Lincoln and Liberty

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday -- none of that "Presidents' Day" stuff for true Illinoisians. In 1860, the ardently abolitionist Hutchinson Family Singers toured the country performing "Lincoln and Liberty," which may have been the first campaign song to qualify as an actual hit.

I think Ronnie Gilbert's lyrics are more likely from the 1864 reelection campaign, given that they call Lincoln as "our Chieftan," and the promise to "fight till our banner's victorious." (Also, "the Suckers so lucky" does not refer to gullible people, but rather to Illinoisians, whose nickname, long since abandoned, may have come from the ease of digging wells. Either that or the origin is unknown, like Hoosiers.)

The tune was taken from an Irish fiddle song called "Rosin the Beau."