Vocal Music

My Wife is a Most Knowing Woman

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1863

“My Wife is a Most Knowing Woman” was submitted for copyright deposit on November 20, 1863, by Horace Waters of New York. George Cooper authored the lyrics.

Nelly Bly

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1850

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures people rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Nelly Bly” was submitted for copyright deposit on February 8, 1850, by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York. 

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family:

Nelly Was a Lady

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1849

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricaturesrooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Nelly was a Lady” was submitted for copyright deposit on July 18, 1849, by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York. A version of the song existed by December 5, 1848 when the title was entered for copyright in Pittsburgh. 

Never Touch Water

Artist (Composed By): 
Schmertz, Robert
1976

“Never Touch Water” is a song by Robert Schmertz. It was included in A Picture Book of Song & Ballads Composed and Illustrated by Robert Schmertz (1976). Three manuscripts of the song can be found in the Robert Schmertz Collection.

Nevin, Ethelbert

Date of Birth: 
November 25, 1862
Date of Death: 
February 17, 1901

Ethelbert Nevin was a composer and pianist from Sewickley, Pennsylvania. 

O Wondrous Star

Artist (Composed By): 
Oetting, William H.
ca.
1875-1969

“O Wondrous Star” is a choral composition for SATB voices and organ by William H. Oetting. The text is by H. S. Metcalfe. The autograph manuscript in the William Oetting Collection is undated. A version for solo voice and keyboard also exists in manuscript in the William Oetting Collection. 

Oh That We Two Were Maying

Artist (Composed By): 
Nevin, Ethelbert
1888

The song “Oh That We Two Were Maying,” by Ethelbert Nevin, was published in 1888 in Sketchbook, op. 2. The collection included seven songs, one choral piece, and five piano pieces. Holograph sketches of the piece are found in the Ethelbert Nevin Collection.

Oh! Boys, Carry Me ’Long

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1851

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Oh! Boys, Carry Me ’Long” was entered for copyright on June 24, 1851, and entered for copyright deposit on June 25th, 1851, by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York. 

The song was arranged for guitar accompaniment and submitted for copyright deposit on February 4, 1853.

Two holograph manuscripts of the song are held at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California.

Oh! Susanna

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1848

WARNING: This is a blackface minstrel song, a genre that features demeaning caricatures rooted in racism and white supremacy.

“Oh! Susanna” was submitted for copyright deposit by W. C. Peters & Company on December 30, 1848. It was very likely published between July 15 and August 1 that year, for an advertisement in the Louisville Daily Democrat refers to the song as “recently published” on September 6, 1848. This was not the first edition of the song published. But this is the first edition that was prepared from Foster’s autograph manuscript.

Oh! Why Am I So Happy?

Artist (Composed By): 
Foster, Stephen C. (Collins)
1863

“Oh! Why Am I So Happy?” was submitted for copyright deposit on November 20, 1863, by Horace Waters of New York. Francis D. Murtha authored the lyrics.

Pages