“Heenan and Sayers”

Description

Heenan travels from America to fight the British boxers. Sayers draws first blood, but Heenan is ahead after thirty-seven rounds, and the British stop the fight

Notes

John C. Heenan (Johnny Morrissey's last opponent) was born in New York but was called "the Benicia Boy" after Benicia, California, where he lived during his late teens. His match with Tom Sayers, which was stopped after 42 rounds, is said to have been the last of the (official) bare-knuckle boxing matches.

Tom Sayers was so successful as a boxer that his ability to land a blow had already entered the realm of proverb at the time of the Crimean War.

If you are wondering about all those historical references which appear to have nothing to do with the Heenan/Sayers fight, they are all appropriate to the Warner text, sung by "Yankee" John Galusha. This text is so distinct from all other "Heenan and Sayers" versions I've seen that I am tempted to list it as its own song. But it does have some common lyrics; it probably doesn't deserve a separate listing. - RBW

[Abraham Lincoln Papers] at the Library of Congress American Memory site: "Outside of the politicians there is in this city very little care or talk about party or candidates. Heenan & Sayers eclipsed the Charleston Convention ..." Letter from Orville H. Browning to Abraham Lincoln, June 29, 1860, re prospects in Pennsylvania.

America Singing at the Library of Congress American Memory site does not have this ballad but has eight other distinct ballads about Heenan and Sayers:

LOCSinging, as201320, "Heenan the Champion of the World," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878; also sb20189b, "Heenan, Champion of the World"

LOCSinging, as201310, "Heenan the Champion of the World," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878; also sb20189a, "Heenan the Champion of the World"

LOCSinging, as100200, "The American Eagle and British Lion" or "Yankee Heenan and English Sayers," unknown, n.d.

LOCSinging, sb20171a, "Happy Land of Canaan," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878; also cw102250, "Happy Land of Canaan"

LOCSinging, sb20170a, "Happy Land of Canaan," H. De Marsan (New York), 1861-1864; also cw102250, "Happy Land of Canaan"

LOCSinging, sb10143b, "Great Champion Prize Fight," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878

LOCSinging, sb20190b, "Heenan the Pride of America," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878

LOCSinging, sb10021a, "Ballad in Answer to Sayers, England's Pride," H. De Marsan (New York), [imprint: 1860] [before the fight]

Bodleian Library site Ballads Catalogue does not have this ballad but has six others about Heenan:

Bodleian, Firth b.25(587/588)[could not be downloaded], "A New Song on Heenan and King," J.F. Nugent & Co. (Dublin), 1850-1899

Bodleian, Harding B 18(234),"Heenan the Champion of the World" (New York), H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878

Bodleian, Harding B 18(235),"Heenan the Pride of America," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878 attributed to A. Scott

Bodleian, Firth c.19(19),"The English Prize-Fighter and the American Champion," J.F. Nugent & Co. (Dublin), 1850-1899 about the fight with Sayers

Bodleian, Harding B 26(247),"Heenan's Arrival in England," unknown, n.d. before the fight with Jem Mace

Bodleian, Harding B 19(62),"Heenan's Challenge to Mace," unknown, n.d.; 2806 c.15(229),"Heenan's Challenge to Mace" before the fight with Jem Mace

Broadside H. De Marsan dating per _Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song_ by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site.

Broadsides LOCSinging as201320 and Bodleian Harding B 18(234) are duplicates, [as are] broadsides LOCSinging sb20190b and Bodleian Harding B 18(235). - BS

Historical references

• April 17, 1860 - Boxing match between John C. Heenan and Tom Sayers
• Events mentioned in some versions of the song:
• c. 1541-1596 - Life of Sir Francis Drake
• June 17, 1775 - Battle of Bunker Hill (fought on Breed's Hill, and won by the British, though at heavy cost)
• Oct 19, 1781 - Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown
• Sapt 10, 1813 - Perry defeats the British at the Battle of Lake Erie

Cross references

• cf. "The Whole Hog or None" (subject)
• cf. "Donnelly and Cooper" (subject, tune)
• cf. "Morrissey and the Black" (subject)
• cf. "Morrissey and the Russian Sailor" (tune, subject)
• cf. "Morrissey and the Benicia Boy" (subject)

References

1. Laws H20, "Heenan and Sayers"
2. Rickaby 49, "Heenan and Sayers" (2 texts)
3. Dean, pp. 24-25, "Heenan and Sayers" (1 text)
4. Warner 9, "The British-American Fight" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. O'Conor, pp. 76-77, "Heenan and Sayers" (1 text)
6. Fahey-Eureka, pp. 214-215, "Heenan and Sayers" (1 text, 1 tune, "reconstructed" by the collector)
7. Kennedy 321, "Heenan and Sayers" (1 text, 1 tune)
8. OLochlainn-More, pp. 253-255, "Heenan and Sayers" (1 text, tune referenced; OLochlainn 26)
9. DT 679, HEENSAYR
10. Roud #2148
11. BI, LH20