Singing America: Teaching History Through Song

Songs such as ‘The Battle of New Orleans,’ ‘Oh! Susanna,’ and the national anthem serve as miniature history lessons for old and young alike.

Music is a fun and creative way to teach history to kids. Biba Kayewich

In 1959, country-rockabilly singer Johnny Horton released “The Battle of New Orleans.” Here are the opening lyrics of what became his signature song:

In 1814 we took a little trip Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip’ We took a little bacon and we took a little beans And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans

We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’ There wasn’t as many as there was a while ago We fired once more and they began to runnin’ On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico Horton won fame and a Grammy for this No.1 hit, which remains a part of our culture even today, but another musician, Jimmy Driftwood, wrote it. In the 1930s, Driftwood was teaching history in his native state of Arkansas when he composed music, including the New Orleans song, to teach his students about U.S. history and to inspire them to learn more.