Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on January 8th 2003 by The Whistler.
This tune has been added to 37 tunebooks.
Also known as The Battle Of New Orleans.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Eighth Of January
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
|:de|fefa fedf|efed B2 cd|edef edBc|dBAF D2:||
DE|F2A2 A3F|ABAG FEDE|FDAD BDAB|AFE2 D||
de|f2a2 a3f|abaf edde|fa2fa2 ab|afecd2||
My book of tunes says that this is an American reel. Like most reels, this should be played fast.
# Posted on January 8th 2003 by The Whistler
Does "The Eighth of January" have an earlier title?
Speaking of the popular American fiddle tune commemorating the battle for New Orleans in 1812, is their an earlier related tune(s) from the gaelic speaking lands?
Jim
# Posted on January 8th 2008 by jhol111964
Re: Does "The Eighth of January" have an earlier title?
Here’s a cut-n-paste from Andrew Kuntz’s Fiddler’s Companion:
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/EIB_EMY.htm
"The melody was originally named "Jackson's Victory" after Andrew Jackson's famous rout of the British at New Orleans on January, 8th, 1815. This victory, by a small, poorly equiped American army against eight thousand front-line British troops (some veterans of the Napoleonic Wars on the Continent), came after the peace treaty was signed and the War of 1812 ended, unbeknownst to the combatants. The victory made Jackson a national hero, and the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans was widely celebrated with parties and dances during the nineteenth century, especially in the South. Around the time of the Civil War, some time after Jackson's Presidency, his popular reputation suffered and “Jackson’s Victory” was renamed to delete mention of him by name, thus commemorating the battle and not the man. Despite its wide dissemination, Tom Carter (1975) says that some regard it as a relatively modern piece refashioned from an older tune named "Jake Gilly" (sometimes “Old Jake Gilly”). Not all agree—Tom Rankin (1985) suggests the fiddle tune may be older than the battle it commemorates, and that it seems American in origin, not having an obvious British antecedent, as do several older popular fiddle tunes in the United States."
# Posted on January 8th 2008 by fidkid
Lyrics
"(G) in 1814 we (C) took a little trip
A-(D7)long with Col. Jackson down the (G) mightly mississip
We took a little bacon and we (C) took a little beans
And we (D7) caught the bloody british in a (G)town in NewOrleans
we fired our guns and the british kept a coming
there wasn't quite as many as there (D7) was a while a-go
we fired once more and they began to runnin'
on down the missisippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co
(G) we looked down the river and (C)we see'd the british come
there(D7) musta been a hundred of 'em (G) beatin' on the drum
they stepped so high and (C) they made their bugles ring
we stood (D7) beside our cotton bales and didn't (G) say a thing
we fired our guns and the british kept a coming
there wasn't quite as many as there (D7) was a while a-go
we fired once more and they began to runnin'
on down the missisippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co
(G) old hickry said we (C) could take 'em by surprise
if (D7) we didn't fire our muskets til we (G) looked 'em in the eyes
so we held our fire til we (C) see'd their faces well
then we (D7) opened up with squirrel guns and (G) really gave 'em...well
we fired our guns and the british kept a coming
there wasn't quite as many as there (D7) was a while a-go
we fired once more and they began to runnin'
on down the missisippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co
Ya! they ran thru the briars and they ran thru the brambles
and they ran thru the bushes were a (D7) rabbit couldn't (G) go
they ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
on the down the mississippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co.
(G) we fired our cannon (C) til the barrel melted down
then (D7) we grabbed an alligator and we (G) fought another round
we filled his head with cannonballs and (C) powdered his behind
when we (d&) touched the powder off the gator lost his mind
we fired our guns and the british kept a coming
there wasn't quite as many as there (D7) was a while a-go
we fired once more and they began to runnin'
on down the missisippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co
Ya! they ran thru the briars and they ran thru the brambles
and they ran thru the bushes were a (D7) rabbit couldn't (G) go
they ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
on the down the mississippi to the (D7) gulf of mexi (G)co."
I've left the guitar chords in as I found them on this blog (obviously in G, which is where it's normally sung, I think, rather than in D):
http://kimlogue2.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!531FDDE19D839924!421.entry?_c=BlogPart
According to the above blog, this was written by Jimmy Driftwood. However, it was included on his album "Newly Discovered Early American folk Songs" ... so, I'm confused ...
I do this with my guitarist, and we always thought it was Lonnie Donegan!
# Posted on January 8th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Does "The Eighth of January" have an earlier title?
[Does "The Eighth of January" have an earlier title?]
That would be "The Seventh of January."
# Posted on January 9th 2008 by ceemonster
As I understand it, Jimmy Driftwood wrote the lyrics and used the melody from the traditional tune.
# Posted on January 9th 2008 by fidkid