Blaze Away! is a 1901 march by the German-American composer Abe Holzmann. It was his greatest success. [1]
Holzmann was inspired by the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, when a command to American sailors to open fire on the Spanish fleet was reputedly met with the response "Well boys, let's blaze away" by the gunners. [2] Building on the war fever in the United States, the cover of the sheet music featured an image resembling Theodore Roosevelt charging at San Juan Hill. [3] Very popular as a two-step, its success outlasted the war and it became a repertoire piece amongst military bands around the world.
References
Bibliography
- Shearer, Benjamin F. Home Front Heroes: A Biographical Dictionary of Americans During Wartime, Volume 2. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007.
- Walsh, Thomas P. Tin Pan Alley and the Philippines: American Songs of War And Love, 1898-1946, A Resource Guide. Scarecrow Press, 2013.
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