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Some people use the term “collector” when viewing Dr. Crew’s amazing political sheet music collection; however, he believes the term “hoarder” is probably more accurate. Prior to embarking on a life-long collector’s odyssey, his interests included music, politics, and history. History and politics were reflected in his choice of government for his college major and history as his minor, while music was his spare time personal passion (trombone in high school band and banjo, guitar, and accordion in his spare time).
His sheet music collecting started in 1972 when he found himself wandering around an antique shop in Tallahassee, Florida. He noticed several campaign buttons for the 1900 campaign of McKinley and Roosevelt. The store owner indicated that he had a trunk full of items in the back of the store: There were scores of old campaign souvenirs including buttons, ribbons, banners, and a large stack of sheet music. Dr. Crew bought the entire lot. At home he began sorting through the items; and the sheet music stuck out as particularly interesting. He remembers a piece of Teddy Roosevelt sheet music, awash in bright colors, with his portrait almost jumping off the page, and he concluded that sheet music was a wonderful way to combine his love of politics, history, and music into one inexpensive collectible.
Today, Crew’s collection of political-related items exceeds 13,000 pieces, including the nation’s largest collections of music related to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and with over 450 pieces, Theodore Roosevelt. The collection led Dr. Crew to author four published bibliographies on political sheet music and formed the basis of his PhD in music history from the University of Sunderland (UK).
Read Dr. Crew’s essay on sheet music as public discourse here.
See below to view items from the collection.
Sheet music for “Underneath Mount Rushmore Moon,” which was written and presented to the Rushmore Breakfast Club in 1959. The song portrays Mount Rushmore as a “Shrine of Democracy.” The cover features a photograph of Mount Rushmore and the back cover credits Gutzon Borglum for creating the monument and provides interesting facts.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1960
Sheet music for “The Big Bull Moose,” a song written for Theodore Roosevelt’s 1912 presidential campaign. Roosevelt is described as a “Big Bull Moose,” wandering around with a smile on his face and able to accomplish anything. The cover features a green illustration of a woman with an elaborate headdress in profile with a halo.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1912
Sheet music for “When Teddy Goes Back,” which describes how happy people will be when Theodore Roosevelt returns from a safari in Africa. The cover features an illustration of Roosevelt.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1911
Sheet music for “He Went A-Hunting,” a comedic song using “hunting” as a vehicle to make humorous references to various situations. These include one stanza about Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s husband presenting her a “Teddy Bear” and another stanza about President Roosevelt hunting in the American South and finding a “coon,” disguised as Booker T. Washington, referencing the famous White House dinner between Roosevelt and Booker T. Washington. Cover illustration features a man hiding from a bear by climbing up a tree.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1907
Sheet music for “Teddy, the Jungle Bogie-Man,” a comedic song from the stage play The Newlyweds and Their Baby. The lyrics employ Theodore Roosevelt’s safari in Africa to reference other tropes and themes often used around Roosevelt.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1909
Sheet music for “Alice Blue Waltzes,” a piano solo dedicated to Alice Roosevelt Longworth. The cover features a decorative frame around illustrations of Longworth and the White House.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1906
Sheet music for “Are You Half the Man Your Mother Thought You’d Be,” a sentimental song about growing up. The cover features images of famous men who made their mothers proud, including a number of American politicians such as Theodore Roosevelt.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1916
Sheet music for “I’m Getting Quite American, Don’t You Know,” which was sung by George Honey in In Harvard. The song makes reference to President Roosevelt and the strenuous life.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1902
Sheet music for “Won’t You Be My Billie Possum,” a reference to the opossum representing President Taft, similar to teddy bears representing Theodore Roosevelt. The cover features a baby playing with a possum doll.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1909
Sheet music for “Hold Firm the American Way,” a patriotic song. The cover features vignettes and quotes from several presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt. The back page features a photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the “American pledge.”
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1952
Sheet music for “Presidents on Parade,” a patriotic song with lyrics that mention all presidents from George Washington to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1933
“The President Song” lists each president in order through President Eisenhower.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1959
Song sheet for the 1924 Republican presidential campaign of President Coolidge and Charles Gates Dawes. At the top of the sheet is a lithograph titled “G. O. P.” with likenesses of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Coolidge, and Dawes. This sheet was handed out at an unidentified campaign event.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1924
Sheet music for “The Brave Young Moose,” a 1912 Progressive Party campaign song. The cover features an illustration of a moose head in profile.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1912
Small song book created for the 1904 Roosevelt presidential campaign. The songs are presented without notation and set to popular songs.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1904
“Bull Moose” celebrates the transition after the 1912 election and looks forward to President Wilson’s term.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1913
“An Irish Democrat’s Complaint” is a song in support of voting for Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W. Fairbanks from the Democrat’s perspective.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
Unknown
Sheet music for “Teddy Our Hero,” a two-step and song by H. L. Berger. Cover is red, white, and blue with a drawing of Theodore Roosevelt in Rough Rider uniform on horseback.
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1903
Sheet music for “Standard Oil,” a song about John D. Rockefeller and his history with Standard Oil. One verse mentions President Roosevelt and his efforts to break up the company. Cover is red, white, and black with a can of oil, a sign “J.D.R.,” and Uncle Sam. At the top of the cover, the sheet music is “dedicated to Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis.”
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1907
Campaign song for the 1900 Republican nominees for president and vice-president, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Back page features an advertisement for another McKinley campaign song, “He’s All Right!”
Dr. Danny O. Crew Theodore Roosevelt Sheet Music Collection
1900