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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

Daddy's soldier boy
Words by George W. Myers ; music by E.S.S. Huntington., Piano., Voice., Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Dedicated to 122nd Field Artillery U.S.A."--Cover., Cover art by Tingle., Photograph of a father shaking hands with his son who is a soldier. A scene with soldiers on the front line shooting large canons with an American flag. A biplane flies overhead. / Tingle., Yellow rays of setting sun., Soldier boy! Soldier boy! Daddy's soldier boy!, Staff notation.
Here we are Lafayette
words and music by C. Arthur Pfeiffer., piano, voice, Title from cover., Regiment of soldiers with an American flag marching down a street in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background. A gentleman watching from the side of the street is waving his top hat and calling out as they pass by., Staff notation., Publisher's advertisements on verso of page 3 include musical incipits: There's a light shining bright in the window tonight. Now I lay me down to sleep : just a little prayer, for a boy over there. I'll keep your little garden green. We're going over (the original).
All aboard for home sweet home
words by Addison Burkhart ; music by Al Piantadosi and Jack Glogau., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Soldiers boarding a steamship; hovering in the background is the Statue of Liberty / Starmer., Cheer up mothers, dry your tears he's coming back to you., All aboard for home sweet home again to the girl I left behind., Staff notation.
America must win
words by C. A. Mulliner ; music by J. C. Hall., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., World War I battlefield scene with a ghostly Revolutionary War unit in the sky., We've got the Kaiser on the run with the use of our big gun., Now we must get the Kaiser no matter what it costs., Staff notation., "To our army and navy of the U. S. A."
"Buy a Liberty bond"
Zeph Fitzgerald., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., Soldier grasping the arm of a German soldier who is on his knees in front of him. The German soldier is grasping the arm of a woman who is pulled down to the ground beside him. A dead young girl lies naked next to the German soldier and woman., Can't you hear your country's call?, Buy a Liberty bond go buy it., Staff notation.
The battle line of liberty
by Louis S. Florence., piano, Title from cover, Arranged for piano., Depicts a ground battle with soldiers and a nurse to the side of the fighting with a patient. Bi-planes fly overhead and Lady Liberty stands with an American flag that flies over the ground fighting., Staff notation.
Beneath the battle fields of France a boy lies sleeping
words & music by Nellie Dean., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "In memory of our gallant boys who always will remain somewhere in France"--Caption., Cemetery with two graves each adorned with a large American flag. Crosses bear their names and each is hung with a wreath., A pretty cottage in the country stands unfinished, the walls are up, the roof is on, the porch is there., Beneath the battle fields of France a boy lies sleeping., Staff notation.
Dolly at the door
words by wife of Corp. W.H. Goodfellow, Jr. ; music by C.W. McDonald., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Mother and daughter sitting on the porch of their house. The soldier father is above them in a cloud writing a letter at a desk., My papa's gone away to fight the Huns they say., If you cannot come home my daddy dear can you find a scrap o' paper just to cheer your little Dolly., Staff notation.
Good-bye girlie
words and music by Gerald Fitzgerald., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Photo of Miss Ora Carew standing in front of a young soldier resting her left hand on his shoulder and holding a large hat in her right. She is dressed in a skirt and blouse with ruffles. Photo has caption: "Especially posed by Miss Ora Carew.", Sweetheart why are you softly sighing?, Girlie, I must leave you for far away., Staff notation.
Go over the top with Reilly
words by Thomas P. Hoier and Jos. M. Leahan ; music by Al. W. Brown., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Inset photo of Patricola. Photo is set in a background with drawings of soldiers chasing enemy soldiers who are running away in fear, soldiers wearing gas masks taking a soldier in a trench as a prisoner and a quartet of soldiers singing / Starmer., Who's the greatest Irishman that's in the rank and file., Go over the top with Reilly for Reilly knows the way., Staff notation.
Hindenburg blues
words and melody by Sanders Reynolds ; arranged by Ethel Alcorn., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., "Dedicated to the Colored Troops of the U.S.A."--Page 2., Kaiser William II, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff lying in a large bed being attacked by birds. One of the birds sitting on the bedpost has an American flag in its mouth. Inset photo of Sanders Reynolds., Ole mammy Snow who's 'bout seventy fo'., If de Kaiser, Ludendorff and Mister Hindenburg., Staff notation.
France and England I'm a-talkin' to you
by Lucile Rogers and Albert Frasher., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Inset photo of Gen. Pershing surrounded by drawing of a pot with a flowering vine that surrounds the photo. Photo has caption: "To the boys of the U.S.A." / H. Reichard., Over there we sent a Pershing man., Now France and England we're a-talk-in to you., NIU copy: Measures 5-6 and 23 mutilated., Staff notation.
F-r-a-n-c-e
words by Evelyn G. Corrigan ; music by N. Greyton Peck., piano, voice, Arranged by Wm. D. Sabin., For voice and piano., Title from cover., Regiment of American soldiers. One soldier is marching behind a white horse and carrying the American flag. The white horse is ridden by a man dressed in 18th century French military attire., Long years ago a country came to aid old U.S.A., "F" stands for friendship that will surely stand the test., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
Hoover Hooverize
by Mrs. Melrose Scales., piano, voice, Title from cover., Waltz for voice and piano., "Approved by United States Food Administration.", "Dedicated by permission to Hon Herbert C. Hoover.", Shield with the American stars and stripes and a bald eagle resting on the banner with the title of the song., The boys of our country have gone to fight for you and me., We'll Hoover Hooverize., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
From Berlin to Donegal
by C. H. Wheatley ; arranged by N. A. Krantz., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., An elderly man wearing spectacles with a mustache dressed as a policeman with a billy club approaches a smaller man who is holding a stick and standing in front of a fence that has "No trespassing" written on it. The elderly man has a string of sausages hanging out of his pocket and is smoking a pipe. His hat has a band with "Germany" printed on it. The smaller man is wearing a hat that has "Belgium" printed on the band. Beyond the fence is a road that leads to a village., He bid us come son of a gun., Staff notation.
Hello! Gen'ral Pershing
by Lew Porter., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Portrait drawing of General Pershing / de Takacs., Shades of night are falling., Hello! Gen'ral Pershing., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
Heap much salute not plenty shoot
lyric by W. H. Pease ; music by W. H. Pease., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Indian chief with a rifle with a bayonet capturing German soldiers in trenches on the war front., A grand son of old Sitting Bull enlisted with the Yanks., English, French and Italian man., Staff notation.
God be with my wandering boy to-night
words by Eddie Dorr & Bob Schafer ; music by Lew Porter & Jim Quigley., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., A woman stands at a fence in the moonlight, with trees and a river in the background; framed by birds and roses / by Barbelle., Twilight shadows falling, mother waits at home, her poor heart is breaking for her boy across the foam., God be with my wand'ring boy tonight, wherever he may roam., Staff notation.
Hurrah for victory
words by Thomas Brownlee ; music by Leo Friedman., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Crowd of soldiers shouting, cheering and waving their hats in the air., We are true Americans From the land of the free., When the fight is fought and won, Gee! there'll be lots of fun., Staff notation.
Trench trot
lyric by Lieut. Jack Frost ; music by F. Henri Klickmann., piano, voice, Title from cover., Foxtrot for voice and piano., "The great military song and dance novelty.", "Introduced by: Sophie Tucker and Her 5 Kings of Syncopation.", Photograph of Sophie Tucker and Her 5 Kings of Syncopation; drawing of soldiers and women dancing the foxtrot / H., How do you do, how do you, Mister New Dance?, Forward, march!, Staff notation.
Good-bye France
by Sergeant Irving Berlin., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., French soldier and an American soldier shaking hands. Behind them is the Statue of Liberty. The sun and it's rays shine behind its torch forming the background. Shields with attributes of France and the United States frame the picture / Barbelle., I can picture the boys "over there.", Good-bye France., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
Hold'em back!
by Lieut. Jack Frost., piano, voice, Title from cover., For voice and piano., Battlefield scene, with the stars and smoke forming an American flag in the background / by H (in circle)., Joan of Arc, we have heard you calling., Hold 'em back! hold 'em back! hold 'em back!, Staff notation.
Everybody welcome- everything free!
lyric by Alex Sullivan ; music by Thomas Egan., piano, voice, Title from cover., March for voice and piano., "Official Knights of Columbus War Service Song.", Group of soldiers looking up to a Knights of Columbus member standing in the doorway of a building. The insignia of the organization is behind him on the wall., There is a well known Order., Ev'rybody welcome, Ev'rything free., Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site., Staff notation.
Fighting Tommies
by John Boulton., piano, Title from cover., March for piano., British soldier sits alone, in a wooded area, smoking. Printed in shades of red / Herman Hirschauer., Staff notation.
Svoboda Rossīi
by W. N. Kostakowsky., piano, Title from cover., March for piano., Staff notation.