Blogging about suffrage history
& suffrage centennial events
Next up in my suffrage song adventures is "Winning the Vote (Not For Joseph)" with lyrics by (Mrs.) AB Smith. There are two slightly different versions of these lyrics in Danny O. Crew's wonderful book Suffragist Sheet Music. One is an 1888 authorless version which mentions Boston, MA. The other is the 1912 version that references Madison, WI attributed to AB Smith. It seems these lyrics were altered depending on the battleground state du jour, so I sing *Albany because I live and (mostly) work in NY state. In another publication, Hurrah for woman suffrage! : songs of the woman suffrage movement 1848-1920 by Miriam Reed, the 1912 version is attributed to MRS. AB Smith. If you have been following me you know that I try to find out more about the lyricists & original tunes of these suffrage songs, & I thought this one would be tricky. AB Smith is a nearly impossible name to research, right? Wrong. Google gave me two potential candidates & one is most likely the lyricist. First up: Anna Bustill Smith (1862-1945) was born in Philadelphia to a prominent black abolitionist family. She worked for universal suffrage, and chronicled her family's history becoming the first known black genealogist. Anna also published a number of books including Reminiscences of Colored People of Princeton, N.J., 1800-1900 in 1913. Front cover of a 1913 edition of Anna Bustill Smith's "Reminiscences of Colored People of Princeton, N.J., 1800-1900," a study of Princeton's Black community that was first published in 1913. Anna Bustill Smith was a cousin of Paul Robeson and member of Philadelphia's prominent Bustill family. A suffragist who was the first known African-American genealogist in the United States, she also achieved recognition as an author during the 20th century. By 47thPennVols - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101072341 Next is Estelle Turrell Smith, who married her second husband, Dr. AB Smith in Des Moines, IA in 1884, making her Mrs. AB Smith. She appeared in Frances Willard & Mary Livermore's 1893 book A Woman of the Century; Fourteen hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in all Walks of Life. She served as president of both the State Woman Suffrage Association of Iowa & the Polk County Woman Suffrage Society. Since Estelle was a poet and musician, as well as a suffragist, I am leaning toward her being the lyricist of "Winning the Vote", but I do not know for certain. The tune for "Winning the Vote" may not be familiar to us today, but it was a very popular comedic music hall song of the day. Written by Scotsman Arthur Lloyd in 1867, "Not for Joseph" was inspired by public transit. And Lloyd was not to keen on people using his music, or parodying his songs. According to the Arthur Lloyd website I discovered "one notice of January the 9th 1873 said: 'No Comic or Serio-Comic Vocalist in London will be permitted to use Mr. A. Lloyd's Words of Melodies during his Engagements in Town. No parodies permitted. Mr A. Lloyd writes and composes for anybody who likes to pay for original ideas.'" It doesn't appear that Estelle Terrell Smith, or others across the pond paid much attention. Winning the Vote Lyrics: Mrs. AB Smith (1912), Tune: Not For Joseph, Arthur Lloyd (1867) VERSE 1 (HIM) I’ve been down to Albany* To see the folks & sights; You’d laugh, I’m sure, to hear them talk About the women’s rights. Now ‘tis just as plain as my old hat, That’s plain as plain can be, That if the women want the vote, They’ll get no help from me. Not from Joe, not from Joe, If he knows it, not from Joseph! No, no, no, not from Joe, Not from me, I tell you to! VERSE 2 (HER) Say, friend Joseph, why not we Should vote the same as you? Are there no problems in the state That need our wisdom too? We must pay our taxes same as you As citizens be true; And if some wicked thing we do, To jail we’re sent by you. Yes we are, same as you And you know it, don’t you Joseph? Yes you do, yet you boast, You’ll not help us win the vote. VERSE 3 (HIM) But, dear woman, can’t you see, Your home is your true sphere? Just think of going to the polls Perhaps two times a year! You are wasting time you ought to use In sewing and at work, Your home neglected all those hours Would you such duties shirk? Help from Joe? Help from Joe? If he knows it, not from Joseph; No, no, no, not from Joe, Not from me, I tell you no! VERSE 4 (HER) Joseph, tell us something new, We’re tired of that old song; We’ll sew the seams and cook the meals, To vote won’t take us long. We’ll help clean house, the one too large For man to clean alone, The state and nation, don’t you see, When we the vote have won. Yes we will, and you’ll help, For you’ll need our help, friend Joseph; Yes you will, when we’re in, So you’d better help us win. VERSE 5 (HIM) You’re just right, how blind I’ve been, I ne’er had seen it thus; ‘Tis true that taxes you must pay Without a word or fuss; You are subject to the laws men made, And yet no word or note, Can you sing out where it will count I’ll help you win the vote! (HER) Thank you Joe. (BOTH) We’ll together soon be voters; Yes we will, if you’ll all, Vote “yes” at the polls next fall. If you enjoyed this, & any of my other suffrage song posts, please join me on Monday, March 29, 2021 at 6:30 PM EDT for a concert of suffrage songs via Zoom. To register, go to Crandalllibrary.org. The press release is below.
Folklife After Hours Series Returns With Celebration of Women’s History Month The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library is excited to announce the return of its popular Folklife After Hours Series with Tisha Dolton, Suffrage Singer Presents Songs Celebrating 100 Years of Votes for Women on Monday, March 29, 2021 at 6:30 PM EDT via Zoom. Tisha Dolton presents a concert of songs relating to the Women's Suffrage Movement to compliment the exhibition, Equali-tea: Suffragist Tea Cozies in Redwork, A Suffrage Centennial Exhibition. This concert was filmed and edited by librarian Kevin Rogan and will be presented as a watch party followed by a Q&A with the singer. To register for this free event go to the Events Calendar at CrandallLibrary.org. Dolton is a singer, historian, librarian, and embroiderer whose research focus lies in the music, art, craft, and theater of the women's suffrage movement. She also uses local newspapers to unearth forgotten suffragists in Warren, Washington, and Saratoga counties. In 2020 she received an Individual Artist Grant from Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council to create 42 embroidered portraits of New York State suffragists and provide community programming to compliment the exhibition currently online at https://www.crandalllibrary.org/folklife-center/folklife-gallery/. Equali-tea: Suffragist Tea Cozies in Redwork is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency Decentralization Program with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; administered by the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC). This and other concerts can be viewed on The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/TheFolklifeCenterAtCrandallPublicLibrary. Crandall Public Library is located in downtown Glens Falls, NY. Pop-In Library services are available Tuesday 10am-6pm and Friday 10am-4pm. Curbside Pick-Up is available by appointment on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Folklife Center is currently closed to visitors. Please call 518-792-6508 x239 with research inquiries.
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