====== #1168 - Tammany ====== [[..:1167:|prev]] | [[..:1169:|next]] /*-20note-*/ *Composer: *++Gus Edwards|{{search>"Gus Edwards" @cobs}}++, 1879–1945, 1905 *[[/data/media/midi/1168.mid|MIDI]] | ++show|\\ {{http://www.rollerorgans.com/mid2roll.php?cob=1168&.gif?}}++ *[[:incipit]]: 36663666477775732123 *[[:incipit|Condensed Incipit]]: 3636475732123 *[[/cob_label/index.php|Print a Label]] *++Lyrics:|((The lyrics describe the political climate in New York City.))\\ Hiawatha was an Indian,\\ So was Navajo,((These are legitimate examples of native american leadership.))\\ Paleface organ-grinders killed them\\ Many moons ago;((Organ-grinders were often pictured as lower class immigrants. US expansion was responsible for violently displacing the native american population.))\\ But there is a band of Indians((The Tammany Society, which adopted many Native American words and customs, was founded in the 1780s))\\ That will never die,((Led by Aaron Burr, it was built into a political machine for the election of 1800.))\\ When they're at the Indian Club((In 1830, the headquarters was moved to Tammany Hall on West 14th Street, New York City.))\\ This is their battle cry:\\ \\ //chorus: //\\ Tammany, Tammany\\ Big Chief sits in his tepee\\ Cheering braves to victory,\\ Tammany, Tammany\\ Swamp 'em swamp 'em\\ Get me wampum\\ Tammany\\ \\ On the island of Manhattan\\ By the bitter sea,((New York City was the center for immigration, and dissatisfied refugees became a large political constituency.))\\ Lived this tribe of noble Red Men,\\ Tribe of Tammany,((//Tammany Hall// was synonymous with the Democratic Party political machine that controlled New York City politics.))\\ From the Totem of the Greenlight\\ Wampum they would bring,((Bribe money was received from the owners of brothels, saloons, and illegal gambling dens.))\\ When their big Chief Man Behind,((The head of Tammany rule was Richard Croker, who completely controlled the political machine.))\\ Would pass the pipe and sing:\\ \\ Paleface preacher, "Red Light Finder,"\\ To Manhattan came,((In 1892 Reverend Charles Henry Parkhurst, known as the "Red Light Finder", led the political battle to oust corrupt Tammany rule.))\\ He was very old but he played\\ Leap-frog just the same,((Parkhurst was accused of (or perhaps framed for) visiting the houses of ill-repute himself.))\\ He said he would run Manhattan\\ Like a Sunday school,\\ Made the village twice as bad\\ As under Tammany rule,\\ \\ Paleface Band of Pirates called\\ "Reformers" made a fight,((Anti-Tammany groups made some much-publicized discoveries, gained a Grand Jury investigation, and the appointment of the //Lexow Committee//.))\\ Helped old "Red Light Finder" put the\\ Tam'my braves to flight;((A reform mayor was elected in 1894.))\\ Tammany came back and put this\\ Pirate band to rout,((Tammany rule quickly returned, electing a Tammany governor in 1897.))\\ Found the village treasure gone--\\ "Reformers" cleaned it out,((Although Tammany rule had returned, it had undergone a "public" reform and would never regain its former corrupt power. Croker avoided prison and retired to a country life in England and Ireland.))\\ ++ *++Vincent Patrick Bryan|{{search>"Vincent Patrick Bryan" @cobs}}++ (1878-1937), 1905