newton): Click on award for more details. Awards (Dixie Hummingbirds): Awards (Mahalia Jackson): Awards (Collins): Awards (Royal Scots):

About the Song: “Amazing Grace” is “arguably the best-known Christian hymn;” LC music historian Steve Sullivan called it “the best-loved religious hymn of all time.” SS “If America had a national folk hymn, this would probably be it.” HY It has been published in nearly 1400 hymnals, HY appeared on more than 11,000 albums, and been performed an estimated ten million times. CC The 1946 a cappella version by the gospel group the Dixie Hummingbirds was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The 1970 version by Judy Collins is the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. In 1972, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards took their bagpipe-driven rendition to #1 in Australia, Canada, and the UK. The song gave the Guards the distinction of being the oldest established act to ever hit the charts as they had formed 294 years earlier in 1678 TB – a century before “Amazing Grace” was written. The first known recording was by the Original Scared Harp Choir in August 1922. It has since been recorded or performed by multiple artists including Alabama, Tori Amos, Joan Baez, Andrea Bocelli, the Byrds, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Destiny’s Child, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, Bryan Ferry, Aretha Franklin, Crystal Gayle, Al Green, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Mahalia Jackson, George Jones, Leadbelly, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Sarah McLachlan, Blind Willie McTell, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Patti Page, Phish, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, LeAnn Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Sufjan Stevens, Rod Stewart, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Randy Travis, Ike & Tina Turner, Carrie Underwood, and the Weavers. SH The words are from a poem John Newton wrote describe “the joy and peace of a soul uplifted from despair to salvation through the gift of grace.” LC In 1835, a singing instructor named William Walker set Newton’s words to “New Britain,” SS a folk melody believed to be of Scottish or Irish origin. WK It was published that September in the book Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. SS Although he didn’t write the poem until 1772, Newton was inspired by events as far back as 1748. While travelling from Africa to Liverpool, he was caught up in a ferocious storm at sea. Although an atheist at the time, he called out to God for mercy and when the ship finally landed safely in Donegal, Ireland, it was the beginning of his spiritual conversion. CC John was inspired by his own triumphs to “escape danger, disease, abuse, and death.” LC He was born in Wapping, England in 1725. His father, a merchant sea captain, was often gone for two to three years at a time on sea voyages. Newton’s mother died of tuberculosis when John was seven and he was temporarily in the care of friends of hers before his father returned, remarried, and put John in boarding school. By the age of 11, he went to work at sea alongside his father. John was “raised far afield of the prevailing Anglican traditions” LC and didn’t live a life of faith. In 1743, he was forced into the British Navy where he was flogged and relieved of his post after a failed escape attempt. He went on to captain a slave ship. Still, he was repeatedly faced with the idea that he had been miraculously spared. Once he was thrown from a horse and barely missed being impaled by a row of stakes. Another time, he arrived late for a tour of a warship, only to see it overturn and drown everyone on board. LC As he wrote in his famous hymn, however, “the hour I first believed” came in the form of a violent storm at sea in which he was saved yet again when his replacement on deck was thrown overboard. By 1750, he had married and was a changed man. He became an abolitionist and returned to the sea but now led sailors in prayer whereas he previously would have taunted them for their beliefs. After suffering a stroke, he gave up his life at sea in 1854 and took a job in the Customs Office at Liverpool. Newton was ordained in the ministry in June 1764 LC and, through a collaboration with William Cowper, wrote more than 280 hymns. HY “Amazing Grace” first appeared in February 1779 as Hymn 41 in Book I of a collection called The Olney Hymns. WK It was originally called “Faith’s Review and Expectation.” WK Newton died in 1807 at 82 years old. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for John Newton CC ConnollyCove.com: “Amazing Grace”: HY Hymnary.org: “Amazing Grace” LC Library of Congress “The Creation of ‘Amazing Grace’” SH SecondHandSongs.com SS Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland. Pages 125-7, 460, 538. TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 135. WK Wikipedia.org: “Olney Hymns” First posted 9/1/2023.

Fred & Irwin Silber Folksinger’s Wordbook

Fred & Irwin Silber: Folksinger’s Wordbook

First published in 1973, this book collects lyrics for nearly 1000 standards, predominantly from before the 20th century. There is no commentary or ranking of the songs in the book, but I have created a top 100 ranking by looking at how many other lists the songs in this book appeared on. Publication years for songs are indicated, but no specific artist is attached to each song. Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations. 1. “Amazing Grace” (1772) 2. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka ‘Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!’)” (1861) 3. “When the Saints Go Marching In” (1880) 4. “The Star-Spangled Banner” (1814) 5. “Silent Night” (1818) 6. “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” (1902) 7. “Home on the Range” (1873) 8. “America the Beautiful” (1895) 9. “Jingle Bells” (1857) 10. “Yankee Doodle (aka ‘Yankee Doodle Went to Town’)” (1754) 11. “Oh! Susanna” (1846) 12. “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (1706) 13. “Hello Ma Baby” (1899) 14. “After the Ball” (1892) 15. “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” (1863) 16. “Dixie” (1859) 17. “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (1894) 18. “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis” (1904) 19. “O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)” (1751) 20. “Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night)” (1850) 21. “In the Good Old Summertime” (1902) 22. “Joy to the World” (1719) 23. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (1852) 24. “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1853) 25. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (1739) 26. “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)” (1903) 27. “Auld Lang Syne” (1799) 28. “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)” (1892) 29. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (1873) 30. “On Top of Old Smoky” (1841) 31. “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” (1899) 32. “Clementine” (1884) 33. “Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” (1780) 34. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (1868) 35. “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)” (1851) 36. “Home Sweet Home” (1823) 37. “Turkey in the Straw” (1820) 38. “My Old Kentucky Home” (1853) 39. “Rock-a-Bye Baby” (1884) 40. “Danny Boy” (1913) 41. “Jimmy Crack Corn (The Blue Tail Fly)” (1846) 42. “The Sidewalks of New York” (1894) 43. “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (1881) 44. “Rock of Ages” (1763) 45. “Away in a Manger” (1882) 46. “The First Noel” (1823) 47. “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (1927) 48. “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)” (1907) 49. “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie” (1905) 50. “Skip to My Lou” (1832) 51. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (1868) 52. “The Battle Cry of Freedom” (1862) 53. “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay” (1891) 54. “Pop Goes the Weasel” (1853) 55. “This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddiwak)” (1842) 56. “Bingo (B-I-N-G-O)” (1780) 57. “Casey Jones (The Brave Engineer)” (1909) 58. “Polly Wolly Doodle (All the Day)” (1843) 59. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (1760) 60. “Hush Little Baby” (1918) 61. “The Man on the Flying Trapeze” (1867) 62. “Beautiful Dreamer” (1864) 63. “The Band Played On” (1895) 64. “Red River Valley” (1896) 65. “Shenandoah” (1837) 66. “On the Banks of the Wabash” (1897) 67. “In the Sweet By-and-By” (1868) 68. “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” (1863) 69. “Twelve Days of Christmas” (1780) 70. “Listen to the Mocking Bird (aka “The Mocking Bird”)” (1855) 71. “My Wild Irish Rose” (1899) 72. “Buffalo Gals (Will You Come Out Tonight)” (1844) 73. “Grandfather’s Clock” (1876) 74. “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” (1900) 75. “What Child Is This?” (1865) 76. “I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair” (1854) 77. “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” (1875) 78. “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” (1912) 79. “Froggie Went A-Courtin’” (1549) 80. “Nearer My God to Thee” (1841) 81. “Alouette” (1879) 82. “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” (1867) 83. “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” (1865) 84. “Deck the Halls” (1862) 85. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (1900) 86. “We Shall Overcome” (1963) 87. “The Green Grass Grew All Around” (1912) 88. “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” (1935) 89. “Greensleeves” (1580) 90. “Alabamy Bound” (1925) 91. “Old Dan Tucker” (1843) 92. “The Little Brown Jug” (1869) 93. “The Old Grey Mare” (1915) 94. “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” (1709) 95. “Onward Christian Soldiers” (1871) 96. “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” (1843) 97. “Give Me That Old Time Religion” (1865) 98. “Down by the Riverside” (1918) 99. “Angels We Have Heard on High” (1862) 100. “Lorena” (1857) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: lists from critics and individuals Dave’s Music Database: lists from publications and/or organizations Fred & Irwin Silber (1973). Folksinger’s Wordbook First posted 12/5/2025; last updated 12/7/2025.