On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away
| "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" | |
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| Song |
"On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" was among the best-selling songs of 19th-Century, in terms of sheet music sold. Written and composed by American songwriter Paul Dresser, it was published by Tin Pan Alley firm Howley, Haviland & Co. in October 1897. The lyrics of the song reminisce about life near Dresser's childhood home by the Wabash River in Indiana. The song remained popular and the Indiana General Assembly adopted the song as the official state song of Indiana on March 14, 1913. The song was the basis for a 1928 film by the same title. Its longtime popularity led to the emergence of several different lyrical versions of the song, including an 1898 anti-war song and a Swedish version that was a number one hit.
The song was the subject of some controversy after Dresser's death in 1905. His younger brother Theodore publicly claimed to have authored part of the song; the validity of his claim was never proven. Due to the ambiguity of United States copyright laws at the time of its composition, and the poor management of Dresser's estate, the song was plagiarized. The now more widely known 1917 song "Back Home Again in Indiana" borrowed heavily from Dresser's song, both lyrically and musically.
Composition and popularity
Paul Dresser, a prominent 19th-century song and music composer, grew up near the city of Terre Haute, Indiana.[n 1] His family's home and farm was on land adjacent to the Wabash River, the primary internal waterway in the state of Indiana. Dresser later moved to New York City where he published much of his music with Howley, Haviland & Co., a Tin Pan Alley music firm in which he was a silent partner. He never returned to his home to visit because of personal disputes with his father. Being away from his family caused him to reminisce often, and in the spring of 1897 he began to write the song "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" in remembrance of his Indiana home. He completed the song while staying in the Auditorium Hotel in Chicago in the summer of that year and published it in October as part of a series of Mother-and-Home songs.[1] Dresser officially dedicated the song to fourteen-year-old Mary South, a native of Terre Haute and likely the inspiration for the Mary mentioned in the song.[2] When asked what lead him to write the song he once said, "The same sweet memory that inspired that other Hoosier, James Whitcomb Riley, to sing of the 'Old Swimmin' Hole'...I was born on the banks of the Wabash at Terre Haute...My fondest recollections are of my mother and of my early days along this stream."[3][4]
The song was an immediate success and became nationally popular. It was sung by various singers and recorded on wax phonograph cylinders and sold by Edison Records.[5] One Chicago department store claimed to have sold 1,471 copies of the song in a single day.[3] In its first year, over 500,000 copies of sheet music for the song were sold.[6] By 1900 the song had sold millions of copies, becoming the best selling song of its time in terms of sheet music sold.[7] Dresser earned a substantial income from the song, predominantly from royalties through the sale of sheet music; copyright laws at the time did not allow Dresser to control the distribution of phonograph cylinders. "Wabash" was responsible for a third of Dresser's lifetime income, and it is estimated that he earned over $100,000 from sheet music revenues.[8]
Dresser's biographer, Clayton Henderson, attributed the success of the song to the "perfect marriage of words and music."[9] An Indiana newspaper compared the song in popularity to "Swannee River" and wrote of the song, "Mr. Dresser...has endeavored to perpetuate the beauties of the Wabash as did Stephen Foster that of the Suwanee River, and certainly no song since the latter has awakened so much interest among lovers of a good song, nor has any other American author seemed as capable of filling the void left vacant by Foster. The song is a gem and a welcome relief from some of the so-called popular songs sprung on the public from time to time."[3] The song remained popular during the 1920s and was sung by many of the nation's top performing quartets, singing acts, and other performers. A 1923 silent film based on the song and using the same title was directed by J. Stuart Blackton.[10] The song was later featured prominently in the 1942 film My Gal Sal, the title of another song by Dresser.[3]
Controversies
The year that the song was published, Dresser's famous novelist brother, Theodore, privately claimed to have authored the words to the song.[11] In 1917, after Dresser's 1905 death, Theodore made his controversial claim public in a newspaper article. He was ridiculed in many papers and by prominent Hoosiers who dismissed his claim as a hoax.[12] However, he never retracted his claim that he wrote the first verse and chorus of the song, although he downplayed its importance in later years. It is possible that Theodore did give his brother the idea for the song, and may have even authored a portion as parts of the song's content reflect his writing style.[3][13][14] The line stating "where I first received my lessons, nature's school" is a possible link, reflecting Theodore's obsession with nature during his youth and his belief that it held the answers to life, a topic he wrote of on several occasions.[2]
The more widely known 1917 song "Back Home Again in Indiana" borrows heavily from "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" in the chorus, both musically and lyrically. Under Theodore's guidance, Dresser's estate accused its writer of plagiarism and threatened to bring a suit against the publisher, Paull-Pioneer Music Corporation. Despite lengthy discussions no action was ever taken to resolve the dispute, largely due to the ambiguous nature of United States copyright laws in the early 20th century and the estate's lack of finances.[3][13]
Lyrics
The song speaks of the Wabash River, which flows through Indiana, and reminisces about events that occurred there. The song has two verses and a chorus. The first verse is about a boy's childhood on a farm his love for his mother, and the second verse is about his lost love, Mary.[15] While the verses are connected, the chorus is completely detached from the verses and is strictly nostalgic.[1]
Without speaking directly of death, both verses indicate the absence of a loved one, and sadness and inability to cope with it. In the second verse, the narrator cannot bring himself to come near to his lost love's grave. The effort to avoid the subject of death and the focus on fond memories is typical of songs and societal sensibilities at the time.[1]
- (Verse)
- Round my Indiana homestead wave the cornfields,
- In the distance loom the woodlands clear and cool.
- Oftentimes my thoughts revert to scenes of childhood,
- Where I first received my lessons, nature's school.
- But one thing there is missing from the picture,
- Without her face it seems so incomplete.
- I long to see my mother in the doorway,
- As she stood there years ago, her boy to greet.
- (Chorus)
- Oh, the moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash,
- From the fields there comes the breath of newmown hay.
- Through the sycamores the candle lights are gleaming,
- On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
- (Verse)
- Many years have passed since I strolled by the river,
- Arm in arm, with sweetheart Mary by my side,
- It was there I tried to tell her that I loved her,
- It was there I begged of her to be my bride.
- Long years have passed since I strolled thro' there churchyard.
- She's sleeping there, my angel, Mary dear,
- I loved her, but she thought I didn't mean it,
- Still I'd give my future were she only here.
State song
"On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" was adopted as the official state song by the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Winfield T. Durbin, who was one of the primary backers of the legislation, on March 14, 1913. Its lyrics and required uses were added to the Indiana Code.[16] After the passage of the law, the song was sung by a joint session of both houses of the state legislature. It was the first official symbol of Indiana, adopted four years before the first state flag.[3] In 1925, legislation was passed that required Indiana that schools teach the song as part of their curriculum and twenty thousand copies of the song were distributed to the state's public schools.[3] The song is often played at government ceremonial events including the Governor's inauguration.[17]
Although "On the Banks of Wabash, Far Away", was the official song of the state, "Back Home Again in Indiana" became more widely used, and is falsely believed by many to be the state song.[17] One of the leading causes of state song's fall into obscurity was a change in its use at Indianapolis 500 during the 1940s. "Wabash" is played at the event as the race cars move into their starting positions, a period that receives little television coverage, while "Indiana" is sung just before the start of the race and is broadcast publicly. The change to singing "Indiana" at public events continued in the following years, and it came to be played in the place of "Wabash" at state college football games and other prominent events.[17]
Following the 1997 centennial anniversary of the writing of the song, the Indiana General Assembly passed a resolution reconfirming Dresser's song as the state's official song and urged state institutions to make more use of it and return it to popularity.[17]
Adaptations
A folk adaptation of the song, entitled "On the Banks of Havena, Far Away", was created in 1898 to protest the Spanish-American War. The lyrics consisted of a verse hoping to avoid the draft and a second criticizing and ridiculing the war effort.[18]
In 1914 Karl-Ewert Christenson wrote Swedish lyrics to the melody of Dresser's song. Christenson titled the new song "Barndomshemmet" ("The Childhood Home"). The Swedish text is about emigration from Sweden to the United States and was made popular by cabaret and revue artist Ernst Rolf, who had one of his first major hits with the song.[19] A 1970 version of "Barndomshemmet" sung by Dan Eriksson made #1 on Svensktoppen, the Swedish hit list.[20]
See also
Notes
- ^ Paul changed the spelling of his last name from "Drieser" to "Dresser" to Americanize it after beginning his entertainment career. (See Loving, p. 12)
References
- ^ a b c Finson, p. 120
- ^ a b Loving, p. 118
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Paul Dresser". Indiana Historical Society. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
- ^ Loving, p. 2
- ^ Gitelman, p. 130
- ^ Gitelman, p. 129
- ^ Henderson, p. 219
- ^ Henderson, p. 210
- ^ Henderson, p. 212
- ^ "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- ^ Loving, p. 116
- ^ Henderson, p. 208
- ^ a b Loving, p. 117
- ^ Henderson, p. 209
- ^ Dresser, Paul (1897). On The Banks Of The Wabash, Far Away. New York: (Sheet Music) Howley, Haviland & Co.
- ^ Indiana Code:IC 1-2-6-1
- ^ a b c d Bennet, Mark. "Terre Haute's Top 40: Paul Dresser". Tribune-Star. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- ^ Henderson, p. 205
- ^ Myggans nöjeslexikon, vol. 2 (Höganäs 1989), p. 15.
- ^ "List of songs at Svensktoppen during 1971 at the website of the Swedish national radio (SR)" (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
Sources
- Finson, Jon W. (1997). The voices that are gone: themes in 19th-century American popular song. Oxford University Press US,. ISBN 0195113829.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - Gitelman, Lisa, (1999). Scripts, grooves, and writing machines. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0804732701.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Henderson, Clayton W (2003). On the Banks of the Wabash: The Life and Time of Paul Dresser. Indiana Historical Society Press. ISBN 0871951665.
- Loving, Jerome (2005). The Last Titan: A Life of Theodore Dreiser. University of California Press. ISBN 0520234812.
External links
- MacDonough, Harry (Edison Gold Moulded 1570 (c. 1910). "On the Banks of the Wabash". Library of Congress—Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
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