University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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A-M-E-R-I-C-A Means I Love You, My Yankee Land

Title
A-M-E-R-I-C-A Means I Love You, My Yankee Land - Lyrics
Composer
Frost, Jack  
Lyricist
Frost, Jack  
Publisher
Frank K. Root & Co.   
Place of Publication
Chicago (Ill.)  
Year of Publication
1917  
Lyrics
  • I’ve spelled a name called mother, ‘twas dearest to my heart
  • but now I’ll spell another, for she and I must part. I’d love to live and love her, beneath her smiling skies, they mean much more than dad or brother, and spell a Yankee’s paradise. “A” means you’re anybody’s country, “M” means you’re meant for me, “E” means you’re ev’rybody’s sweetheart, and “R” for the right of liberty. “I” stands for independence first and all, “C” for your colors so grand, A-M-E-R-I-C-A, America, means I love you, my Yankee Land. Our hist’ry tells the story how heroes fought and fell, our children love Old Glory, and learn that name to spell. We’re proud of all our splendor, and ev’ry heart today, should rise and worship to defend her, and learn to spell her name this way.
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Original Location
  • Record Series 12/9/96
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
Local Identifier
2014_12996_049
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

Permalink

https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/ecebb3d0-c556-0134-2373-0050569601ca-f

Descriptive Information

Title
A-M-E-R-I-C-A Means I Love You, My Yankee Land
Alternative Title
p. [2], top: A-M-E-R-I-C-A Means "I Love You, My Yankee Land"
Composer
Frost, Jack [Harold G.]  
Lyricist
Frost, Jack [Harold G.]  
Publisher
  • McKinley Music Co., Owners  
  • Frank K. Root & Co.   
Year of Publication
1917  
Date of Copyright
1917-06-22
Physical Description
1 score, voice and piano ([1], [2-3], [1] p.)
Comment
The publication history suggests this song had little impact, and it received a a rather negative New York Clipper review (October 6, 1917), but there were scattered amateur performances through 1922, at least. The cover image is striking in its marriage of French and British-American text and iconography.
Historical Note
  • There is one recording (Pathé 6463), made in Paris in December 1918 by L’Orchestre Scrap Iron Jazzerinos.
  • The song was advertised from August 1917 through March 1918, but there was evidently only one printing.
  • “Jack Frost” was the name used by Harold G. Frost for lighter numbers and novelties. McKinley Music Co. is listed as “owners” of Frank K. Root & Co. on the cover and appears as publisher on the back cover.
Musical Note
A formally conventional march ballad (marked “marcia”), this title was classed as an applause number by The New York Clipper. The harmonies have chromatic inflections; in the chorus the first of each four-bar phrase is syncopated and rat-a-tat-tat interjections finish many phrases, but the rubato at the climax suggests a ballad. The whole is skilled but unexceptional. The first line of the verse explicitly evokes the 1915 hit spelling song, “M-O-T-H-E-R” (Theodore Morse and Howard Johnson), which this title clearly imitates.
Subject - Topic
  • English language -- Orthography and spelling -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • Patriotic music -- United States  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
Subject - Geographic
United States  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 2] Our history tells the story / How heroes fought and fell, / Our children love “Old Glory” / And learn that name to spell. / We’re proud of all our splendor, / And ev’ry heart today / Should rise and worship to defend her / And learn to spell her name this way.
  • [refrain 1] “A” means you’re “anybody’s country,” / “M” means you’re “meant for me;” / “E” means you’re “ev’rybody’s sweetheart,” / And “R” for the “right of liberty.” / “I” stands for “independence first and all,” / “C” for your “colors so grand;” / “A-M-E-R-I-C-A,” America, / Means, “I love you, my Yankee Land.”
  • [verse 1] I’ve spelled a name called mother, / ’Twas dearest to my heart; / But now I’ll spell another, / For she and I must part. / I’d love to live and love her / Beneath her smiling skies, / They mean much more than dad or brother, / And spell a Yankee’s paradise.
Musical Genre
  • Applause number
  • March ballad
Repository
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover Description
Allegorical woman (a fusion of Marianne and Lady Justice), in white robe, seated on a rock with a background of stars; on her modified Phyrgian cap appears “Liberty,” on her robe appears “Equality,” and on the rock below appears “Fraternity,” forming (vertically) the national motto of France; in her right hand she holds a balance labeled “Justice” and her left holds a sword, point resting on the rock, labeled “Righteousness,” the whole forming (horizontally) a pose associated with Lady Justice. Crimson and blue on white; unsigned.
Back Cover Description
  • Fourth row: samples and covers for “Moonlight blues” (© 1916, advertised 1916 12 “08) and “My fox-trot girl” (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 04 28).
  • Third row: samples for “I ain’t got nobody” (© 1914 04 08), “Let’s go back to dreamy lotus land” (© 1917, advertised 1917 07 20), and “I love that loveable melody” (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 02 24).
  • Second row: samples for “The hour of memory” (© 1916 07 12), “Sweet cookie mine” (© 1917 04 19), and “Paradise blues” (© 1916 10 14).
  • Top row: samples and covers for “If you’ve never been in dreamland you’ve never been in love” (© 1917, advertised 1917 06 14) and “Down the sunset trail to Avalon” (© 1917, advertised 1917 02 07).
  • Advertisement for “Late Popular Successes”. Four rows of samples.
Interior Description
Plate number: p. [3], BL: A-M-E-R-I-C-A etc. 2.
Performance Medium
voice and piano  
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier
2014_12996_049
Collection Title
James Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
Collection
James Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection
TitleA-M-E-R-I-C-A Means I Love You, My Yankee Land
Alternative Titlep. [2], top: A-M-E-R-I-C-A Means "I Love You, My Yankee Land"
ComposerFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
LyricistFrost, Jack [Harold G.]  
Publisher
  • McKinley Music Co., Owners  
  • Frank K. Root & Co.   
Year of Publication1917  
Date of Copyright1917-06-22
Physical Description1 score, voice and piano ([1], [2-3], [1] p.)
CommentThe publication history suggests this song had little impact, and it received a a rather negative New York Clipper review (October 6, 1917), but there were scattered amateur performances through 1922, at least. The cover image is striking in its marriage of French and British-American text and iconography.
Historical Note
  • There is one recording (Pathé 6463), made in Paris in December 1918 by L’Orchestre Scrap Iron Jazzerinos.
  • The song was advertised from August 1917 through March 1918, but there was evidently only one printing.
  • “Jack Frost” was the name used by Harold G. Frost for lighter numbers and novelties. McKinley Music Co. is listed as “owners” of Frank K. Root & Co. on the cover and appears as publisher on the back cover.
Musical NoteA formally conventional march ballad (marked “marcia”), this title was classed as an applause number by The New York Clipper. The harmonies have chromatic inflections; in the chorus the first of each four-bar phrase is syncopated and rat-a-tat-tat interjections finish many phrases, but the rubato at the climax suggests a ballad. The whole is skilled but unexceptional. The first line of the verse explicitly evokes the 1915 hit spelling song, “M-O-T-H-E-R” (Theodore Morse and Howard Johnson), which this title clearly imitates.
Subject - Topic
  • English language -- Orthography and spelling -- Songs and music  
  • Popular music -- 1911-1920  
  • Patriotic music -- United States  
  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Songs and music  
Subject - GeographicUnited States  
Lyrics
  • [refrain 2]
  • [verse 2] Our history tells the story / How heroes fought and fell, / Our children love “Old Glory” / And learn that name to spell. / We’re proud of all our splendor, / And ev’ry heart today / Should rise and worship to defend her / And learn to spell her name this way.
  • [refrain 1] “A” means you’re “anybody’s country,” / “M” means you’re “meant for me;” / “E” means you’re “ev’rybody’s sweetheart,” / And “R” for the “right of liberty.” / “I” stands for “independence first and all,” / “C” for your “colors so grand;” / “A-M-E-R-I-C-A,” America, / Means, “I love you, my Yankee Land.”
  • [verse 1] I’ve spelled a name called mother, / ’Twas dearest to my heart; / But now I’ll spell another, / For she and I must part. / I’d love to live and love her / Beneath her smiling skies, / They mean much more than dad or brother, / And spell a Yankee’s paradise.
Musical Genre
  • Applause number
  • March ballad
RepositoryUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Cover DescriptionAllegorical woman (a fusion of Marianne and Lady Justice), in white robe, seated on a rock with a background of stars; on her modified Phyrgian cap appears “Liberty,” on her robe appears “Equality,” and on the rock below appears “Fraternity,” forming (vertically) the national motto of France; in her right hand she holds a balance labeled “Justice” and her left holds a sword, point resting on the rock, labeled “Righteousness,” the whole forming (horizontally) a pose associated with Lady Justice. Crimson and blue on white; unsigned.
Back Cover Description
  • Fourth row: samples and covers for “Moonlight blues” (© 1916, advertised 1916 12 “08) and “My fox-trot girl” (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 04 28).
  • Third row: samples for “I ain’t got nobody” (© 1914 04 08), “Let’s go back to dreamy lotus land” (© 1917, advertised 1917 07 20), and “I love that loveable melody” (© 1917, piano roll announced 1917 02 24).
  • Second row: samples for “The hour of memory” (© 1916 07 12), “Sweet cookie mine” (© 1917 04 19), and “Paradise blues” (© 1916 10 14).
  • Top row: samples and covers for “If you’ve never been in dreamland you’ve never been in love” (© 1917, advertised 1917 06 14) and “Down the sunset trail to Avalon” (© 1917, advertised 1917 02 07).
  • Advertisement for “Late Popular Successes”. Four rows of samples.
Interior DescriptionPlate number: p. [3], BL: A-M-E-R-I-C-A etc. 2.
Performance Mediumvoice and piano  
Original Location
  • Series 2, Box 12, Folder 4
  • Record Series 12/9/96
Local Identifier2014_12996_049
Collection TitleJames Edward Myers Sheet Music Collection, 1836-1986
CollectionJames Edward Myers World War I Sheet Music Collection

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