Talk:Yankee Doodle

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I believe there are other verses to this song, one particularly concerns connections to Cape Cod. talking about going to Aunt Hettie's house and the house of Grandma Chase. Aunt Hettie may have been Mehitable Crosby Nickerson of Orleans and Grandma Chase may have been the mother of Ebenezer Chase of Harwich or Dennis, who was one of the two fifers from Cape Cod who served in the Revolutionary War. Does anybody know the words to this verse? I believe it was used during the bicentennial by members of the Cape Cod Militia. Thanks, Gail Nickerson

Here are lyrics that include the word "macaroni" in the song "Yankee Doodle"

 Yankee Doodle came to town,
 A-ridin' on a pony;
 stuck a feather in his hat
 and called it macaroni.

 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
 Yankee Doodle Dandy;
 Mind the music and the steps
 And with the girls be handy.

 Father and I went down to camp,
 Along with Cap'n Goodwin;
 The men and boys all stood around
 As thick as hasty puddin'.

 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
 Yankee Doodle Dandy;
 Mind the music and the steps
 And with the girls be handy.

Interestingly, the Wikipedia Yankee Doodle article linked to from the Wikipedia Macaroni article does not mention this version of these lyrics. LarryW 02:54, 3 Aug 2003 (UTC)

Until today.... -- Bevo 03:58, 26 Aug 2003 (UTC)
I can't find a reference, but I recollect reading that "macaroni" was soldier's slang for the gold braid on officer's uniforms of the period. Makes more sense in this context - Yankee Doodle doesn't have a real uniform with gold braid, just a feather in his cap. Makes more sense gramatically too if macaroni is a specific object rather than a fashion. Toiyabe 23:15, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Content copied from Straight Dope?

It looks like much of this article was copied from The Straight Dope, including the typo of "larde" for "large", which I have just corrected. Is there a risk of copyright violation here? http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/myankeedoodle.html

Jeffr 14:01, May 27, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] About Macaroni

According to "Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day" [(c) 2006 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated] : (paraphrased) The 2nd, obsolete meaning of macaroni was " a) a member of a class of traveled young Englishmen of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who affected foreign ways; b) an affected young man : fop". Quote:

    "As you may have suspected, the "macaroni" in the song "Yankee Doodle"
    is not the familiar food. The feather in Yankee Doodle's cap
    apparently makes him a macaroni in the now rare "fop" or "dandy"
    sense. The sense appears to have originated with a club established in
    London by a group of young, well-traveled Englishmen in the 1760s. The
    founders prided themselves on their appearance, sense of style, and
    manners, and they chose the name Macaroni Club to indicate their
    worldliness. Because macaroni was, at the time, a new and rather
    exotic food in England, the name was meant to demonstrate how stylish
    the club's members were. The members were themselves called
    "macaronis," and eventually "macaroni" became synonymous with "dandy"
    and "fop."

I'd say the statement in the article that reads "The joke being that the Yankees are stupid enough to believe that a feather in the hat is sufficiently spiffy to gain entry to Macaroni." is just another example of guesses and theories presented as fact on Wikipedia... (Note in the quote above how professional authors _qualify_ their statements.)

p.s. Any other references besides the Library of Congress webpage on whether it's "Cap'n Goodwin" or "Captin Good'in" ? - Libertas 04:47, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

  • Agreed - The section about the club should be removed unless it can be well verified. I'll make the change so this reads closer to what's in the description of macaroni (fashion).

[edit] More regarding the history

[1] Шизомби 04:38, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Please edit to include more complete versions of Yankee doodle.

I came across this article while doing some research on Yankee Doodle for my American Wars class. It does not appear to be as complete as it could be because it is lacking several versions. I will leave the editing to more experienced folks because I am afraid of committing some infraction of rules regarding editing. Here are the sources for more complete versions of Yankee Doodle and also brief explanations:

1. Complete version of the "Early Version" The date for the earliest version should be 1758.
2. The true 1775 lyrics of Yankee Doodle
3. Lyrics to the 1775 Loyalist version of Yankee Doodle with comments on specific verses

[edit] Macaroni and Dandy references

Would the support for Macaroni, as is implied by the Macaroni link not be supported by the second line of the second verse (i.e. "Yankee Doodle Dandy"? This could be evidence that the reference is to Yankee Doodle's Dandyism and hence sticking a feather in his cap to be part of the Macaroni club and calling it Macaroni.

[edit] "Full House" reference & Barney? Vandalism?

The Full House reference looks bogus. I don't think there was a "Derek" on the show, and those are just the lyrics to Yankee Doodle Dandy. Also, the reference to Barney is odd. Cleanup? Bigmac31 15:54, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

The Full House reference was not vandalism. Derek was one of Michelle's friends and they had a school play about America. If you want to take it down, you'll have to find a better reason than "Vandalism?" Leaving the Barney version up but taking this down is inconsistent. Papercrab 01:01, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Full House again

By an incredible quirk of fate, I saw the Full House episode alluded to. It has to do with a patriotic school show put on my Michelle's school (Mary Kate/Ashley). It is of course too cute. One of her schoolmates sings "Yankee Doodle Dandy." But still, that's it. He just sings that song. The notes about Barney and Roger Ramjet are ok because they DID appropriate the melody for their themes. But this one is still spurious. Bigmac31 17:01, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] anti-hitler variant

This version by The Firesign Theatre pops up frequently with Fortune_(Unix). Is is noteworthy enough to add to the article?

Yankee Doodle came to term,
Writing Martin Buber,
Stuck a Fuehrer in the back
And called it Schikelgruber! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Frotz (talk • contribs) 09:35, 6 March 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Children's version

The way I learned the refrain in kindergarten was:

Yankee Doodle ha ha ha!
Yankee Doodle dandy,
All the lassies are so sweet,
As sweet as sugar candy.

(Whoever thought that one up had a filthy mind.) Kostaki mou 02:40, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

I'm too dense to see it... Doops | talk 04:59, 7 June 2007 (UTC)
I refer to "ha ha ha" instead of "keep it up!" Kostaki mou 02:43, 13 June 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Fort Crailo

The song Yankee Doodle Dandy was first written at Fort Crailo, in what is today the city of Rensselaer, New York. Today Fort Crailo is on both the state and national historic registers for that very reason. It was written as an insult during the French and Indian Wars by the local Dutch-decendents about the Connecticut militia that came up to be stationed at Fort Crailo. This is fact, and should be added to this article. I know that Connecticut has a long history with being associated with "Yankee" but its my belief that this shouldnt be an article labelled as being part of the wikiproject-Connecticut seeing as how the song wasnt written in Ct. and Yankee now means anyone from the northern US or even from anywhere in the US and not just someone from Ct. I feel it takes away a piece of history and pride of NY and of Fort Crailo.Camelbinky 12:54, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

What's the evidence in support of that claim? Baseball Bugs 12:58, 4 August 2007 (UTC)
One reason that its part of wikiproject-Connecticut is because its the state song. That's usually justification enough. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.67.97.194 (talk) 16:04, 20 December 2007 (UTC)


I am all for the post which consists with the topic macaroni and the macaroni club,for I too have read about the dealings with the exotic ffod thing. The Feather is quite important and everyone has perhaps worn one i definetly agree with also, Though for the The History Buffing isn't also a little bit about heritage and Old Ancient values. There was a King whom Invented this Feather wearing and perhaps had something to do with his female and then again maybe it wasn't about her. A Dandy for sure wore those excellent clothing apparel and huge top hats, and it is i think a mixture of speaking such as Hello Daddy, responce how is everything . responce Everything is just Dandy. Then it was the son's turn; perhaps in a different tune The Doodle perhaps may be a recognition of doing it right and not so much as of a clown or fool type. For insteance a Yankee a grouping of, in wich were allowed to do something by approval this was the attraction of a personage whom asked for obedience and was refered to get with this answer.YES AND KEEP IT Y-AN-KEE perhaps came from each other making fun of each other through time perhasp cashual. The British Brigades did play the Tune in Memory and while doing stayed close to the rear for the aprouch was silent but deadly and as when the Lance was then used for qietness as well. The tune now may be heard with some formation a beep or fol. a lance also may be within the folding of something wich was used though now is used in the position of the pole of lance and clled perhaps a flag , the lance when gather round about and when the sun gleems from it puts a light into the folded flag , when the proportion is almost tucked the Lanceibg is then within brought back and stabled to an upright position. God Day 6:10 P.M. E.S.T. David George DeLancey (talk) 22:10, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Try again, in English. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? 22:19, 26 March 2008 (UTC)