Friday Fun Fact #9: About the song 'Yankee Doodle'

We were having a pasta lunch the other day and my son mentioned that in the 19th century the word 'macaroni' was used to mean 'cool', 'trendy' or 'fashionable'. I decided to look into it and found some really interesting information.

We have all heard the song about Yankee Doodle, haven't we? Well, if you haven't, here are the lyrics of the most well known part:

Yankee Doodle went to town

A-riding on a pony,

Stuck a feather in his cap

And called it macaroni'.

Indeed, "macaroni" became a term for a dandy in the 18th century after young British men returned from their adventures on the European continent sporting exaggerated high-fashion clothes and mannerisms (along with a taste for an exotic Italian dish called "macaroni").

O.K., but another thing I didn't know was the fact that the word 'dude' originates from the same song!

In 1883, the term 'dood', later to be spelt 'dude', was used to describe 'a man who cares too much about how he looks or dresses', even to the extent of being effeminate.

The song itself was thought to have been sung by British military officers to mock the Yankees with whom they served in the French and Indian War, the tune used being that of the nursery rhyme Lucy Locket. It is said that the British invented the song in the first place because they thought the colonists were unsophisticated (just by placing a feather in their hats they thought they were at the height of fashion), womanish and not very masculine.

Today the song is the state anthem of Connecticut.