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Lee Schreiner Sheet Music Collection

Lee Schreiner donated a large portion of his sheet music collection--several thousand pieces--to Rare Books and Special Collections in 2014. Music in the collection covers much of the early 20th century, with coverage especially strong during World War I (1914-1918). Because most Americans either had access to pianos or watched performers at music halls, sheet music is an ideal medium for studying popular and visual culture. Pieces in the collection reflect popular opinion about the war, as well as the changing status of women and minorities. The first phase to digitize the Schreiner collection concluded in 2017 to coincide with the centennial of World War I, with future plans to digitize more of the collection later in the year.

Browse by first line of chorus | first line of lyrics | cover illustration

The badge of honor
by M. L. Breon., piano, Title from cover., March for piano., Arranged by Harry J. Lincoln., Uncle Sam holding a banner in the shape of the State of Oklahoma with a five-pointed star. Each point of the star carries one word: "victory, liberty, equality, justice, honor." A circle in the center of the star is inscribed: "World Peace" / H. R. Smith., Staff notation.
Baby boy and me
words by Charles F. Whaley ; music by Ned Abbott., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., The Blue Star Service Flag. The star contains a mother holding a son with a photograph of her soldier husband on the wall behind her., We've said goodbye to Daddy., So I know that he'll return again to baby boy and me., Staff notation., "A song you'll love to sing"--Cover.
Back from over there
words by Jack Treis ; music by John P. Selas., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Red stars on a white stripe, between a red and a blue strip., See the smoke! see the smoke! way out there, We've come back, we've come back, from the place that we call over there, Staff notation., Publication information inferred from copyright statement.
Hands off the U.S.A
words and music by F. A. C. de Correvont., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Dedicated to Lieut. J. B. Webster, 5th U.S. Engineers"--Cover., Our great fathers it is true., For the men of the U.S.A., Staff notation.
Hullo America
arranged by Herman Finck., piano, Cover title., For piano., "Composed and arranged by Herman Finck"--Page 2., Drawing of an American flag and inset photo of Miss Elsie Janis by Malcolm Arbuthnot., "Hullo, America! at the Palace Theatre, produced by Alfred Butt.", Staff notation.
Humanity
by Grace L. Bradley., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Dedicated to the C.R. Macauley Photo Plays, Inc."--Cover., Drawing of a nurse wearing a white dress and habit looking up / Barbelle., H-u-m-a-n-i-t-y is what we're fighting for., "H" is for the honor they deserve., Staff notation.
Hearts across the sea
by C. L. Woolsey., piano, Title from cover., For piano., "Respectfully dedicated to the 40th Division U.S. Army, Camp Kearny, Cal."--Cover., Two cherubs sit on opposite banks of the mouth of a river flowing into the ocean. They have their heads in their hands. The sun is setting casting a glow over the water., Staff notation.
Heave to
book and lyrics by Tom Groves ; music by Werner Janssen., piano, voice, Caricatures of sailors dancing and of choir members singing from a book. Banner image of a ship sailing on a sea with the sun on the horizon., Title from cover., For voice and piano., At head of caption title: The Dartmouth Dramatic Association presents an operetta entitled., Staff notation.
Good-bye Europe!
words by Annie Stein; music by E.S.S. Huntington., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Regiment of mounted soldiers led by their commanding officer on a white horse crossing an open plain. Inset illustration of a soldier kissing his girlfriend., Goodbye, Europe we're going home., Homeward! Oh homeward! We're marching., NIU copy., Staff notation.
Aviation song
by Gertrude Buck., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Biplanes flying over snow covered mountains with areas of pine forest., How your heart thrills and stirs when your little engine purrs., And we'll be flying, flying, flying way up in the air., NIU copy., Staff notation.
At the front of the battles you found us
words and music by Charles Thomas; arranged by W. H. Banks., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Dedicated to the Army and Navy of the U.S.A.", Medallion with a sailor between two crossed American flags. Below is a strip of five allied flags, two American, with soldiers of the four different countries represented standing underneath of them as follows: the United States, France, Kingdom of Italy, Great Britain, United States. A black soldier stands under the second of the two American flags on the far right., At the front of the battles you found us., The boys are coming, coming home., Staff notation.
The greatest lad we've ever had
words by Gordon Johnstone; music by Geoffrey O'Hara., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Photograph of Edward, Prince of Wales., When you're looking for a man to lead the Empire to her goal., For the greatest lad we've ever had is a lad we're glad to see., Staff notation.
As our president comes sailing home
words by Edith Rojean Orne; music by George Lowell Tracy., piano, voice, Title from cover., For high voice and piano with trumpet and bells., At head of title: The National Peace Song., Ship at sea with peace dove flying over head framed with laurel branches / E.S. Fisher., Accompanied by publisher's flyer with supplementary "A League of Nations" for four voices. Words by Edith Rojean Orne to the tune of "John Brown's Body.", Have you heard the song they're singing all the world around?, Then we'll rally, rally, rally!, Staff notation.
Another good man gone wrong
music by Nat Osborne ; words by Ballard MacDonald., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "As introduced in the big military review 'Atta boy' with Captain Frank Tinney and 100 overseas boys.", Verses 4-8 printed as text at end of score., Drawing of stylized white and orange flowers against a blue background., I know a private who had a girl, he couldn't hold her somehow., Another good man gone wrong., Staff notation.
American Red Cross march
by Louis Panella., piano, Title from cover., For piano., "Respectfully dedicated to Mrs. Wm. T. Todd.", Red Cross nurse attends to a fallen soldier on a stretcher held by two medics near the battlefield. Behind them is a Red Cross ambulance., Staff notation.
The darktown dough boys ball
words and music by Walter E. Davison., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., African American women dancing with African American soldiers at a ball., Heah that whistle blowin., There's ole' deacon Johnson., Staff notation.
Daddy is home again
Lyrics by M. Edith Gordon ; music by Clay Smith., Piano., Voice., Title from cover., For voice and piano., Parlor with an open window looking with a view out to a pond with a swan and trees. A mother sitting in a chair holds her baby that is sitting on a table with the father looking on., Dear little lad with the sunny smile., So we'll sail away to the land of dreams., Staff notation.
Belgian mother's prayer
written by Edward Thornton ; music by R. Van Sickle., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Young woman wearing an elegant gown with a tiera holding scroll with the title and authors of the song. A woman in traditional dress sits on a settee playing a folk instrument with two strings and a neck with frets., The transport ships were leaving all., Oh, God bless you Yankee heroes., Staff notation., Publisher's advertisements on verso of page 3 include musical incipits: Hurrah, hurrah! for America : patriotic song / by Minnie Battle Allyn. The stars in "Old Glory" / by Herbert Miles. Memories of days long ago / by Earle Perry Rouse. The days of youth : valse / by Arthur T. Cort.
Good bye France! Hello Miss Liberty!
words by John Edward Wilson ; music by Homer A. Rodeheaver., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Ship full of retuning soldiers sailing into New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty., Five millions of Yankees apart were set to cancel our debt to brave Lafayette., Then, good by, France, Hello Miss Liberty!, Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
Give me a Yankee girl for mine
words by Billy Tracey ; music by Kate Elinore & Sam Williams., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Inset drawing of a young woman holding a letter with flowers behind her. In the background behind her portrait are mountains and trees / E. E. Walton., Altho' the fighting's over now, it may be quite a while., Little girl don't you worry, we're all in a hurry, to come sailing home to you., Staff notation.
How happy old Ireland would be
by Ed. Jerome & Frank Albright., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Every Irishman's heart will be joyous and gay when a Statue of Liberty stands in Old Dublin Bay.", Statue of Liberty standing on a map of Ireland with the sun and its rays forming a background behind it / Natwick., America grandest of nations You're a country that all of us love., Shure it's Ireland the land of the "Shamrock and Lily" she calling for you and for me., Staff notation.
France
words and music by Florence M. Benjamin ; arranged by Jules Brazil., piano, voice, Title from cover., Waltz for voice and piano., French flag with a fleur-de-lis on each side of it., France, France, France, land of the fleur de lis., France, dear old France., Staff notation.
Hip-hip-hurrah
words and music by Will J. White ; arranged by Jules Brazil., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Drawing of three soldiers from the shoulders up with an inset photo of Will J. White., Now every one today Wants to find a simple way., Hip! Hip! Hooray, For the boys who went away., Staff notation.
Hullo, home!
the lyrics and music by B. C. Hilliam., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Caricatures of two soldiers and a nurse., There's a stir in the air, there's a babel of rejoicing in the hearts of us all., Hullo, Home! We're getting nearer to you., "The Selwyns present the merry music play Buddies, the play by Geo. V. Hobart, the lyrics & music by B. C. Hilliam"--Cover., Advertisements "Vocal gems from Buddies" on p. [6]., Staff notation.
"B-I" step
by Montague Ewing., piano, Title from cover., For piano., Soldier side-stepping a B-1 bomb shell flying between his feet., Staff notation.