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My apologies to Dr. Richard Shuckberg, or whoever first wrote “Yankee Doodle Dandy” way back when. More on that later.

Donald Trump went to town

A riding on some money

Stuck a million in his cap

In the land of milk and honey

Donald Trump keep it up

Donald Trump you dandy

Mind the business and the tweets

And with the truth be handy

He took his family to the swamp

Along with Pence so good-ing

There were all his cronies and his pals

As thick as hasty pudd-ing

Donald Trump keep it up

Donald Trump you dandy

Mind the business and the tweets

And with the truth be handy

And there was Capt. Roo-die

Upon disheveled law books

Confusing everyone everywhere

And giving those crazy looks

Donald Trump keep it up

Donald Trump you dandy

Mind the business and the tweets

And with the truth be handy

Donald Trump is a president

Who many think mighty handy

The enemy all runs and screams at

Donald Trump the Dandy

Donald Trump keep it up

Donald Trump you dandy

Mind the business and the tweets

And with the truth be handy

Again, my apologies. No, no apologies. I hope I’ve offended Trump supporters and Trump haters. I hope I’ve pleased Trump supporters and Trump haters.

So there.

But looking up the lyrics of this song most of us sang in school was interesting, according to an article in the “Journal of the American Revolution.”

It seems that Dr. Richard Shuckberg, a British army doctor, was making fun of the New Englanders, when he first wrote the song, that included this line: “He proved an arrant coward.”

The lyrics changed in the 1770s, but no credit was given to the author, just that it was a “country bumpkin’s” reaction to visiting an army camp for the first time.

In 1775, Edward Bangs, a minuteman, published his own version. “And there was Capt. Washington. And gentle folks about him; They say he’s grown so tarnal proud. He will not ride without them.”

After this, kind of like my pitiful version above, folks, especially those serving in the military, made up their own verses as they worked or marched.

The verse the Americans liked best back then: “Yankee Doodle is the tune. That we all delight in; It suits for feasts, it suits for fun; And just as well for fightin’.”

The article said that at Yorktown, the British refused to acknowledge the Yankees, or Americans, as they surrendered, rather marching with their heads turned towards the French. Those new Americans didn’t like it, and the drums and fifes and voices quickly fired up a rousing rendition of “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” causing the British to look into the faces of their former subjects.

– Mike Barnhardt