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On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away

On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away
Song information
NameOn the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away
PublishedOctober 1897
GenreTin Pan Alley Mother-and-Home songs
LanguageEnglish
Length3:20
ComposerPaul Dresser
ProducerHowley, Haviland & Co.

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"On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" was among the best-selling songs of the 19th century in terms of sheet music sold. Written and composed by American songwriter Paul Dresser, it was published by the Tin Pan Alley firm of Howley, Haviland & Co. in October 1897. The lyrics of the ballad reminisce about life near Dresser's childhood home by the Wabash River in Indiana. It remained popular for decades and the Indiana General Assembly adopted it as the official state song on March 14, 1913. The song was the basis for a 1923 film by the same title. Its longtime popularity led to the emergence of several different lyrical versions, including an 1898 anti-war song and a Swedish version that was a number one hit.

The song was composed during a transitory time in musical history when songs first began to be recorded for the phonograph. It was among the earliest pieces of popular music to be recorded. Dresser's inability to control the distribution of phonograph cylinders led him and his company to join other composers to petition the United States Congress to expand federal copyright protections over the new technology.

Dresser's ballad was the subject of some controversy after his death in 1906. His younger brother, novelist Theodore Dreiser, publicly claimed to have authored part of the song; the validity of his claim was never proven. The ambiguity of United States copyright laws at the time and the poor management of Dresser's estate left the song vulnerable to plagiarism. The 1917 song "Back Home Again in Indiana" borrowed heavily from Dresser's song, both lyrically and musically, and led to a dispute with Dresser's estate that was never resolved.

On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away Video

Skamlingsbanken (On the banks of the Wabash, far away) 1897 Music: P. Würck = Paul Dresser(1857-1906) Lyrics: Theodor Julius Berg,(1865-1933) Piano Arrangement and improvisations by Erling Jan Sørensen www.erlingmusic.dk/ Hist hvor kornet gyldent bølger sig for vinden, og hvor bøgeskoven venligt titter frem, hvor min moder kyssed' tårerne af kinden, ligger nu i dag mit kære barndomshjem. Skønt det næsten er en men'skealder siden, jeg som attenårig purk derhjemme stod, har min tanke dvælet ved det hele tiden, lige fra den stund, da jeg mit hjem forlod. Fra det fjerne, hjem til Danmark, iler tanken med de lyse minder om hver sorgløs da', jeg har tumlet mig i leg på Skamlingsbanken, Skamlingsbanken, barndomshjemmet langt herfra. Jeg er gammel, og nu har jeg kun tilbage søde minder fra det kære, gamle land, minder fra de glade lyse ungdomsdage, som jeg aldrig i mit liv forglemme kan. Fremfor alt, af denne verdens største goder har jeg ejet her en gang på denne jord, en elskværdig, flittig fa'r og kærlig moder, men nu er de borte, både fa'r og mo'r. Fra det fjerne ... O, hvor husker jeg endnu den smukke pige, hun, som var mit et og alt, da jeg var ung, som forlængst er vandret til de dødes rige, og hvis tab har gjort mig livets gang så tung. O, hvor føler jeg mig dog forladt og ene, til den dag, thi tiden er vist grumme nær, jeg herovre lægge skal de trætte bene, langt fra hjemmet, og fra den jeg havde kær. Fra det fjerne ... ---------- Round my Indiana homestead wave the <b>...</b>
4.28 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Here's a video of me playing Indiana's state song "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" on the piano along with some pictures I took of Indiana's beautiful scenery. (I also have a video of me actually playing this on the piano posted if you'd like to watch that too.) Thanks for watching! :)
1.85 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Jag spelar "Barndomshemmet" av Paul Dresser (P. Würck?). Me playing "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" by Paul Dresser.
2.32 min. | 4.25 user rating		 This is a video of an old fashioned Regina windup music box playing a copper disc. The name of the song being played is "On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away by Dresser.
0.80 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Barndomshemmet (On the Banks of the Wabash) Harry Brandelius med Waldimirs orkester Musik: Paul Dresser = (P. Würch) Tekst: Karl Ewert 1939
2.82 min. | 0 user rating

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