The Rose of Alabama
"The Rose of Alabama" is an American traditional tune & minstrel song published in 1846 by George F. Reed, with lyrics attributed to Silas S. Steele & the tune attributed to A. F. Winnemore and his Band of Serenaders, a blackface minstrel performer group active in the 1840s.[1] The song has elements similar to Stephen Foster's song ''Oh Susanna'', making it possible he was somewhat inspired by The Rose of Alabama.[1] The song seems to be about a young man travelling to see his girl, likely in Alabama, and playing his banjo for her until it falls into a river.
Variations of the song were arranged by Theodore Felix Von De LaHache, and published by A. Fiot in 1846.[2]
The song has been kept alive by musicians reenacting the era of the American Civil War, or releasing albums of songs sung during the Civil War, particularly the 2nd South Carolina String band, Bobby Horton, and the 97th Regimental String Band.
The song was a hit in New Orleans, according to George W Kendall, who made a ''desperate inquiry'' in August of 1846 asking if anything was known about the song, describing it as the regulars and volunteers of the army did not think or sing of anything else besides the song, ''They appear to think, and especially to sing, about nothing else save the 'Rose of Alabama'.... Seriously, the song is in everyone's mouth in the army".[3]
Later, the song was mentioned in Alexander B. Meek's 1857 book ''Songs and Poems of the South. 2nd Ed'' on page 23.[4]
A few different songs have been written which use the tune of The Rose of Alabama, such as one published in 1848 in a book titled "The Rough and Ready Songster", written by an unknown American officer of the Mexican-American War, to which the song is named "Strike for our rights, avenge your wrongs"[5]
Lyrics
Versions of the songs differ, the below lyrics are taken from an 1865 publication titled ''Dime negro melodies. no. 3. rose of Alabama"[6], and ''The rose of Alabama. H. De Marsan, Publisher, No. 38 Chatham Street, N. Y''[7], for an unknown reason the latter publication omits one verse.
| Lyrics | Silas S. Steele, 1846 |
|---|---|
| Music | A. F. Winnemore, presumed 1846 |
| Published | 1846 |
| Audio sample | |
| 1865 Lyrics as published by A. Winch |
Lyrics as published by H. De Marsan |
|---|---|
|
|
Away from Mississippi’s vale, |
Other versions of the song commonly published between 1847-1850 commonly used completely different lyrics, a set of lyrics very commonly printed notably had a completely different first verse & chorus.
"I loved in boyhood’s happy time, when life was like a minstrel’s rhyme, and cloudless as my native clime, the Rose of Alabama, oh, lovely rose! The sweetest flower earth knows, Is the Rose of Alabama!"[8]
Notable appearances in media
- In the 1976 film The Outlaw Josey Wales, Jamie, played by Sam Bottoms sings it.[9]
- It is also sung in an earlier part of the film[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oh! Susanna by Stephen Foster - Likely Origins". www.celticguitarmusic.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
- ↑ "Fantasia and variations on the Ethiopian air The rose of Alabama, op. 2". Library of Congress.
- ↑ Belohlavek, John M. (2017-07-05). Patriots, Prostitutes, and Spies: Women and the Mexican-American War. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-8139-3991-9. Search this book on
- ↑ Meek, Alexander Beaufort (1857). Songs and Poems of the South. 2nd Ed. Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library. ISBN 978-1-4255-2736-5. Search this book on
- ↑ Officer, American (1848). The Rough and Ready Songster: Embellished with Twenty-five Splendid Engravings, Illustrative of the American Victories in Mexico. Nafis & Cornish. Search this book on
- ↑ "Image 5 of Library of Congress digitized version: Library of Congress digitized version". Library of Congress.
- ↑ "The rose of Alabama. H. De Marsan, No. 38 Chatham Street, N. Y". Library of Congress.
- ↑ ""Rose of Alabama" - Search - Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
- ↑ ChrisMengleUSA (2020-02-19). Favorite Movie Clips of All Time - The Outlaw Josey Wales - We Got Us The Josey Wales. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ CHARLIE (2015-07-19). ROSE OF ALABAMA. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via YouTube.
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