A Singing Ambivalence : American Immigrants Between Old World and New, 1830-1930

A Singing Ambivalence undertakes a comprehensive examination of the ways in which nine immigrant groups - Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, and Mexicans - responded to their new lives in the United States through music. Each group's songs reveal an abiding concern over leaving their loved ones and homeland and an anxiety about adjusting to the new society. But accompanying these feelings was an excitement about the possibilities of becoming wealthy and about looking forward to a democratic and free society. Distinguished historian Victor Greene surveys an extensive body of songs of known and unknown origins that comment on the problems immigrants faced and reveals the wide range of responses they made to the radical changes in their new lives in America. His selection of lyrics provides useful capsules of expression that clarify the ways in which immigrants defined themselves and staked out their claims for acceptance in American society. But whatever their common and specific themes, they reveal an ambivalence over their coming to America and a pessimism about achieving their goals. A Singing Ambivalence examines the familiar sentiments of new immigrants to the United States, while at the same time conveying from an aesthetic viewpoint how immigrants expressed their hopes and difficulties through a unique medium - song. This is an important volume that will be welcomed by scholars of music and U.S. immigration history. A Singing Ambivalence Is An Examination Of The Ways In Which Nine Immigrant Groups - Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, And Mexicans - Responded To Their New Lives In The United States Through Music. Each Group's Songs Disclose An Abiding Concern Over Leaving Their Loved Ones And Homeland And An Anxiety About Adjusting To A New Society. But Accompanying These Disturbing Feelings Was An Excitement About The Possibilities Of Becoming Wealthy And About Looking Forward To A Democratic And Free Society. Historian Victor Greene Surveys An Extensive Body Of Songs Of Known And Unknown Origins That Comment On The Problems Immigrants Faced And Reveal The Wide Range Of Responses The Newcomers Made To The Radical Changes In Their New Lives In America. His Selection Of Lyrics Are Capsules Of Expression That Illustrate The Ways In Which Immigrants Defined Themselves And Staked Out Their Claims For Acceptance In American Society. But Whatever Their Common And Specific Themes, The Songs Reveal An Ambivalence Over Their Coming To America, And A Pessimism About Achieving Their Goals. A Singing Ambivalence Examines The Familiar Sentiments Of New Immigrants To The United States, While At The Same Time Conveying From An Aesthetic Viewpoint How Immigrants Expressed Their Hopes And Difficulties Through Song. This Is An Important Volume That Will Be Welcomed By Scholars Of Music And Immigration History.--jacket. The Irish : Exploited Exiles -- The Germans : Kultur And Complexity -- The Scandinavians And Finns : Natural Longings -- The Eastern European Jews : Migration And The Family -- The Italians : Uncertain Followers Of Columbus -- The Poles And Hungarians : Industrial Hardships -- The Chinese : Struggle On Gold Mountain -- The Mexicans : The Hero As Anti-american. Victor Greene. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 160-210) And Index. A Singing Ambivalence is a comprehensive examination of the ways in which nine immigrant groups -- Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, and Mexicans -- responded to their new lives in the United States through music. Each group's songs disclose an abiding concern over leaving their loved ones and homeland and an anxiety about adjusting to a new society. But accompanying these disturbing feelings was an excitement about the possibilities of becoming wealthy and about looking forward to a democratic and free society. Distinguished historian Victor Greene surveys an extensive body of songs of known and unknown origins that comment on the problems immigrants faced and reveal the wide range of responses the newcomers made to the radical changes in their new lives in America. His selection of lyrics are capsules of expression that illustrate the ways in which immigrants defined themselves and staked out their claims for acceptance in American society. But whatever their common and specific themes, the songs reveal an ambivalence over their coming to America and a pessimism about achieving their goals. A Singing Ambivalence examines the familiar sentiments of new immigrants to the United States, while at the same time conveying from an aesthetic viewpoint how immigrants expressed their hopes and difficulties through song. This is an important volume that will be welcomed by scholars of music and immigration history. A Singing Ambivalence is a comprehensive examination of the ways in which nine immigrant groups—Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, and Mexicans—responded to their new lives in the United States through music. Each group's songs reveal an abiding concern over leaving their loved ones and homeland and an anxiety about adjusting to a new society. But accompanying these disturbing feelings was an excitement about the possibilities of becoming wealthy and about looking forward to a democratic and free society.Distinguished historian Victor Greene surveys an extensive body of songs of known and unknown origins that comment on the problems immigrants faced and reveal the wide range of responses the newcomers made to the radical changes in their new lives in America. His selection of lyrics provides useful capsules of expression that clarify the ways in which immigrants defined themselves and staked out their claims for acceptance in American society. But whatever their common and specific themes, they reveal an ambivalence over their coming to America and a pessimism about achieving their goals.A Singing Ambivalence examines the familiar sentiments of new immigrants to the United States, while at the same time conveying from an aesthetic viewpoint how immigrants expressed their hopes and difficulties through song. This is an important volume that will be welcomed by scholars of music and immigration history. A Singing Ambivalence is a comprehensive examination of the ways in which nine immigrant groupsIrish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, and Mexicansresponded to their new lives in the United States through music. Each groups songs reveal an abiding concern over leaving their loved ones and homeland and an anxiety about adjusting to a new society. But accompanying these disturbing feelings was an excitement about the possibilities of becoming wealthy and about looking forward to a democratic and free society. Distinguished historian Victor Greene surveys an extensive body of songs of known and unknown origins that comment on the problems immigrants faced and reveal the wide range of responses the newcomers made to the radical changes in their new lives in America. His selection of lyrics provides useful capsules of expression that clarify the ways in which immigrants defined themselves and staked out their claims for acceptance in American society. But whatever their common and specific themes, they reveal an ambivalence over their coming to America and a pessimism about achieving their goals. A Singing Ambivalence examines the familiar sentiments of new immigrants to the United States, while at the same time conveying from an aesthetic viewpoint how immigrants expressed their hopes and difficulties through song. This is an important volume that will be welcomed by scholars of music and immigration history. "A Singing Ambivalence is an examination of the ways in which nine immigrant groups - Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Hungarians, Chinese, and Mexicans - responded to their new lives in the United States through music. Each group's songs disclose an abiding concern over leaving their loved ones and homeland and an anxiety about adjusting to a new society. But accompanying these disturbing feelings was an excitement about the possibilities of becoming wealthy and about looking forward to a democratic and free society." "Historian Victor Greene surveys an extensive body of songs of known and unknown origins that comment on the problems immigrants faced and reveal the wide range of responses the newcomers made to the radical changes in their new lives in America. His selection of lyrics are capsules of expression that illustrate the ways in which immigrants defined themselves and staked out their claims for acceptance in American society. But whatever their common and specific themes, the songs reveal an ambivalence over their coming to America, and a pessimism about achieving their goals." "A Singing Ambivalence examines the familiar sentiments of new immigrants to the United States, while at the same time conveying from an aesthetic viewpoint how immigrants expressed their hopes and difficulties through song. This is an important volume that will be welcomed by scholars of music and immigration history."--BOOK JACKET. Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Preface and Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 16 1 The Irish: Exploited Exiles 30 2 The Germans: “Kultur” and Complexity 48 3 The Scandinavians and Finns: Natural Longings 70 4 The Eastern European Jews: Migration and the Family 87 5 The Italians: Uncertain Followers of Columbus 105 6 The Poles and Hungarians: Industrial Hardships 123 7 The Chinese: Struggle on “Gold Mountain” 141 8 The Mexicans: The “Hero” as Anti-American 158 9 Conclusion 177 Notes 189 Selected Bibliography 226 Index 240