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William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

A New Song: ‘Ye gallant sons of Liberty’

Tune—“Yankee doodle”

YE gallant sons of Liberty,

Who bravely have defended

Your country’s rights by land and sea,

And to her cause attended.

With Yankee doodle doo,

Yankee doodle dandy,

Our tars will show the haughty foe,

Columbia’s sons are handy.

Upon the ocean’s wide domain,

Our tars are firm and true, sirs,

And freedom’s cause they will maintain,

With Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

The fourth day of July, ’tis said,

That day will Britain rue, sirs,

When an independent tune we play’d,

Call’d Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

Columbia’s sons did then declare

They would be independent,

And for King George they would not care,

Nor yet for his descendant.
Yankee doodle, &c.

For the prince-regent thought he’d sent

A fleet to take our few, sirs,

But when to sea our sailors went,

They play’d ’em Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

First bold Hull the Guerriere met,

And ’twas a glorious day, sirs;

Cried Dacres, “Give them, boys, a sweat,

And show them British play, sirs.”
Yankee doodle, &c.

But Hull that story did not like,

So return’d them shots a few, sirs,

Which caused the British flag to strike

To Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

Now next bold Jones a Frolic took,

Upon the ocean too, sirs;

Lord, how the British flag he shook,

To Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

For Jones so smart a tune did play,

That it made the British sing, sirs,

And Whinyates to his men did say,

“Damn’d hard that Wasp does sting, sirs.”
Yankee doodle, &c.

Sure Whinyates thought our gallant Jones

Could take a Frolic too, sirs,

But soon he struck his marrow-bones

To Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

’Twas next the Macedonian met

Brave Commodore Decatur,

“A Yankee ship,” cried he, “I’ll bet,—

Prepare, my boys, to take her.”
Yankee doodle, &c.

For Carden thought he had us tight,

Just so did Dacres too, sirs,

But brave Decatur put him right,

With Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

They thought they saw our ship on flame,

Which made them all huzza, sirs,

But when the second broadside came,

It made them hold their jaws, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

British tars think that they can

Whip Yankees one to two, sirs;

But only give us man for man,

They’ll see what we can do, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

Our tars do care no more for France

Than Britain, is most true, sirs,

And can make any nation dance

To Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.

Now here’s a health to valiant Hull,

Jones and Decatur too, sirs,

And we’ll include brave Bainbridge too,

Sing Yankee doodle doo, sirs.
Yankee doodle, &c.