YANKEE DOODLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3830, 25 October 1883, Page 4

YANKEE DOODLE.

AA'hon the British regulars and tho Continental troops were iv Albany in 1751, preparing to march to the attack of the French posts of Niagara and Frontanac, Dr Sliackburg, of the British army, a musician, composed Yankee Doodle for the -• Continentals." He stole the melody. In the reign of Charles 11., Yankee Doodle was large as life. Hero is a stanza : Yankee Doodle came to town 'Upon a Kentish pony ; Ho stuck a feather in his hat, And called him Macaroni. The tune was set to nursery rhymes in the reign of Charles I. For example: — Lucy Locket lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it ; Nothing iv it, nothing iv it, Only ribbon round it. Nor is "it English. It can be traced to Holland. Long ago tho harvest, hand-! were paid in the Low Countries with onetent!! of the grain they gathered, and all the buttermilk they could drink. They sang this song : — Tanker didle doodel down. Didel dudel lauter : Ynuke viver voover vown, Hotel-milk and Tauther. The first *ong written to tbe melody of Yanke Doodle, iv America, was written in 1771. The first stanza and the chorus are :■-- Father and I went down to camp, Along with Captain Gooding, And there we set; the men ami ln.ys As thick as hasty pudding. Chorus: Yankee Doodle, keep it up, Yankee Doodle Dandy ; Uinrl the mii-ac and the step, And with the girls be handy.