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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
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- "Camouflage"
- by L. Wolfe Gilbert & Anatol Friedland., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Drawing of a German soldier toasting an artist with a palette / E.E.W., First line of text: This war has brought us trouble., Camouflage, camouflage, that's the latest dodge., "Dedicated to Billy Scharton, Patricia Farms, Mass"--page 2., NIU copy., Staff notation.
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- We'll keep things going 'till the boys come home
- words by Andrew B. Sterling ; music by Alfred Solman., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Woman addressing a huge crowd of women that fills up the entire street of a large city. Inset photo of two young dancers, male and female with caption: "The Two Smalls" / Starmer., Listen girls, it's up to us We've got a lot to do., We'll keep things going till the boys come home., NIU copy., Staff notation.
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- The boys who fight for freedom
- written and composed by Bert and Lester Berry., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Cover is unillustrated., Bugle calls are sounding., For the boys who love a land of freedom., NIU copy., Staff notation.
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- Brighten up your journey with a smile
- words and music by Peter Philip Bilhorn., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., A keyboardist playing and singing with a group of sailors gathered around him. Cover is printed in red, white and blue., The days are quickly passing there is much to do., Brighten up your journey with a smile., NIU copy., Staff notation.
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- The boys of the USA
- words by Al. Fields ; music by Arthur G. Franklin., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Soldiers parading down a street with one carrying an American flag. Two soldiers stand to the side of the troop. One of the soldiers is blowing a bugle and the other is saluting them as they march by / Al Kissel., Our hearts are with you soldier boys, where ever you may be., Three cheers for our gallant soldier boys., NIU copy., Staff notation.
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- At the Yankee military ball
- by Howard Johnson and Harry Jentes., piano, voice, Last night, some sight I saw down the bay., There were swell Marines in fighting jeans., Title from cover., For voice and piano., Five couples dancing, men representing different branches of the military and women wearing hats with red crosses on them. Behind them is an inset drawing of a warship out a window. At the bottom of the page is an inset photo of Artie Mellinger., Staff notation.
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- Au revoir, but not good-bye (soldier boy)
- words by Lew Brown; music by Albert Von Tilzer., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Side view of a soldier and his girlfriend standing in front of each other holding hands and saying good-bye. A large orange heart is between them. Printed in brown, gray, white and orange / E. E. Walton., So you're leaving me today, Soldier boy., "Au revoir" but not "Good-by," Soldier boy., Staff notation.
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- He's doing his bit
- words by Bert Hanlon; music by Harry von Tilzer; introduced by Florence Tempest, late of Tempest and Sunshine., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Photograph of a teenage boy dressed in a suit and tie with a boutineer in the top button hole relaxing on the window sill. He wears a Gatsby newsboy cap and has a cigarette in his mouth. The illustration behind him is of a man and woman embracing in a room with an open window. A regiment of soldiers is marching by outside., Now little Willie Newton knew his country was recruitin., He's doing his bit for the girls., Staff notation.
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- Hurrah for old glory
- words and music by F. Clayton Lampham., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Uncle Sam is waving his hat in salute. Printed in red, white and blue., There's a flag that has waved in glory., Hurrah for old glory the emblem of the free., "The song that every American should know.", Staff notation.
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- Good-bye my soldier boy, good-bye
- words by Adam S. Moore; music by Robert Marlowe Jandus., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Soldier standing at attention with his rifle over his shoulder. Behind him a regiment of soldiers is marching off to war. Inset photo of unidentified young woman wearing a wide brimmed hat covered with feathers., Tramp, tramp, tramp the boys come marching., Goodbye, my soldier boy, goodbye., Staff notation.
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- Do your best
- words & music by D.S. McCosh., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Woman wearing a toga and sandals sitting on a brick fence with a tree beside her and trees behind her. She points at a large sign with the title of the song written on it. Two rabbits are in front of the right corner of the sign., Sound the bugle call with its shrill piercing notes., Tell your sweetheart that you'll be true., "As sung by the Oliphant Sisters.", Staff notation.
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- Cheer up the sun will soon be shining
- By Andrew B. Sterling, Bernie Grossman and Arthur Lange., Piano., Voice., Title from cover., For voice and piano., Photograph of Bob Hall with an illustration of a smiling young woman from the shoulders up surrounded by liles with the sun behind her., Ev'ry little girl that's lonely., Cheer up, the sun will soon be shining., Staff notation.
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- Camp Cody blues
- by Harry Baisden ; arr. by Arthur Ward., piano, Title from cover., For piano., "Respectfully dedicated to the 2nd Iowa Infantry"--Page 2., Soldier is keeping the guard of an army camp. A shield with the stars and stripes with two crossed flag poles hangs above the camp. Banners with the stars and stripes hang from the poles and with the shield form a frame for the scene., Staff notation.
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- Calling the Kaiser's bluff
- words by Will F. Gray ; music by P. Hans Flath., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Rectangle with a large middle image flanked by two smaller ones. The middle has an image of a Revolutionary War era fife and drum corps. The left has a silhouette of a woman, Lady Justice, holding a set of scales, as a regiment of soldiers marches past her. The right has a silhouette of the Statue of Liberty with the Manhattan skyline behind her., Our Woodrow tried in ev'ry way to keep us out of war., Say Mister Kaiser Bill you'll get your fill when our boys go to France., Staff notation.
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- Call to the colors
- by Theo. Hoffmann., piano, "Respectfully Dedicated to The National Guard."--Caption., Title from cover., For piano., Soldier blowing a bugle., Staff notation.
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- Swat the bugaboo
- Words and music by Estelle Gray-Lhevinne and Mischa Lhevinne., For medium voice and piano., Caption title., Statue of Liberty with Uncle Sam's arm holding a club above the head of a large bug wearing a crown., Now 'cross the sea is a bugaboo., Swat the bugaboo, autocratic power., "Simply a marching song."--Cover., "What a bugaboo is, to us!" on p. [4]., Staff notation.
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- Airship "Cannonball" is leaving
- by Jess R. Batt., piano, voice, Publisher's advertisement on verso of p. 3 has incipits for piano pieces: Victor ragtime band / music by Alphonse E. Bohrer ; words by Julius C. Spiro. Chopsticks : the Chinese one step / John Wentholt. Swiss cheese rag / by Alphonse E. Bohrer. Frasquita tango / by W. Buse. Sous le feuillage / by W. Buse. Scherzo romantico / by Alphonse E. Bohrer. Harmony waltz / by Alphonce Bohror [sic]., Title from cover., March for voice and piano., monoplanes flying over ocean with ship, cheering crowd on U.S. shore, two men in France looking up with binoculars., Hark amidst the throng of cheers., Come on across, come on across, General Pershing's calling me., "The first and only original aviation war song success!", Also published under different title: Come over., Staff notation.
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- Allies' chorus
- words and music by Jack Bullough., piano, voice, Composer is pianist, Winnipeg Theatre Orchestra., Title from cover., For voice and piano., Also includes C-A-N-A-D-I-A-N-S / by Jack Bullough., List to the nation's call., Boys of the allies we., Inset photo of composer with series of small photos depicting costumes of allied countries. Printed in purple ink / photo C.B.W. Winnipeg., "Sung by Mrs. R.H. Graham under the auspices of the Girls' Auxiliary R.S.A.", Staff notation.
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- A message from the good old U.S.A.
- words by Frank Glasner ; music by E. S. S. Huntington., piano, voice, Title from caption, March for voice and piano., Uncle Sam in soldier's uniform holding a sword in his left hand while writing the title of the song on the background above his head with his right hand. An eagle with wings depicting the stars and stripes of the American flag flies at his waist / Thiele., Entwine the flag of dear old England., So entwine the flags of all the Allies., Staff notation.
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- Here I am Uncle Sammy, take me
- words by Dean T. Wilton ; music by James McHugh., voice, piano, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., "Most Respectfully Dedicated To Our Gallant Boys of the Army and Navy and to The Allies with whom we are United making us One For All and All for One!"--Cover., Drawing of Uncle Sam holding American flag and American eagle / E.S. Fisher., I heard a voice in the still of night., Here I am! Uncle Sammy, take me., Staff notation.
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- After the war is over
- words by Frederick H. Green ; music by Arthur A. Penn., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Columbia standing on the earth holding a torch in one hand and two peace doves on reins in the other / E. H. Pfeiffer., Safe in our own dear country., After the war is over., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
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- Ev'ry-thing is going up
- lyric by Stanley Murphy ; music by Albert Gumble., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Explosion of red and blue fireworks., When I was just a little kidlet once upon atime., Ev'rything is going up, going up., Staff notation.
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- How we love you dear Old Glory
- by Glenn C. Leap., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Betsy Ross sitting on a stone bench holding up a U.S. flag. A small potted ornamental tree sits on the bench beside her / by ABC (in circle)., Some years ago, yes many years ago, Miss Betsy Ross was plying her thread., How we love you dear Old Glory, how we love you flag of ours., Staff notation.
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- Girls of America
- lyrics by Edgar Leslie & Bert Kalmar ; music by Harry Ruby., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., A man dressed in a white tux with black tie and woman dressed for a dance stand by a window, as soldiers march by outside / by Barbelle., Girls were made to love and respect, girls were made to love and protect., Girls of America, we all depend on you to shun ev'ryone who won't shoulder a gun., Staff notation.
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- Everybody took a kick at Nicholas
- by Cliff Hess, Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Silhouette and shadow of man being kicked and African American porter brushing a crown into a dustpan / Barbelle., Mister Romanoff who was the Russian ruler., Ev'rybody took a kick at Nicholas., Staff notation.