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Poem
December 6, 1798
Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
A dialect song from an American perspective (Brother Jonathan) pondering news of French aggression, impending war, stealing ships, and Washington's leadership, mixing eagerness, reluctance, and patriotism.
Clipping
OCR Quality
85%
Good
Full Text
BROTHER JONATHAN'S
NEW SONG.
I WONDER what the matter means,
A cutting of such capers;
The Parson says the French are mad,
He read it in the papers.
CHORUS.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow,
I b'lieve the war's a comin;
N if it does, I'll get a gun
Soon as I hear them drummin.
He says as how they steal our ships,
Wherever they can get'em;
But 'fags if I was one o' the folks,
I guess I'd shoot and hit 'em.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' father says they told him news,
When he was down to Boston,
They took a swinging sight of goods;
Now I forget the cost of 'em.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
I think it's darned wrong, be sure,
Because we us'd 'em clever;
An' uncle vows a sailor works
Much harder than a weaver.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
But rot 'em all, if that's their cut,
May hap they'll come an' rob us:
An' so we'd better drive 'em off,
Before they can grab us.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' Debby talks, if I will go,
She'd wait a year to marry;
Tho' I'm afraid to wait so long,
For fear of that there Harry.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' I heard 'em say, a training day,
That Washington's a goin;
An' Cap'n Toby swears they'll fall,
Like grass when he's a mowing.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
He said, that once, in t'other war,
He run right at the bullets,
An never minded grenadiers
No more than we do pullets,
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
But, deuce, I'd rather stay at home,
A making wall an' haying;
An' to ha' op Louesa;
Is pose there d be no say
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
NEW SONG.
I WONDER what the matter means,
A cutting of such capers;
The Parson says the French are mad,
He read it in the papers.
CHORUS.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow,
I b'lieve the war's a comin;
N if it does, I'll get a gun
Soon as I hear them drummin.
He says as how they steal our ships,
Wherever they can get'em;
But 'fags if I was one o' the folks,
I guess I'd shoot and hit 'em.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' father says they told him news,
When he was down to Boston,
They took a swinging sight of goods;
Now I forget the cost of 'em.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
I think it's darned wrong, be sure,
Because we us'd 'em clever;
An' uncle vows a sailor works
Much harder than a weaver.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
But rot 'em all, if that's their cut,
May hap they'll come an' rob us:
An' so we'd better drive 'em off,
Before they can grab us.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' Debby talks, if I will go,
She'd wait a year to marry;
Tho' I'm afraid to wait so long,
For fear of that there Harry.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
An' I heard 'em say, a training day,
That Washington's a goin;
An' Cap'n Toby swears they'll fall,
Like grass when he's a mowing.
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
He said, that once, in t'other war,
He run right at the bullets,
An never minded grenadiers
No more than we do pullets,
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
But, deuce, I'd rather stay at home,
A making wall an' haying;
An' to ha' op Louesa;
Is pose there d be no say
Heigh ho! Billy Bow, &c.
What sub-type of article is it?
Song
Ballad
What themes does it cover?
War Military
Patriotism
Political
What keywords are associated?
Brother Jonathan
War Song
French Conflict
Washington
American Dialect
Military Training
Poem Details
Title
Brother Jonathan's New Song.
Subject
Impending War With The French
Form / Style
Verses With Repeating Chorus In Dialect
Key Lines
I Wonder What The Matter Means,
A Cutting Of Such Capers;
Heigh Ho! Billy Bow,
I B'lieve The War's A Comin;
An' I Heard 'Em Say, A Training Day,
That Washington's A Goin;