Today the citizens of Connecticut will vote in their primary elections. Did you know that the State anthem of Connecticut is “Yankee Doodle”? I didn’t.

That is a very interesting song with a fascinating history. It was sung by the British during the French and Indian War to signify that the colonists weren’t very good soldiers. Not disciplined, not brave, not very smart.

Yankee Doodle went to town
A ridin on a pony.
Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni. Etc. Etc.

It was later sung by the British in the Revolutionary War to indicate their disdain for the rebels. Then it was adopted by some of the Revolutionary Soldiers, to throw it back in the face of the Redcoats.

Doodle is derived from the German word meaning fool or simpleton.
A macaroni wig was an extreme fashion signifying foppishness.
And dandies were young effeminate Englishmen who were not well accepted.

Anyway the war changed the meaning or interpretation, showing we have indeed kicked your behind! So Connecticut adopted it.

George M. Cohan, one of American’s favored music composers, gave us “The Yankee Doodle Boy”, a Musical favorite. It contains the lyrics “A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam’s, born on the 4th of July.”

In addition to writing those words, Cohen claimed he was born on the 4th of July. According to his baptism certificate, George may have been “yanking our doodle!” That shows he was actually born on the 3rd or July, 1878. But who’s holding that against him. He was great. And so is Connecticut!