ABSTRACT

Music during the mid-nineteenth century was a participatory activity. The popular songs of the gold rush were usually written by and sung by the miners themselves, who found the lyrics to be both humorous and revealing of their experiences. The following two songs were written during the rush to California. The first, by J. Nichols, was written before the hopeful miners had reached California, and reflects their hopes and dreams. The second song, written by the captain of one of the ships that took miners to California, illustrates the transition from men who had formed associations and mining companies to individualistic miners, out for their own fortunes once the ships actually arrived.