An American Trilogy
Encyclopedia
"An American Trilogy" is a song arranged by country songwriter Mickey Newbury
and made popular by Elvis Presley
, who began including the song as part of his regular concert routine in the 1970s, thereby making the song a showstopper. It is a medley of three 19th century songs—"Dixie
", a blackface
minstrel
song that became the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy
since the Civil War
; "All My Trials
", originally a Bahamian lullaby, but closely related to African American
spirituals
, and well-known through folk music
revivalists; and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic
", the marching song of the Union Army
during the Civil War
.
Newbury's first recorded the song on his 1971 album Frisco Mabel Joy
, and the song featured prominently on his first concert album Live At Montezuma Hall
released in 1973.
Presley began performing the song in concert in 1972—a February recording was released by RCA
as a single. He performed it in the 1972 documentary, Elvis on Tour
, and in his 1973 international satellite telecast "Elvis—Aloha from Hawaii". The song is referenced and partially sung in the Manic Street Preachers
' "Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier" from the Everything Must Go
album.
The original Mickey Newbury version reached #26 in 1972, and #9 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Later in 1972, Elvis Presley's version reached #66, and peaked at #31 on the Easy Listening chart. In 2002, the song was covered by Heavy Metal
band Manowar, appearing as the sixth track on their album Warriors of the World
. It was also featured on country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock's live album Live -N- Kickin'
in 2009. Alwyn Humphreys' arrangement for male choirs is very popular, and features on albums by Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir
and Morriston Orpheus Choir
.
The Elvis Presley version has been used as the closing number during the Stone Mountain Lasershow in Stone Mountain, Georgia
since its inception in the mid-1980s. The song plays during an animation showing Confederate General Robert E. Lee
during the American Civil War
riding through a field containing numerous casualties; he ultimately breaks his sabre
in half, with the two halves re-uniting to form the north and south United States as a whole.
Over 465 versions of "An American Trilogy" have been recorded by different artists.
Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury was an American songwriter, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
and made popular by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, who began including the song as part of his regular concert routine in the 1970s, thereby making the song a showstopper. It is a medley of three 19th century songs—"Dixie
Dixie (song)
Countless lyrical variants of "Dixie" exist, but the version attributed to Dan Emmett and its variations are the most popular. Emmett's lyrics as they were originally intended reflect the mood of the United States in the late 1850s toward growing abolitionist sentiment. The song presented the point...
", a blackface
Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
minstrel
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
song that became the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
since the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
; "All My Trials
All My Trials
All My Trials was a folk song during the social protest movements of the 1950s and 1960s. It is based on a Bahamian lullaby that tells the story of a mother on her death bed, comforting her children, "Hush little baby, don't you cry./You know your mama's bound to die," because, as she explains,...
", originally a Bahamian lullaby, but closely related to African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
spirituals
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
, and well-known through folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
revivalists; and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a hymn by American writer Julia Ward Howe using the music from the song "John Brown's Body". Howe's more famous lyrics were written in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War...
", the marching song of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Newbury's first recorded the song on his 1971 album Frisco Mabel Joy
Frisco Mabel Joy
Frisco Mabel Joy is the 1971 concept album by Country singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. This was the second of three albums Newbury recorded at Cinderella Sound. The album includes the original version of "An American Trilogy", which Elvis Presley later performed in his Las Vegas shows with much...
, and the song featured prominently on his first concert album Live At Montezuma Hall
Live at Montezuma Hall
Live At Montezuma Hall is the first live album from singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury recorded at Montezuma Hall at San Diego State University in 1973. Featuring Newbury performing solo with an acoustic guitar, the album is notable for touching renditions of many of Newbury's excellent songs and...
released in 1973.
Presley began performing the song in concert in 1972—a February recording was released by RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
as a single. He performed it in the 1972 documentary, Elvis on Tour
Elvis on Tour
Elvis on Tour is a Golden Globe Award-winning American musical documentary motion picture released by MGM in 1972. It was the thirty-third and final motion picture to star Elvis Presley before his death in 1977.-Background:...
, and in his 1973 international satellite telecast "Elvis—Aloha from Hawaii". The song is referenced and partially sung in the Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
' "Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier" from the Everything Must Go
Everything Must Go (Manic Street Preachers album)
Everything Must Go is the fourth album by Manic Street Preachers, released in 1996. It contains five songs with lyrics by Richey James Edwards, who disappeared and presumed to have died circa 1 February 1995 and was the last album to feature his contributions until Journal for Plague Lovers...
album.
The original Mickey Newbury version reached #26 in 1972, and #9 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Later in 1972, Elvis Presley's version reached #66, and peaked at #31 on the Easy Listening chart. In 2002, the song was covered by Heavy Metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Manowar, appearing as the sixth track on their album Warriors of the World
Warriors of the World
Warriors of the World is an album by metal band Manowar released on June 4, 2002. The song Nessun Dorma was dedicated to Adams' mother who had died earlier that year. Amongst its varied tracks are tributes to Wagner, Pavarotti and Elvis Presley...
. It was also featured on country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock's live album Live -N- Kickin'
Live -N- Kickin'
Live -N- Kickin is a live album by country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock. It was recorded in July 2009 at the Little Nashville Opry in Nashville, Indiana...
in 2009. Alwyn Humphreys' arrangement for male choirs is very popular, and features on albums by Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir
Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir
Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir is a choir based at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.-History:On the 1st September 1966, following Cardiff RFC's 35-0 defeat of Cardiff & District, a group of supporters came up with idea of forming a choir to improve the standard of after-match singing...
and Morriston Orpheus Choir
Morriston Orpheus Choir
The Morriston Orpheus Choir, based in Morriston, near Swansea, Wales, is a male voice choir, one of the best-known in the UK.-History:The Choir was formed on April 23, 1935 by Ivor E. Sims and in its early days concentrated primarily on competitions and local concerts...
.
The Elvis Presley version has been used as the closing number during the Stone Mountain Lasershow in Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
since its inception in the mid-1980s. The song plays during an animation showing Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
riding through a field containing numerous casualties; he ultimately breaks his sabre
Sabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
in half, with the two halves re-uniting to form the north and south United States as a whole.
Over 465 versions of "An American Trilogy" have been recorded by different artists.
Chart positions
| Chart (1971+2+5) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 30 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 76 |
| French Singles Chart | 53 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 42 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 93 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 26 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 9 |