Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, ca. 1820-1860
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Answer Songs
Answer songs are pieces written in direct response to other popular songs. Several songs in the collection generated such responses. For example, the tragic "Katy darling" is sung by a man to his dead love. The song begins with the lament, "Oh, they tell me thou art dead, Katy Darling." Answer songs written in response to "Katy Darling" range from the equally sad to the ridiculous. One answer song begins with the title phrase, "Yes! 'Tis True Katy Now Is Sleeping" while the raucous "Johnny Darling," written to Katy's brother Johnny, begins with the words "Oh, they tell me thou'rt dead drunk, Johnny Darling."
Answer songs were also written in response to a song entitled "The Katy-did song," in which the narrator tells of seeing a girl named Katy sneak off to meet and kiss her boyfriend. One response song provides "Katy's defence" while another, titled "Katy-did and Katy-didn't," allows two singers to argue the case.
Read "Katy darling" or "The Katy-did song" and the answer songs written in response:
- Which do you like better — the original song or the answer songs? Why?
- Give at least two reasons why songwriters might compose answer songs. Which reason do you think was most important?
- Answer songs have enjoyed popularity in various periods throughout U.S. history. For example, they were very popular in the 1960s, appearing frequently in both the country and R&B genres. Some answer songs are still being written today. Find out about answer songs in at least one other period of U.S. history, as well as the present. Are answer songs still written for the same reasons? Explain your answer.