'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream: The Image of Ireland and the Irish in American Popular Song Lyrics, 1800-1920 (Music in American Life)

'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream: The Image of Ireland and the Irish in American Popular Song Lyrics,...

The image of the Irish in the United States changed drastically over time, from that of hard-drinking, rioting Paddies to genial, patriotic working-class citizens. In 'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream, William H. A. Williams traces the change in this image through more than 700 pieces of sheet music - popular songs from the stage and for the parlour - to show how Americans' opinions of Ireland and the Irish went practically from one extreme to the other. Because sheet music was a commercial item it had to be acceptable to the broadest possible song-buying public. "Negotiations" about their image involved Irish songwriters, performers, and pressure groups, on the one hand, and non-Irish writers, publishers, and audiences on the other. Williams ties the contents of song lyrics to the history of the Irish diaspora, suggesting how ethnic stereotypes are created and how they evolve within commercial popular culture. more

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Recent Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Apr-01-1998; Fascinating, meticulously researched, and deftly written.; Dr. Williams takes what may at first seem like a narrow subject---Irish-American song lyrics---and uses it to tell not only the story of the Irish in America, but of American popular culture as well. This book is full of revelations....; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Dec-23-1997; 1997 Deems Taylor Award from ASCAP.; This book won a 1997 Deems Taylor Award from ASCAP.; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Apr-01-1998; Fascinating, meticulously researched, and deftly written.; Dr. Williams takes what may at first seem like a narrow subject---Irish-American song lyrics---and uses it to tell not only the story of the Irish in America, but of American popular culture as well. This book is full of revelations....; read full review | report as inappropriate