A Treasury of Civil War Songs

As I listened to this 25-song collection, I was struck by how many of the songs are still around today.   For example, who can say they’ve never heard “Dixie,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” or “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”?  However, some of the other tracks will probably be new to the average listener.  Taken together, this CD provides a fine overview of songs both North and South that people of the time sang, played, or listened to.  The arrangements of the songs recorded here reflect that folk tradition – Tom Glazer’s straightforward vocals do most of the work, and instrumental accompaniment is spare, often featuring a single guitar, banjo, or autoharp.

 

Listeners should be aware that these songs were written over 150 years ago, and at least one of them (“The Yellow Rose of Texas”) contains racially insensitive language that was typical of the era.