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This attractively illustrated one hundred twenty-five page companion to California Songs - Volume One - Nineteenth Century and California Songs - Volume Two - Twentieth Century includes eighty selections with words, music and chord symbols, plus historical commentary, background information on the songs and a bibliography. Companion Book To CD Collection - Nineteenth Century and Twentieth Century. "The McNeils offer a chronological look at California's past through its music in this large-format book that combines piano music, lyrics, chord notations, and historical background for dozens of songs. Though this paperback looks similar to the McNeil's Civic War Songbook (1999), the approach is somewhat different. Rather than representing one period in different places, this traces the history of California from early Indian, Spanish, and Mexican songs through those of gold rush miners, railroad workers, ranchers, movie actors, Dust Bowl refugees, immigrants, world war two soldiers, workers, and the young people who came to San Francisco in the 1960's. Each song is accompanied by interesting notes and often a period illustration. Lest you think this book is only for California libraries, where else will you find five piano scores for silent movies, covering situations from 'cattle stampede' to 'fear, anxiety, suspense, ominous situations'?" Booklist Part one: Spain explores California and establishes missions. Indians at the missions chant the mass to European traditional and popular music. Mexico gains independence from Spain and creates a distinctive California culture. Americans arrive, clash with Mexicans, and establish the short-lived Bear Flag Republic. The United States declares war against Mexico.
Part Two: Mexico cedes California to the United States. The gold discovery brings people from many countries. American citizens cross the plains, sail around the Horn and cross the Isthmus. Immigrants arrive from China, and are barred from the mines. African-Americans come to the mines, some leave California for British Columbia. Steamboats fill the rivers. The Port of San Francisco becomes notorious for shanghaiing sailors. The Indian population shrinks.
Part Three: The Union Pacific, with the help of thousands of Chinese railroad workers, completes the transcontinental railroad. The Southern Pacific monopolizes rail traffic to and from California. Farmers rebel against high-handed railroad tactics. After ten years of depression, the boom begins again.
Part Four: As California enters the twentieth century, its wine and citrus industries are flourishing. Basques from the Pyrenees raise sheep. Cattle ranchers and cowboys sing songs from Mexican California and from the southern Appalachian mountains.
Part Five: Women organize against heavy drinking, sing militant songs. Women campaign for the right to vote. Californians sing of their love for (and frustrations with) automobiles. The movie industry moves to California, evolving from silent movies to spectacular films.
Part Six: Immigrants arrive from Italy, Portugal, Armenia and India to work on California's farms. The I.W.W. organizes farm workers. Japanese immigrants buy land and compete with established farmers. The Mexican Revolution sends thousands of refugees to California. Mexican farm workers organize unions, are deported, and replaced with workers from the Philippines. Dust storms on the great plains displace thousands, bringing more job seekers to California. Poverty is rampant.
Part Seven: World War Two absorbs men into the armed services. Women manufacture bombs, tanks, ships and airplanes. Japanese-Americans are interned in concentration camps, and many volunteer for military duty in Europe. The United States and Mexico create the Bracero program. Californians write and sing songs which reflect pride (and sometimes dismay), about their cities.
Sources for and about songs sung in California
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