''Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me'' or ''Shew Fly'' is a folk song from the 1860s that has remained popular since that time. It was sung by soldiers during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

of 1898, when flies and the yellow fever mosquito were a serious enemy. Today, it is most commonly sung by children.

Composition

The song became popular on the minstrel stage in 1869, and several claims have been made for its composition. An anonymously written 1895 New York ''Herald'' article on the history of

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of theater developed in the early 19th century. The shows were performed by mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup for the purpose of portraying racial stereotypes of Afr ...

dancing gave this history: Theater historian Eugene Cropsey also credited Dan Bryant with introducing the song to the public in October, 1869.Cropsey, Eugene H
Crosby's Opera House: symbol of Chicago's cultural awakening
p. 270 (1999) The version sung by

Bryant's Minstrels Bryant's Minstrels was a blackface minstrel troupe that performed in the mid-19th century, primarily in New York City. The troupe was led by the O'Neill brothers from upstate New York, who took the stage name Bryant.Mahar 38. History The eldest ...

served, in 1869, as the title number in ''Dan Bryant’s Shoo Fly Songster''. "Shoo Fly" is among the songs ("

John Brown's Body "John Brown's Body" ( Roud 771), originally known as "John Brown's Song", is a United States marching song about the abolitionist John Brown. The song was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The song arose out of the folk hymn ...

" is another) claimed as compositions by T. Brigham Bishop. According to Bishop's account, he wrote "Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me" during the Civil War while assigned to command a company of black soldiers. One of the soldiers, dismissing some remarks of his fellow soldiers, exclaimed "Shoo fly, don't bother me," which inspired Bishop to write the song, including in the lyrics the unit's designation, "Company G". Bishop claimed that the song was "pirated" from him, and that he made little money from it.(8 November 1905)
The Author of "Shoo Fly"
''

Reading Eagle The ''Reading Eagle'' is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania. A family-owned newspaper until the spring of 2019, its reported circulation is 37,000 (daily) and 50,000 (Sundays). It serves the Reading and Berks County region of P ...

'' (stating that T. Allston Brown, had vouched for this account) Bishop published a sheet music version of the song in 1869 ( White, Smith & Perry). That version includes the caption, "Original Copy and Only Authorized Edition."Shoo Fly
Duke University library collection Other sources have credited Billy Reeves (lyrics) and Frank Campbell, or Rollin Howard, with the song. An early publication appeared as "Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me. Comic Song and Dance or Walk Round. Sung by Cool Burgess and Rollin Howard, melody by Frank Campbell, words by Billy Reeves, arr. by Rollin Howard.""Shew! Fly, Don't Bother Me" Words and music: T. Brigham Bishop (?); pub.:White, Smith & Perry, Boston, 1869.Eric Partridge and Paul Beale, ''A Dictionary of Catch Phrases: British and American'', from the Sixteenth Century to the Present Day, pp. 408–409. Published by Routledge, 1986, SBN 041505916X, 9780415059169.

Lyrics

One version of the song, recorded in 1889, runs: :I feel, I feel, I feel, :I feel like a morning star. :I feel, I feel, I feel, :I feel like a morning star. ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::I belong to the Company G. :There's music in the air, :My mother said to me; :There's music in the air, :My mother said to me. ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::Shoo fly, don't bother me, ::I belong to the Company G. Other versions include verses such as: :I think I hear the angels sing, :I think I hear the angels sing, :I think I hear the angels sing, :The angels now are on the wing. :I feel, I feel, I feel, :That's what my mother said. :The angels pouring 'lasses down, :Upon this nigger's head. Today, it is often only the chorus that is sung.

References

{{reflist

External links

Henry Reed's performance from the Library Of Congress
American children's songs 1869 songs Blackface minstrel songs American folk songs Songs about insects Fictional flies

Composition

Lyrics

See also

References

External links