EARLY IDAHO SONGS OF THE MONTH- September 2008

WardBrothers

Ward Party Massacre. This classic event ballad is about the masssacre at noon on August 20, 1854, when Shoshonis attacked the Alexander Ward wagon train of Missourians on the south side of the Boise River near present day Middleton, Idaho. Eighteen of the party were killed and only two Ward boys (shown at left in old age) escaped. This is the earliest known song that is directly related to an event in Idaho. Lyrics are from Olive Woolley Burt's book "Ameridan Murder Ballads and Other Stories". A melody is not known so the song was performed as a dirge, as suggested in Rosalie Sorrels' book "Way Out in Idaho". Burt's book attributes the song to Nicholas Lee of Pole County, Oregon Territory. Burt obtained the lyrics from Dave C. Dunaway, Oregon State Archivist, who found the ballad in the Novermber 28, 1854 issue of the Oregon Statesman newspaper. The rendition here of this previously unrecorded song is by Johnny Thomsen (recitation and recorder) and Rick Ardinger (button accordian). Photo credit: Canyon County Historical Society.

I Want to Go to Idaho. Sheet music for this light hearted stage song was published in Australia in 1908. The song was "written and composed by Mellor, Lawrance and Gifford" and sung by "Miss Lillian Lea, & Messrs. Forman & Fannan in William Anderson's Pantomime "Babes in the Wood". Staged by G. Keppel-Stephenson." The song appears to be part of the general infatution about western America, often highly romanticized as in this case, at the end of the Victorian era. The piano instrumental rendition here of this previously unrecorded song is by Sean Rogers.

 

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