Why did Yankee Doodle name the feather in his hat Macaroni?

Answer 1

the real kicker is what do the lines "yankee doodle, keep it up" mean... you do know what a doodle is, don't you? let's analyze, shall we?

The song's origins were in a pre-Revolutionary War song originally sung by British military officers to mock the disheveled, unorganized colonial "Yankees" with whom they served in the French and Indian War. At the time, the most common meaning of the word doodle had the meaning of "simpleton" or "fool". It is believed that the tune comes from the nursery rhyme Lucy Locket. One version of the Yankee Doodle lyrics is attributed to Doctor Richard Shuckburgh, a British Army surgeon.

The Boston Journal of the Times wrote about a British band declaring "that Yankee Doodle song was the Capital Piece of their band music."

A full version of the song, as it is known today, goes:

Fath'r and I went down to camp,
Along with Captain Gooding,
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.

Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.

And there we saw a thousand men
As rich as Squire David,
And what they wasted every day,
I wish it could be saved.

Yankee Doodle &c.

And there we saw a swamping gun,
Large as a log of maple,
Upon a deuced little cart,
A load for father's cattle.

Yankee Doodle &c.

And every time they shoot it off,
It takes a horn of powder;
It makes a noise like father's gun,
Only a nation louder.

Yankee Doodle &c.

Cousin Simon grew so bold,
I thought he would have cock'd it.
It scared me so, I shrieked it off,
And hung by father's pocket.

Yankee Doodle &c.

I saw a little barrel too,
The heads were made of leather.
They knocked on it with little clubs
And called the folks together.

Yankee Doodle &c.

And there was Captain Washington,
And gentlefolks about him.
They say he's grown so tarnal proud,
He will not ride without them.

Yankee Doodle &c.

He got himself in meeting-clothes,
Upon a slapping stallion.
He set the world along in rows,
In hundreds and in millions.

Yankee Doodle &c.

The flaming ribbons in his hat,
They looked so taring fine, ah,
I wanted pockily to get,
To give to my Jemimah.

Yankee Doodle &c.

AND here's the answer:
Why did yankee doodle stick a feather in his hat and call it macaroni? Back in Pre-Revolutionary America when the song "Yankee Doodle" was first popular, the singer was not referring to the pasta "macaroni" in the line that reads "stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni". "Macaroni" was a fancy ("dandy") style of Italian dress widely imitated in England at the time. So by just sticking a feather in his cap and calling himself a "Macaroni" (a "dandy"), Yankee Doodle was proudly proclaiming himself to be a country bumpkin, because that was how the English regarded most colonials at that time. But times have long since changed, and it is important to reflect on the fact that despite the turbulent early relationship between England and the American colonists, our two countries are strongly united.

Answer 2

because, back then, macaroni meant that you were trying to be in style, but turned out to be very awkward. yankee doodle probally thought that a feather in his hat was in style, but actually was foolish

Answer 3

The truth here is that the HORSE WAS called Macaroni.

Answer 4

I know that "Macaroni" was once considered a derogatory term for homosexuals. I heard that on tv...I'm not sure that it's true though.

Answer 5

He was trying to set up the first radio by Marconi, but misnamed it

Answer 6

He ate some right before

Answer 7

It rhymes with pony and the songwriter had writer's block.

Answer 8

Because he was diddling an Italian guy at the time.

Answer 9

because macaroni was his favorite food?

Answer 10

Don't know, but I always cringe whenever I hear that song