Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

Help support this site! Consider clicking an ad from time to time. Thanks!

 

American Patrol

First performed by the U.S. Marine Band (1892).
First recorded by John Phillip Sousa’s Band (1901).
Hit version by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (US #15 1941).

From the wiki: “‘American Patrol’ is a popular march written by Frank White (F.W.) Meacham in 1885, incorporating both original musical themes by Meacham and melodies from American patriotic songs of the era such as ‘Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean’ and ‘Dixie’. It was first performed by the U.S. Marine Band on July 2, 1892 in Portland, Oregon. The first recording of ‘American Patrol’ was by John Phillip Sousa’s Band in 1901.

“Jerry Gray arranged a swing version of the march for Glenn Miller’s orchestra in 1941, where the theme ‘The Girl I Left Behind’ can be also heard as an overlay. The recording was reissued as RCA Victor 20-1564-A backed with ‘Song of the Volga Boatmen‘ as Side 1.

“The ‘patrol’ format was popular in the second half of the 19th century, and other compositions bear titles such as ‘Turkish Patrol’, ‘Ethiopian Patrol’, ‘Owl’s Patrol’, ‘Welsh Patrol’ and ‘Arab Patrol’. The format was intended to represent a military band approaching, passing, and fading into the distance.”

The Glenn Miller Orchestra, “American Patrol” (1941):

Comments are closed.