Story Behind The Song
April, 1862. In Tenessee was a great battle. The bloodiest of the Civil War up til then. The Union claimed victory by virtue of attrition(Union dead, 12,000 - Confederate dead, 13,000)...Fought at Pittsburg Landing(The Northern name for the battle). The South called it Shiloh after the nearby church.
| Song Length |
3:45 |
Genre |
Folk - General, Folk - Contemporary |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Moving, Peaceful |
Subject |
War, Sorrow |
| Language |
English |
Era |
1800 - 1899 |
Lyrics
it aint a question of right or wrong
both side are singin' the same 'ol song
glory and friendship drew us here
vanquished all our fears
grays tried to push us toward Owl's Creek
but 'ol Ullyses was not that meek
'stead of fighten he just laid low
waitin' on The Ohio
the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days in Shiloh
Pittsburg Landing would be the test
the south had stung us like a Hornet's nest
backed up and waitin' for the battle cry
calling my boys but none replied
no one could figure who'd lost or won
both North & South had damage done
some think that victory is worth the cost
of every mothers loss
the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days in Shiloh
more than 10,000 butternuts lie where i stand
still we kept fightin' under Grants command
the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days so long ago
in Shiloh