Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE IN MUSIC
DUBUQUE IN MUSIC. Dubuque has repeatedly been the focus of song. In 1933 a song simply titled "Dubuque" was written by F. C. Maher, Margarete May Hughes, and Rita Dolphin.
Perhaps the song with the longest history was "The Duke of Dubuque." The lyrics are sung by someone who believes he a descendant of the Romanoffs, the last czars of Russia. According to the song, this son of "the Czarine's usher" had hard times since his father "sailed away one day to the State of I-o-way." The chorus is,
I'm known near and far
as the cousin to the Czar.
I'm the Duke of Dubuque. And if you don't believe me
and tell me it ain't true,
I've only got one answer--
and that borsht to you."
The song was first performed in 1941 and then was revived by the Manhattan Transfer in 1985.
"Dubuque Blues" was written by Jules Alexander of the 1960s musical group "The Association." The song was performed by the group on the Locust Street parking ramp in 1967.
Paul Tracey, the "one-man family theater," appeared on the "Tonight Show" and wrote music for the Muppets. He arrived in Dubuque in 1978 with the Festival of Arts on the Mississippi. His song "Dubuque, Dubuque" concluded:
Dubuque, Dubuque
We thank you for your lovely welcome here
Made extra special
By the taste of Pickett's Premium beer
Was it a sign from Julien
Or was it a fluke?
That the only lousy weather on our tour
Was in Dubuque?
In 1981 Paul HEMMER wrote his own anthem for the city, "Let's Hear It For Dubuque." This was used by the DUBUQUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Several of these musical tributes can be found in the category--Songs.
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Source:
Fryxell, David, "Songs Show Magic, Music of Dubuque," Telegraph Herald, April 25, 1985, p. 9