That's What's The Matter

This is one of Foster's civil war songs composed by him while living in New York. This song contains references to many of the events that had occurred: to the hope of Southerners that the North would not be united; to the Merrimac and Monitor, and to Captain Ericsson. Background music is in the key of D

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We live in hard and stir-ing times,

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Too sad for mirth, too rough for rhymes;

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For songs of peace have lost their chimes,

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And that's what's the mat-ter!

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The men we held as broth-er's true,

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Have turn'd in-to a reb-el crew;

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So now we have to put them thro',

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And that's what's the mat-ter!

chorus

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That's what's the mat-ter,

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The reb-els have to scat-ter;

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We'll make them flee, by land and sea,

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And that's what's the mat-ter!

verse 2
Oh! yes, we thought our neighbors true,
Indulg'd them as their mothers do;
They storm'd our bright Red, White and Blue,
And that's what's the matter!
We'll never give up what we gain,
For now we know we must maintain
Our Laws and Rights with might and main;
And that's what's the matter!

verse 3
The rebels thought that we would divide,
And Democrats wouldtaketheir side;
They ten would let the Union slide,
And that's what's the matter!
But, when the war hadoncebegun,
All party feeling soon was gone;
We join'd as brothers, ev'ry one!
And that's what's the matter!