What is the song Yankee Doodle Dandy "really about?"
Yankee Doodle is an old melody of murky origins with many versions of humorous verses. During the French and Indian War of 1754-1763, the British sang one version to mock colonial Americans; but the Americans took ownership and turned the song into a one of patriotic pride, especially during the Revolutionary War.
So how was the song disparaging? In 1750s England, Yankee was a general term of contempt. Doodle refers to a lowly provincial person, while a Dandy is a meticulously well-dressed man. In the 1700s, macaroni was an English dandy who affected foreign fashions and mannerisms.
So, roughly translated, the song says, "This country bumpkin came along on a pony — not a horse! — and thought that merely sticking a feather in his hat would turn him into a suave sophisticate like a European. What a rube!"
Despite the mocking tone, New England colonists turned the song into their rallying theme song during the Revolutionary War. They sang it proudly in the battles against the British ... and with extra exuberance when Lord Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown in 1781.
May start humming that song anytime I am around folks who are suffering from DTS!
bookmark
Yankee Doodle was a British pub song. The Americans borrowed the tune with their own words. Sometimes the words were used to trick the British sometimes they were used to convey messages to those undercover on their side. All my notes were left at school for the next teacher.
A doodle dandy was the term the common people gave to the English men all dresses up fancy (with feathers in their hats). The British mocked the Americans soldiers because of their ill fitting none military dress.
Will see what I can find
Yankee Doodle Dandy is a song by George M Cohan written to use in his broadway ahow. It is modern.