The song's origins were in a pre-Revolutionary War song originally sung by British military officers to mock the disheveled, disorganized colonial "Yankees" with whom they served in the French and Indian War. At the time, the most common meaning of the word doodle was that of "simpleton" or "fool". It is believed that the tune comes from the nursery rhyme Lucy Locket. A "macaroni", in mid-18th-century England, was a dandyish young man with affected Continental mannerisms; the joke being that the Yankees believed that a feather in the hat was sufficient to make them the height of fashion During the American Civil War, Southerners added some new lines of their own: Yankee Doodle had a mind To whip the Southern rebels, Because they did not choose to live On codfish from his tables. Yankee Doodle, fa, so la, Yankee Doodle dandy, And so to keep his courage up, He took a drink of brandy. Dixie whipped old Yankee Doodle Early in the morning. Yankeedom had best look out And take a timely warning. Hurrah! for our Dixie land, Hurrah! for our borders! Southern boys to arms will stand And whip the dark marauders.
Put a feather in your cap and called it macaroni? Yes....but I was quite drunk at the time. Liked that Southern version, there Blackjack....thanks !
Only to entertain the children (I swear!). I'd never heard (seen) those lyrics before. Good one, Blackjack!
