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America Hears the Call

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https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/96388890-e466-0135-4ad8-0050569601ca-9

The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to the following terms and conditions: https://www.newberry.org/rights-and-reproductions

Descriptive Information

Title
America Hears the Call  
Alternative Title
Benny Havens, Oh!  
Composer
anonymous  
Lyricist
Howe, Rev. Reginald Heber  
Publisher
Boston : C. W. Thompson & Co.  
Year of Publication
1917
Date of Copyright
No copyright registered.
Physical Description
1 score, mixed chorus and piano ([1], [1-2], [1]p.)
Type
Musical notation  
Comment
Both the content of the lyrics and the author's biography place this song in 1917. In both tune and text, Howe clearly sought to link America's entry into the war with the recruitment of troops in the Civil War: “Benny Havens, Oh!” was a popular Civil War tune, and Howe's text recalls “We Are Coming, Father Abraham,” a Civil War poem that was sometimes sung to the same tune.
Historical Note
  • This was the only printing, and no piano rolls or recordings have been found, nor any performances or advertisements.
  • The imprint reads “for sale at” C. W. Thompson; Howe probably self-published the song, with Thompson acting as retailer.
  • The date is taken from Howe's own entry in Who's Who in America (1921). The immediate motivation for this song might have been a celebrated cartoon with the same title published by J. H. Cassel in the Evening World (New York, NY) on June 6, 1916.
Musical Note
A simple march ballad (“Moderato”) set for four-part chorus, with fermatas in the penultimate line, this song provides a new text for “The Wearing of the Green,” to which the text to “Benny Havens, Oh!” had been set in the early nineteenth century. The melody is quoted in full in a standard four-part arrangement that is nearly identical to that found in Songs That Never Grow Old (1913).
Dedication
Dedication
Subject - Topic
  • United States. Army -- American Expeditionary Forces -- Songs and music.  
  • Recruiting and enlistment -- Songs and music.  
  • Popular music -- United States -- 1911-1920.  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music.  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 2] On! to repel the tyrant, to succour those in need, / America, we hail thine aid! thrice welcome if with speed, / For the worldwide cause of freedom we we draw our swords once more, / The God of nations praying to bless us as before.
  • [refrain 1] We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / We are coming, O my country! to overthrow the wrong. / We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / We are coming, O my country! to overthrow the wrong.
  • [verse 1] We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / To champion the right we come, to overthrow the wrong, / We hear the cry of Belgium, we hear the voice of France, / From Italy and Serbia, they call us to advance.
Musical Genre
March ballad
Repository
Newberry Library
Conditions of Use
The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to the following terms and conditions: https://www.newberry.org/rights-and-reproductions
Cover Description
Text only, with simple dividers.
Back Cover Description
Blank.
Interior Description
  • Plate number: p. [3], BL: America Hears the Call 2
  • Cover, below title: A Patriotic Song / of / The Great War
Performance Medium
Mixed voices and piano.
Local Identifier
nda163_094
Collection
World War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music
TitleAmerica Hears the Call  
Alternative TitleBenny Havens, Oh!  
Composeranonymous  
LyricistHowe, Rev. Reginald Heber  
PublisherBoston : C. W. Thompson & Co.  
Year of Publication1917
Date of CopyrightNo copyright registered.
Physical Description1 score, mixed chorus and piano ([1], [1-2], [1]p.)
TypeMusical notation  
CommentBoth the content of the lyrics and the author's biography place this song in 1917. In both tune and text, Howe clearly sought to link America's entry into the war with the recruitment of troops in the Civil War: “Benny Havens, Oh!” was a popular Civil War tune, and Howe's text recalls “We Are Coming, Father Abraham,” a Civil War poem that was sometimes sung to the same tune.
Historical Note
  • This was the only printing, and no piano rolls or recordings have been found, nor any performances or advertisements.
  • The imprint reads “for sale at” C. W. Thompson; Howe probably self-published the song, with Thompson acting as retailer.
  • The date is taken from Howe's own entry in Who's Who in America (1921). The immediate motivation for this song might have been a celebrated cartoon with the same title published by J. H. Cassel in the Evening World (New York, NY) on June 6, 1916.
Musical NoteA simple march ballad (“Moderato”) set for four-part chorus, with fermatas in the penultimate line, this song provides a new text for “The Wearing of the Green,” to which the text to “Benny Havens, Oh!” had been set in the early nineteenth century. The melody is quoted in full in a standard four-part arrangement that is nearly identical to that found in Songs That Never Grow Old (1913).
DedicationDedication
Subject - Topic
  • United States. Army -- American Expeditionary Forces -- Songs and music.  
  • Recruiting and enlistment -- Songs and music.  
  • Popular music -- United States -- 1911-1920.  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music.  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 2] On! to repel the tyrant, to succour those in need, / America, we hail thine aid! thrice welcome if with speed, / For the worldwide cause of freedom we we draw our swords once more, / The God of nations praying to bless us as before.
  • [refrain 1] We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / We are coming, O my country! to overthrow the wrong. / We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / We are coming, O my country! to overthrow the wrong.
  • [verse 1] We are coming, O my country! a half a million strong, / To champion the right we come, to overthrow the wrong, / We hear the cry of Belgium, we hear the voice of France, / From Italy and Serbia, they call us to advance.
Musical GenreMarch ballad
RepositoryNewberry Library
Conditions of UseThe Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to the following terms and conditions: https://www.newberry.org/rights-and-reproductions
Cover DescriptionText only, with simple dividers.
Back Cover DescriptionBlank.
Interior Description
  • Plate number: p. [3], BL: America Hears the Call 2
  • Cover, below title: A Patriotic Song / of / The Great War
Performance MediumMixed voices and piano.
Local Identifiernda163_094
CollectionWorld War I Sheet Music from the James Francis Driscoll Collection of American Sheet Music

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