SAM DeVINCENT COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED AMERICAN SHEET MUSIC, ca. 1790 - 1987
#300

Container List

Series 1: TRANSPORTATION, ca. 1800-1980

by: Karen Linn, 1989

A - B, Railroads, ca. 1830-1889:

Box 24

Folder

A, A - M
B, N - Z

The bulk of the material is from the second half of the nineteenth century. Many of the pieces refer to specific railroad lines and some of the song sheets served as advertising for the railroad or vacation resorts serviced by the railroad. Both vocal and instrumental music is included. Many pieces have illustrated lithographic covers depicting trains in various landscapes. (32 items)

C - N, Railroads, Vocal Music, ca. 1890-1979:

C, A - CH
D, CO - F

Box 25

Folder

E, G - H
F, I - I'M
G, I'M - J
H, L - MA

Box 26

Folder

I, ME - N
J, O - PL
K, PO - SE
L, SH - TH
M, TO - WE

Box 27

Folder

N, WH - Z

Although the songs date from the 1890s to the 1970s, there is little material from the 1960s or the 1970s. Most of the covers have illustrations with trains. Much of the material from the 1940s to the 1950s is Country Music. There are several songs about railroad porters. See the Irving Berlin material in sub-series 4 for railroad songs written by that composer. (ca. 350 items)

O -R, Railroads, Instrumental, ca. 1890-1969:

O, A - F
P, G - P
Q, Q - R
R, S - Z

The bulk of the material is from 1890 to 1929. Most of the items from after 1940 are piano teaching aids. All pieces are for solo piano except the Fast Mail Galop (1898) for mandolin. Marches, two-steps and program music (musical imitations of a train) are the most popular forms. (ca. 100 items)

S, Railroads, Song Folio, 1943:

Railroad Songs of Yesterday published by Shapiro, Bernstein and Co. (1 item).

Box 28

Folder

T, Casey Jones, ca. 1910-1939:

A variety of songs about the legendary railroad worker Casey Jones are in this folder. For other Casey Jones items see: 1.7 D Freight Train Boogie as performed by the Delmore Brothers; in the aeronautics sub-series 1.1 B Casey Jones and his Monoplane by Wendall Hall. (10 items)

U, Rock Island Railroad Route, 1882-1956:

These are songs about the Rock Island route. The lyrics to the 1882 song The Great Rock Island Route are the precursor of the lyrics to the Wabash Cannonball. (5 items)

V, Wabash Cannonball, 1939-1968:

Folder V has various editions of the Wabash Cannonball including the 1939 version copyrighted by A. P. Carter. Although the melody remains stable, the lyrics change from version to version. (11 items)

W, Put Me Off At Buffalo, 1895-1904:

Included are various editions of this 1895 song as well as related Buffalo train songs (e.g. Don't Put Me Off At Buffalo Any More). (9 items)

X, Monon Centennial, 1947:

Folder X contains songs from the 1947 show commemorating the centennial of the Monon railroad in Indiana. The songs were published and distributed by the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway Company. (8 items)

Y, E. T. Paull, 1897-1903:

The publisher E. T. Paull is known for his dramatic colored lithographic covers. Folder Y includes two train covers for Asleep at the Switch (1897) and the Midnight Flyer (1903). Alternate copies of the later are in 1.7 P. (4 items)

Z Von Tilzer Railroad Songs, 1911-1935:

These are all songs by Albert Von Tilzer. (6 items)

AA - BB, Railroads, Professional Copy, ca. 1910-1979:

AA, A - L
BB, M - Z

Professional copy sheet music has no cover illustration. The bulk of the material is from ca. 1930 to 1969. Many styles of music are included but much of the material after 1930 is Country Music. (91 items)

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