- Written by
- Unknown author(s)
- Originally written by
- [Traditional]
- Publication date
- July 28, 1861
- Composition date
- 1861
- Language
- English
- Adapted from
-
Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us? written by [Traditional]
- Comments
-
Around 1861 soldiers in the Second Battalion, Boston Light Infantry, (a.k.a. the "Tiger" Battalion) were stationed at Fort Warren on George's Island in Boston's outer harbor at the beginning of the Civil War. Since the Fort had only recently been completed and there was still a lot of debris on the parade ground, they were set to work cleaning up. Two Maine recruits sang a simple song as they worked called "Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us?".
Harry Hallgreen of the Tigers picked up the song and taught it to other members of his battalion. Among the Tigers was a certain Sergeant John Brown who came in for a lot of ribbing because he had the same name as the man who had been executed at Charlestown, Virginia, for trying to cause a slave revolt. Eventually Hallgreen invented a new line for the "Say, Brothers" song to spoof the lively activities of Sergeant Brown: "John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave". Another member of the Tigers, James Greenleaf, added the tag line: "His soul's marching on!" More verses were added later.
Greenleaf was organist of a church in Charlestown and he had naturally much to do with the early arrangement of the notes of the song.
Mr C.S. Hall, an acquaintance of Mr Greenleaf often visited Fort Warren, and becoming interested in the song, he took hold with his friend to see what could be done with it.
Mr. C.B. Marsh also helped and the result was the composition of additional lines and the issue of the production as a penny ballad, on common printing paper, surrounded by a pretentious border.
It bore the imprint: Published at 256 Main Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts (for a picture: see ATTACHMENTS)
Later, Mr Hall issued a more elaborate copy, giving both words and music, and headed it with a cut of the national bird.
It bore the words Origin, Fort Warren. and Music arranged by C.B. Marsh
At the bottom was the print as before, and a statement that it had been Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1861, by C.S. Hall in the Clerk's office in the District Court of Massachusetts. (for a picture: see ATTACHMENTS)
This Fort Warren song was the one Julia Ward Howe was referring to when she later wrote "Battle Hymn of the Republic" not the Methodist hymn "Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us?". - Licensing
- Request a synchronization license
Song
Adaptations
An adaptation is a musical work, which uses elements (music or lyrics) from another musical work.
-
Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us? written by [Traditional] English
-
Den gamle violin
written by John Mogensen
Danish
1975
- Den gamla fiolen written by Hasse Andersson Swedish 1989
-
John Brown's Body
written by unknown author(s)
English
1861
- John Brown written by Ivo Fischer Czech October 24, 1971
- John Brown ist tot written by Bruce Low German 1972
- John Brown (Glory, Glory Hallelujah) written by Marcello Minerbi, Tullio Romano Italian March 1966
-
Battle Hymn of the Republic
written by Julia Ward Howe
English
December 1861
- Battle Hymn of the Children written by Tom Glazer English May 1963
-
An American Trilogy
English
1971
- An American Trilogy written by Gilles Péram, Jacqueline Néro French 1973
-
Solidarity Forever
written by Ralph Chaplin
English
1915
- Solidaarisuutta aina written by [Unknown] Finnish
- The Ballad of Harry Lewis written by Allan Sherman English 1962
- Glory Glory Leeds United written by Kevin Lawrence Smith English 1968
-
Little Peter Rabbit
written by [Traditional]
English
- Lief klein konijntje written by Daniel van Spijker, Johan de Leeuw, Marco Leeuwis Dutch January 20, 2006
- Say Bummers, Will You Meet Us written by William Steffe English
- Glory Alleluia written by André Pascal French 1974
- Trois milliards de gens sur terre written by Eddy Marnay French 1982
- Glory, Glory, Halleluja written by Bernd van Kampen German
- Tuffe Uffe written by Garry Nilsson Swedish 1990
-
Den gamle violin
written by John Mogensen
Danish
1975
Partial adaptations
A partial adaptation is a musical work which integrates only a part of another musical work, and this part is only a fragment of the new musical work.
- Glory Glory Man. United written by Frank Renshaw English