W - PD Songs
A note on the stuff in parentheses: “c” = circa, “r” = recorded (which doesn't mean copyrighted or "first written"; that may have happened well before), "TA" = Traditional Anonymous. “<” = before, and “>” = after. For instance, a song about a train wreck that happened in 1909 might have a “>” after the date because no one would have written about an event that had not yet occurred (duh). A song found in a book published in 1857 might have a “<” as we know the song was known at least by that date. If you see a date after 1923 followed by "PD", it means the song was apparently known for a long while, but not recorded or put into a song books until the date cited. In most of these cases, the name of the writer was never recorded or is now lost. Or perhaps a name was given that was only a good guess and cannot be proven or dis-proven. An acute observer may notice a disproportionate number of 1927 dates. This is the year Carl Sandburg published his "American Songbag", a cornucopia of old American songs. A question mark (?) means I suspect it belongs in this list, but am less than sure. Whenever I found a choice of two dates, which was frequent, I usually cite the older one. A few songs well-known by multiple names are entered under each name. Many are known by multiple names, by first line or by repeated phrases. If you do not find what you want on the first try, think outside the box, as it may be here under a variant of the name you know.
Scroll to your heart's content.
Wabash Blues (1921)
Wabash Cannonball (1882)
Wabash Charleston
Wade in the Water (1925 PD)
Wagoner
Wagoner's Lad (1908)
Wah-Hoo
Wait for the Wagon (1851)
Waiting for a Train (mid 1800s)
Waiting for the Robert E Lee (1912)
Wait on the Rising Sun
Wait Til My Ship Comes In (1898)
Wait Til the Sun Shines, Nellie (1905)
Waiting for the Evening Mail (1923)
Waiting for the Robert E. Lee (1912)
Wake Up Jacob
Wait Nicodemus (1864)
Wake, You Drowsy Sleepers (1830)
Walk Along, Sally Brown
Walk, Billy Abbott (1960 PD)
Walker Shore and Byker Hill (1812_
Walking Blues (1906)
Walking Boss (1906)
Walking in the King's Highway
Walking with the King
Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John (1874)
Walking in the King's Highway (1906)
Walk Through the Streets of the City (1924 PD)
Walk Through the Valley in Peace (1899)
Waltzing Matilda (1903)
Walking the Dog (1916)
Walk on the Bay
Walk Right In (1910)
Walk Right in Belmont (?)
Walk that Lonesome Road
Walk the Streets of Glory
Walpole Cottage
Waltzing Matilda (1895, 1903)
Waltz Me Around Again, Willie (1906)
Waly, Waly (1714)
Wanderin' (1927 PD)
Wandering Boy
The Wandering Cowboy
Wang Wang Blues (1921)
Washboard Stomp
Washington & Lee Swing (1910)
Washington Post (1889)
Washington's March
Wasn't That a Mighty Storm (1934 PD)
The Wassail Song (1800s)
Waterbound (1910?, 1929 PD)
Waterboy (1907)
Watercresses (<1886)
The Water is Wide (Child 204) (1714)
Watermelon Hanging on the Vine (1882)
Waves on the Sea (1765)
Way Down on the Old Plank Road (?)
Way Down South (1904)
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (1922)
Wayfaring Stranger (1816)
Waynesboro
Way Down on the Old Plank Road
Way Out in Idaho
Waxies Dargle (1973 PD)
We Are Coming, Father Abraham (1862)
Wearing of the Green (1798)
We Are Almost Down to the Shore (TA)
Weary Blues (1915)
Weary Cutters
Weary Lonesome Blues
Weary of the Railway
The Weaver Is Handsome (1864)
Wedding of the Frog & Mouse (1549)
Wednesday Night Waltz
Wee Cooper of Fife (1803)
Wee Croodlin' Doo (1767)
Weevily Wheat (1911)
Wee Little Piute
The Weep Willow Tree (Child #286)
Weeping Willow (PD or 1924?)
Weeping Willow Tree (1909)
Weep Not for the Memories
Wee Wee German Lairdie (1714)
We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1834)
Weila Waila (?)
Welcome as the Flowers in May (1924 PD)
We'll All Go Down to Rowser's (1842)
We'll Go to Sea No More (1923 PD)
The Well Below the Valley
Weldon
Well Met, Well Met, My Own True Love (1737)
We'll Rant and Roar
We'll Roll the Old Chariot Along (1901)
Went to the River & I Couldn't Get Across (1907)
We're Marching Around the Levees (1898)
Were You There? (1899)
We're Tenting Tonight (1864)
We Shall Be Free (1926 PD)
We Shall Meet on that Beautiful Shore (1868)
We Shall Not Be Moved (1955 PD)
We Shall Overcome (1908)
We Shall Rise
We Shall Walk Through the Valley (1899)
West of the Great Divide (1924)
Westphalia Waltz
West Rutland Marble Bawn (~1883)
Westminster Quarters (1793)
West Virginia Gals (Boys) (1841)
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (trad anon)
We Won't Go Home Til Morning (TA)
Wexford Girl
Wexford Massacre (1855)
Wexford Mummer's Song
Weyhill Fair (1000s)
What a Court Hath Old England
What Wondrous Love Is This (1811)
What a Friend We Have in Jesus (1855, 1870, 1876)
What Are Little Girls Made Of (1844)
What Are They Doing in Heaven Today
What Are You Going to Do When the Rent C(1906)
What Child is This? (1600s)
What Did Delaware? (1923 PD)
What Does the Deep Sea Say? (1929 PD)
What Do We Do with a Drunken Sailor?1841)
What Has Become of Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous?
What'll I Do? (1924))
What is Home without Babies? (1900)
What Is the Life of a Man Any More than a Leaf (1904)
What Kind of Shoes
What Month Was Jesus Born In? (1941 PD)
What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor? (1841)
What's the Life of a Man (1904)
What Was Your Name in the States? (1928 PD)
What Will I Do with the Baby-O? (1917)
What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?
What Wondrous Love is This? (1811)
Wheel of Fortune (1883)
When Adam Was Created
When a Whale Get Strike (1820)
When a Woman's Blue (1919)
When Bees Are in the Hive
When Clouds Have Vanished and Skies Are Blue (1923)
When Do We Dance (1925)
When Father Papered the Parlour (1910)
When First Unto this Country (<1847)
When Fortune Turns the Wheel
When I Can Read My Titles Clear (1927 PD)
When I First Came to Caledonia (?)
When He Reached Down His Hand to Me
When I Die
When I First Came to this Land
When I Gets Out in No Man's Land (1918)
When I Had but 50 Cents
When I Lay My Burden Down (<1860?)
When I Leave this World Behind Me (1915)
When I'm Dead & Buried (1893)
When I Move to the Sky
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1912)
When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home (?)
When It's Lamplighting Time Down in the Valley
When It's Nighttime in Italy, It's Wednesday Over Here (1923)
When I Was in My Prime (~1700)
When I Was Single (<1850)
When Jesus Wept (1770)
When Johnny Brings Lelahani Home
When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1863)
When Jones' Ale Was New (1594)
When June Comes Along with a Song (1923)
When Lightning Struck the Coon Creek Line
When Love is Silent
When My Baby Smiles at Me (1920)
When My Sugar walks Down the Street (1924)
When Pat Malone Forget that He Was Dead (1893)
When Shall We be Married? (1776)
When Silver Threads Are Gold Again
When Sorrows Encompass Me Around (1844)
When the Bees Are in the Hive (1904)
When the Chariot Comes
When the Curtains of Night Are Pinned Back by the Stars (1869)
When the Good Lord Sets You Free (1926 PD)
When the Iceworm Nests Again (1938 PD)
When the Red Red Robin Comes A-Bobbing, Bobbing Along (1926)
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder (1898)
When the Roses Bloom Again (1901)
When Roses Bloom in Dixieland
When Roses Bloom in Heaven
When the Saints Go Marching In (1896, 1925 TA)
When the Shanty Boy Comes Down
When the Stars Begin to Fall (1867)
When the Work's All Done this Fall (1893)
When the World's on Fire
When They Ring Those Golden Bells (1887)
When This World Comes to an End
When You and I Were Seventeen (1924)
When You & I Were Young, Maggie (1864/66)
When You Walked Out Someone Else Walked In (1923)
When You Wore a Tulip...(1914)
Where Are You Going, Alice? (1800s)
Where Are You Going, My Good Old Man (1885)
Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go w/Friday o(1916)
Where Did You Get that Hat? (1888)
Where Do You Work-a John? (1926)
Where'd You Get Those Eyes? (1926)
Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
Where He Leads Me (1890)
Where Is My Wanderin' Boy Tonight? (1877)
Where I Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (1901)
Where Is Old Elijah? (1832)
Where O Where Is Old Elijah? (1832)
Where Shall I Be?
Where the Bravest Cowboys Lie
Where the Lazy Daisies Grow (1924)
Where the Morning Glories Twine
Where the River Shannon Flows (1906)
Where the Silvery Colorado Wends Its Way
Where the Soul Never Dies (1914)
Where We'll Never Grow Old
Where Were You Baby When My Heart Went O
Whiffenpoof Song (1909)
While Roving on a Winter's Night
While Shepherds Watched their Flocks (1702)
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Whiskey for My Johnny-O (1894)
Whiskey in the Jar (1855)
Whiskey, You're the Devil (1901)
Whispering (192-)
Whispering Hope (1868)
Whisper your Mother's Name (1896)
Whistle, Daughter, Whistle (1868)
Whistling Rufus (1899)
White Coral Bells (1916)
White House Blues (1926 PD)
Whoa Ha Buck & Jerry Boy
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey Johnny (1849)
Whiskey, You're the Devil (1901)
Whispering (1920)
Whispering Hope (1868)
Whistle, Daughter, Whistle (1868)
Whistling Joe from Kokomo
Whistling Rufus
White (1856)
White Flowers (TA?)
White House Blues (r 1926, PD)
White Cockade (1820)
Who? (1925)
Whoa Back Buck (1925 PD)
Who Mule Whoa (1941 PD)
Who Built the Ark? (1893)
Who Broke the Lock on the Henhouse Door?
Who Is Tapping at My Bedroom Window (<1830)
Who Killed Cock Robin? (1744)
Who'll Buy My Violets? (1923)
Whoopie Ti Yi Yo (1893)
Who's Going to Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot (1776)
Who Picked the Lock on the Henhouse Door (1893)
Who's Sorry Now? (1923)
Who's That Knocking at My Window?
Who Will Bow & Bend Like a Willow?
Who's Going to Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot? (Child #76 1776)
Who's Going to Town
Who's that Knocking on My Window (1866
Who Will Shelter My Sheep? (PD))
Who Will Sing for Me
Why Did I Kiss that Girl? (1924)
Why Do I Love You? (1924)
Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls (1930 PD)
Why Should It End This Way?
Widdecombe Fair (1826)
Wide Missouri (1894)
Wife in the Wether's Skin (1803)
The Wife of the Free (Child #79)
Wife of Usher's Well (Child 79)
Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin (Child 277)
Wiffenpoof Song (1909)
Wild About My Loving
Wild Ashe Deer (1922)
Wild and Reckless Hobo (?)
Wild Bill Jones (1916)
Wild Cherries (1909)
Wild Colonial Boy (1905)
Wild Flower (1923)
Wild Goose Chase
Wild Goose Grasses (1906)
Wild Hog in the Woods (Child #84) (<1750)
Wild Irish Rose
Wild Mountain Thyme
Wild Mustard River (1934 PD)
Wild Ox Moan (1930 PD)
Wild Rose of the Mountain
Wild Rover
Wildwood Flower (1860)
Wild Rover (<1929 PD)
Wild West Show (1968 PD)
William Taylor
Willie Moore (1927 PD)
William & Ellen (Child #7)
William Morgan (1906)
Willie Brennan (mid 1800s)
Willie Down By the Pond
Willie McGee McGraw (Child #26)
Willie Moore
Willie Was a Fine a Sailor (?)
Willie the Weeper (1908)
Willie, Willie, Will Ya?
Will My Mother Know Me there?
Willow Garden (1917)
Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1907)
Will the Weaver (1793)
Will You Miss Me
Wilson's Clog
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1907)
Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown? (1897)
Willie the Weeper (<1908)
Willow Garden (<1811)
Will Ye No Come Back Again?
Will You Miss Me?
Wimoweh
The Wind and Rain (1656)
The Wind Blew Up, the Wind Blew (Child #78)
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (1861)
Windy Bill (1908)
Windy Old Weather (r 1950s, PD)
Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues (1939 PD)
Winter's Night
Wish to the Lord, I'd Never Been Born
Witness for My Lord (1960 PD)
With a Twist of the Wrist
With His Old Shoes On & His Leggings (1733)
With Kitty I'll Go
With My Banjo on My Knee
With My Pit Boots On
Witness for My Lord (r 1960, PD)
Woke Up this Morning with My Mind on Freedom (r1962 PD)
Wolverine Blues (<1922)
Woman at the Well (1952 PD)
Woman from Yorkshire
Women of Ireland
Won't You Come and Sing for Me
Won't You Help Me to Raise 'Em
Woodchopper's Reel
The Woodchuck Song
Woodsman's Alphabet
Woodsman, Spare that Tree (1837)
Working on the Building (1950 PD)
Working on the New Railroad
The Work of the Weavers (1840's)
The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise (1919)
Worms Crawl In (1923 PD)
Worried Man Blues (1920)
Worry About Your Own Backyard
The Wounded Whale (1843)
W, P, & A
Wraggle Taggle Gypsies (1720)
Wreck of the C & O (1913)
Wreck of the 97 (c. 1903, 1924)
Wreck of the 1262
Write a Letter to My Mother (1860s)
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