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The History of the Song - “Yankee Doodle”
The most commonly held belief is that the first part of "Yankee Doodle" was
written in 1755, during the French and Indian War, by a British military
surgeon named Richard Shuckburgh. One day, he happened to see some
Connecticut militia marching by — not in squeaky-clean uniforms like the
British soldiers, but in their ragged, dirty, everyday work clothes. He noticed
some of them were sporting turkey feathers in their tri-corner hats, and this
struck him as rather amusing.
At the time, in mid-18th century London, there was a fashion trend among the young men of the upper class called the
"macaroni" style. It consisted of very fancy, outlandish clothes, topped off by a hat with a brightly colored ostrich plume.
"Dandy" was the name given to those who dressed in "macaroni" style. Shuckburgh, being well versed in poetry and literature,
decided to compose a merry little ditty that mocked the colonial militia. So he wrote the well-known first verse and chorus. He
probably wrote more verses, but the first verse is all that remains.
Despite the fact that it began as ridicule, the colonials took the song for their own. Countless versions and parodies evolved,
many of them made fun of their officers, including George Washington.
And there was Captain Washington
With gentle folks about him
They say he's grown so 'tarnal (eternal) proud
He will not ride without them.
There came Gen'ral Washington
Upon a snow-white charger
He looked as big as all outdoors
And thought that he was larger.
When Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, it is said that the British played "The World Turned Upside Down" and the Americans
played "Yankee Doodle."
“Yankee Doodle” - The Lyrics:
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a