USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cornwallis led a country dance, The like was never seen, sir. What we have here is, of course, not a tune but one verse of a topical text. Its “indicated tune” in 1781 was “Yankee Doodle, ” and it was only one of many comic texts associated with that tune.

Detailed explanation-2: -Since 1881, a story has circulated among some Americans that the British played a march called “The World Turned Upside Down” (hereafter WTUD or Yorktown/WTUD) during their surrender at Yorktown in October 1781.

Detailed explanation-3: -Legend has it that the British played “The World Turned Upside Down” while the surrendering soldiers marched to lay down their arms. Never having heard of this song before-and working at a music library-I was naturally inclined to look into the song’s musical history.

Detailed explanation-4: -On October 19, with Americans on one side of the road and the French on the other, 8, 000 British and Hessian troops marched out of Yorktown and surrendered in an open meadow. As the British soldiers laid down their weapons, their band played a tune: “The World Turned Upside Down".

Detailed explanation-5: -Tradition has it that when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown (1781) the British played this tune. There is some debate as to whether that is myth or fact. The ballad was first published on a broadside in 1643 to be sung to the tune When the King Enjoys His Own Again.