Cover the Music

grades

4, 5, 6

subjects

art, language arts, music, social studies

time allotted

15–20 minutes for five days

setting

classroom

group size

no limit

skills

listenening, interpretation, drawing

methods

students will listen to Civil War era songs and read accompanying lyrics to sing songs and then design and illustrate a sheet music cover.

materials

Civil War songbooks with music and lyrics (see suggestions), CD or tape player, copies of lyrics, CD’s or tapes of Civil War music, An example of an illustrated sheet music cover from the period (see songbooks), assortment of paper, assortment of drawing and coloring supplies

keywords

battle cry
bonnie
comrades
exile
goober peas
illustration
motto
palaces
rally
parody
standard
sheet music
traitor
tyrants

Objectives
At the end of this activity, students will be able to:

	Recognize the words and tunes to songs sung by Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.
	Explain what emotions are evoked by lyrics.
	Tell the significance of the song “Home Sweet Home” to the Battle of Stones River.
	Use information found in songs to design a cover for sheet music

Background Information
The story of the Civil War can be told entirely through the music of the time. Both sides sang songs about every aspect of the conflict. Music has
long been important in the lives of all people. The Civil War soldiers and civilians were not exceptions. The average soldier had a lot of time on his hands. A favorite pastime was singing. Music gave soldiers a way to express their emotions and experiences. They sang in camp and on marches. There were songs for entertainment, to lift morale, to give courage and to remind them of their loved ones at home.

The night before the Battle of Stones River, after the bands had finished their usual evening serenade, Federal bands struck up slowly and softly “Home Sweet Home.” As the notes came through the stillness of the night, soldiers of both sides were wondering what tomorrow would bring: each soldier wondering if he would be wounded, or die, or if he would ever see home again. Then a Confederate band joined, and then another, until all the bands of each army were playing “Home Sweet Home.” This continued for some time until the bands one by one ceased playing and the sweet music faded away into the night.

Though the nation was bitterly divided, it was during this period that a distinctive national melodic style emerged. There was little difference in the music of the North and South. Most music was a mixture of foreign folk songs, gospel tunes, minstrel songs and Black spirituals. Identical melodies with different lyrics (parodies) could be heard on both sides. Copyright laws were different than they are today and those that existed were often ignored once the country divided.

There was no way to record and store sound during the Civil War. New songs were often learned by purchasing sheet music and singing it over and over again. Sheet music was as popular as CDs and tapes are today. A typical piece of sheet music in the 19 th century was two, four, or six-page booklets. Illustrated front covers were prevalent by mid century and the back page often contained advertisements. A song introduced by an attractive picture could make the music all the more interesting to the customer. Many times music was purchased because it had a battle scene, General or beautiful woman on its cover.

A process called lithography, which uses chemicals and a block of limestone, was used to produce the drawings. Similar to a rubber stamp, a drawing was designed directly on the stone in reverse image and then treated so that ink only stuck to the image. Then it was “stamped” on the paper to produce the lithograph.

Activities

	Play music as students enter class or lesson time begins. Introduce the above information and discuss lyrics and the emotions they evoke. Show examples of sheet music and how it was illustrated.
	Pass out copies of “Home Sweet Home,” “Battle Cry of Freedom” and parody, “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” “ Just Before the Battle, Mother” and “Goober Peas.”
	Listen again to the tunes, encouraging students to sing.
	Discuss the significance of “Home Sweet Home” to the Battle of Stones River.
	At the end of the week allow students to choose a song they find interesting. Then use the theme of the song to create and design an illustration for a sheet music cover.
	View the following song lyrics or download a PDF of this lesson
	The Bonnie Blue Flag
	Battle Cry of Freedom (Rallying Song)
	Just Before the Battle, Mother
	Home! Sweet Home!
	Battle Cry of Freedom (Southern Version)
	Goober Peas

Follow-up Activities

	Write a song about a feeling, or happening from the era or about school life, etc.
	Write a short story about what one of the Civil War songs describes such as “Write a Letter to My Mother” or “Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground.”

Resources
Currie, Stephen. Music in the Civil War. Betterway Books, 1992.

Songbooks, Tapes and CDs

Glass, Paul. Singing Soldiers: A History of the Civil War in Song. DaCapo Press, 1975. (Illustrations, sheet music and lyrics)

Crawford, Richard. The Civil War Songbook. Dover Publications, 1977. (Illustrations, sheet music and lyrics)

Silber, Irwin. Songs of the Civil War. Dover edition, 1995. (sheet music and lyrics)

Silverman, Jerry. Ballads and Songs of the Civil War. Mel Bay Publications, 1993 (Illustrations, sheet music and lyrics)

Bobby Horton, Homespun Songs of the C.S.A. Volumes 1,2 &3. (Confederate music)

Bobby Horton, Homespun Songs of the Union Army Volume 1 & 2. (Federal music)

Natural Resources

Cultural Resources

The Battle of
Stones River

Related Resources