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.

 

Today in Music (1863): “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” published

When Johnny Comes Marching Home Patrick Gilmore (lyrics), unknown (music)

Writer(s): Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore as Louis Lambert (lyrics), unknown (music) (see lyrics here) First Published: September 26, 1863 First Charted: June 30, 1960 (Adam Faith with John Barry & His Orchestra) Peak: 5 UK (Faith) (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 40.34 video, 14.44 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: This is “one of the best remembered songs from the Civil War.” AMP Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore was the Union Army bandmaster CP when he wrote this song in 1963 under the pseudonym of Louis Lambert. The sheet music was first published in Boston on September 26, 1863, by Henry Tolman & Co. AMP The song was sung by “soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conflict” BA during the Civil War and has maintained success through the years because of its universal celebration of the joy in welcoming home troops from fighting. Gilmore was born in Ireland in 1829 and came to Boston in 1949 to flee the Irish famine. He died in St. Louis in 1892.. He “became known as the most famous band director of his time.” AMP His reputation as a promotor and character has been compared to circus giant P.T. Barnum, an early employer. AMP Frank J. Cipollo described him as “an extremely energetic and enthusiastic man” AMP and also “a visionary, dreamer, astute businessman, and slick operator.” AMP The composer of the music is unknown although their have been unsubstantiated claims of the melody having Irish, Negro (Afro-American), Scottish, and English roots. AMP The song bears similarities to “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye,” an Irish song about a maimed soldier who is returning from war. It is debated which version came first. CP James J. Fuld claimed the melody was published in July 1863 under the title “Johnny Fill Up the Bowl” but there is no conclusive evidence that Gilmore borrowed from the tune or that credit should be given to anyone other than Gilmore. AMP Gilmore himself, however, said he learned the tune “from an unidentified African-American singer and that it was a traditional African-American melody.” BA It’s also possible he adapted the melody from a traditional Irish folk song. BA Richard Jackson called the song “one of the strongest and most unusual of the period” AMP noting that it didn’t follow the conventional form of the day with a verse followed by a refrain. He said it is “one of relatively few songs in a minor key to achieve and maintain wide popularity.” AMP The song has been featured in movies, most notably Gone with the Wind (1939) and How the West Was Won (1963). Resources: AMP AmericanMusicPreservation.com BA BalladofAmerica.org CP Contemplator.com Related Links: First posted 11/23/2025.

Today in Music (1949): Vaughn Monroe hit #1 with “Ghost Riders in the Sky”

Ghost Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) Vaughn Monroe

Writer(s): Stan Jones (see lyrics here) First Charted: April 23, 1949 Peak: 112 BB, 111 BA, 112 DJ, 110 JB, 18 GA, 12 HP, 112 SM, 15 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 3.66 video, 1.90 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Stan Jones was a forest ranger who wrote songs on the side. SF He wrote this “country and cowboy-style song” WK in the summer of 1948 based on a story he’d heard at 12-years old by an old cowboy friend. WK The following year, the song gave the charts “a rustic, outdoors bias.” TY1 Vaughn Monroe (#1), Peggy Lee (#2), Bing Crosby (#14), and Burl Ives (#21) all charted with versions of the song on the U.S. pop charts. PM Monroe’s version wasn’t just a #1, but the the biggest pop song of 1949 CPM and the biggest of Monroe’s nine chart toppers. It was also one of three songs of his to sell a million copies. PM The song serves up a “folk tale” WK of “cowboy hell.” SF A cowboy has a vision of “a herd of red-eyed cows” TY1 “thundering across the sky, being chased by the spirits of damned cowboys. One warns him that if he does not change his ways, he will be doomed to join them,” WK “doomed to chase the Devil’s cattle for all eternity.” SF The song, which is also sometimes known as “Riders in the Sky,” “Ghost Riders,” and “A Cowboy Legend” has been recorded at least 50 times by artists including Johnny Cash, Spike Jones, Frankie Laine, and Marty Robbins. WK Gene Autry sang it in the movie of the same name in 1949. WK Jones recorded it on his own 1957 album Creakin’ Leather. WK Through the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, other versions by the Ramrods, Lawrence Welk, the Baja Marimba Band, the Outlaws, and Duane Eddy also charted. The Ramrods top-40 instrumental-version was the highest charting. “The melody is based on the song ‘When Johnny Comes Marching Home,’” WK and, “according to Robby Krieger, it inspired the classic Doors song ‘Riders on the Storm.’” WK It also inspired the Marvel Comics Western character Ghost Rider who was later renamed Phantom Rider. WK Resources: SF Songfacts.com TY1 Don Tyler (1985). Hit Parade 1920-1955. Quill: New York, NY. Pages 139-40. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Pages 318-20, 571. CPM Joel Whitburn (1999). A Century of Pop Music. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. Page 68. WK Wikipedia.org Related Links: Last updated 9/8/2021; updated 5/15/2025.