Yankee Doodle

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Yankee Doodle
Composer Traditional
Released 177?-??-?? c.
Title Origin Official

Yankee Doodle is a common folk song amongst Anglo-Americans. The tune dates back to the Seven Years' War in the mid-1700s. It has become a popular patriotic song in the USA where it has even become the state anthem of Connecticut. The tune itself is traditional, but the published lyrics are generally attributed to Dr. Richard Shuckburgh.

The use of the song began as an insult to Colonial men, claiming they were so boorish that they would put feathers into their hats and think they were being as fashionable as a proper macaroni (a garish man of court).

In Japan, the song is called Alps Ichimanjaku (アルプス一万尺) or The Alps at 10,000 Feet.

Games

Frogger (A8)

Platform - A8.png
Frogger (A8)
Arranger Unknown
Released 1982-??-??
Format SAP
Loops ?


Arctic Shipwreck (C64)

Platform - C64.png
Arctic Shipwreck (C64)
Arranger Unknown
Released 1983-??-??
Format SID
Loops ?


Blue Max (C64)

Platform - C64.png
Blue Max (C64)
Blue Max - C64 - Company Logo.png
Arranger Unknown
Released 1983-??-??
Format SID
Loops ?

Played during the U.S. Gold company logo.

The Softoy (A8)

Platform - A8.png
The Softoy (A8)
Arranger Unknown
Released 1983-??-??
Format SAP
Loops ?


The Oregon Trail (A2)

Platform - A2.png
The Oregon Trail (A2)
Arranger Unknown
Released 1985-??-??
Format UNK
Loops ?


Butterfly (C64)

Platform - C64.png
Butterfly (C64)
Arranger Unknown
Released 1986-??-??
Format SID
Loops ?


Powerplay Hockey: USA vs. USSR (C64)

Platform - C64.png
Powerplay Hockey: USA vs. USSR (C64)
Arranger Rob Hubbard
Released 1988-??-??
Format SID
Loops No

Track 6 in the SID file.

Oishinbo: Kyuukyoku no Menu Sanbon Shoubu (FC)

Platform - FC.png
Oishinbo: Kyuukyoku no Menu Sanbon Shoubu (FC)
Output - NES.svg
Oishinbo - FC - Outdoors (Yankee Doodle).png
Arranger Michiharu Hasuya
Released 1989-07-25
Length 0:40
Format NSF
Loops Yes

The song plays Outdoors throughout various periods in the game. The song plays in the key of A major at approximately 128 beats per minute.

Sound Blaster (DOS)

Platform - DOS.png
Sound Blaster (DOS)
Output - OPL2.svg
Sound Blaster - DOS - Play CMF.png
Arranger Unknown
Released 1989-??-??
Length 0:41.18
Format CMF
Loops No

Yankee Doodle is one of the example songs included in the bundled software with the Sound Blaster. It is called DOODLE.CMF.

Fisher Price: I Can Remember (NES)

Platform - NES.png
Fisher Price: I Can Remember (NES)
Arranger Gavan Anderson
Released 1990-03-??
Format NSF
Loops ?


Fisher Price: Perfect Fit (NES)

Platform - NES.png
Fisher Price: Perfect Fit (NES)
Perfect Fit - NES - Level 3.png
Arranger Tania Smith
Released 1990-03-??
Format NSF
Loops ?

Yankee Doodle plays as one of the background tunes in puzzle #3.

Wolfenstein 3D (DOS)

Platform - DOS.png
Wolfenstein 3D (DOS)
Output - OPL2.svg
Wolfenstein 3D - DOS - E1M9.png
Arranger Bobby Prince
Released 1992-05-05
Length 1:08
Format IMF
Loops Yes

The song, The March to War, from Wolfenstein 3D (DOS) incorporates the melody of Yankee Doodle.

Barney's Hide & Seek Game (GEN)

Platform - GEN.png
Barney's Hide & Seek Game (GEN)
Output - OPN2.svg
Barney's Hide & Seek Game - GEN - Title Screen.png
Arranger Eric Swanson
Released 1993-06-01
Format VGM
Loops Yes


Sheet Music

Lyrics

Due to the folk nature of the song, a wide variety of lyrics exist. The lyrics as they are often taught to children today are:

Yankee Doodle went to town,
A-riding on a pony;
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And called it macaroni.

CHORUS
Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.

Links