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Show HOW "DIXIE" WAS WRITTEN. This is how he happened to write "Dixie," ns he relates it in his own words: "Like most everything I ever did because it had to be done. One Saturday night, in 1S59, as I was leaving leav-ing Bryant's theatre, in New York, where I was engaged, Bryant called after me: 'Dan, I want a walk-around for Monday.' The next day it rained, and I staid indoors. At first when I went at the song, 1 couldn't get anything. any-thing. But a line, 'I wish I was in Dixie," kept repeating itself to my mind, and I finally took it for my start. The rest wasn't long in coming, and that's the story of how 'Dixie was written. It made a hit at once, and j before the end of the week everybody In New York was whistling it, and it soon became a favorite all over the country as fast as minstiels would bring it rto the notice of the people. Early in the war, a performance was given in New Orleans, and every part had been successfully taken, and all that was lacking was a march or war song for the large chorus. A great number of songs were tried, but none seemed to take until 'Dixie' was given a change, and at once it was adopted and took immediately.' It soon spread to the streets and then to the battlefield, battle-field, and became the great song of the Southern soldier." . |