On NPR this afternoon I heard one of Abe Lincoln's campaign songs from the 1860 Presidential race. (It was re-recorded, of course.) Here are the lyrics:
Hurrah for the choice of the nation
our chieftain so brave and so true
we’ll go for the great reformation
for Lincoln and Liberty, too!
We'll go for the son of Kentucky,
The hero of Hoosierdom through;
The pride of the Suckers so lucky
For Lincoln and Liberty too!
Then up with our banner so glorious,
The star-spangled red-white-and-blue,
We'll fight till our banner is victorious,
For Lincoln and Liberty too!
Come all you true friends of the nation
attend to humanity’s call
and aid in the slave’s liberation
and roll on the liberty ball
And roll on the liberty ball
and roll on the liberty ball
come aid in the slave’s liberation
and roll on the liberty ball
We’ll finish the temple of freedom
and make it capacious within
that all who seek shelter may find it
whatever the hue of their skin
Whatever the hue of their skin
whatever the hue of their skin
that all who seek shelter may find it
whatever the hue of their skin
Success to the old-fashioned doctrine
that men are created all free
and down with the power o’the desPOT
wherever his stronghold may be
Wherever his stronghold may be
wherever his stronghold may be
and down with the power of the despot
wherever his stronghold may be
It was penned by a Carter Family-esque group of New Hampshire natives named the Hutchinsons; son Jesse Jr. did most of the writing. The music is traditional, probably Irish, but it's the lyrics that betray the outspoken abolitionist sentiment of this northeastern family.
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