This page lists some of the most popular Barber Shop Ballads along with other songs and music in the barber shop style. These songs weren’t originally written by Sigmund Spaeth, but his arrangements are detailed in his book: Barber Shop Ballads And How To Sing Them.
Each of these ballads were entered into the public domain in 1987 and are listed below in the same order as they appear in Spaeth’s book. Check them out. Many of these are fun pieces written for male quartets. This is truly the beginning of the modern day A cappella groups like “Straight No Chaser” and Pentatonix.
Music in the Barber Shop Style
| Song Title | Songwriter: Words | Songwriter: Music | Year Written |
|---|---|---|---|
| You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Adeline | Richard Gerhard | Richard Gerhard | 1903 |
| O Happy Day | Unknown | Unknown | 1891 |
| Say Au Revoir but Not Good-bye | Harry Kennedy | Harry Kennedy | 1893 |
| And When I Die and The Goat | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| We Never Speak as We Pass By | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| My Evaline | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Way Down Yonder in the Corn Field | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| [I've Been] Workin' on the Railroad | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Down Mobile | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Shine | Unknown | Unknown | 1924 |
| When You Were Sweet Sixteen | Unknown | James Thornton | 1898 |
| My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Old Black Joe | Stephen Collins Foster | Stephen Collins Foster | 1960 |
| My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night | Stephen Collins Foster | Stephen Collins Foster | 1853 |
| Carry Me Back to Old Virginny | James Allen Bland | James Allen Bland | 1878 |
| In the Evening by the Moonlight | James Allen Bland | James Allen Bland | Unknown |
| Aury Lee | Unknown | Unknown | 1861 |
| Bring the Wagon Home, John | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| That Little Old Red Shawl | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Sweet Genevieve | George Cooper | Henry Tucker | 1869 |
| Red River Valley | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| When You and I Were Young, Maggie | Unknown | Unknown | 1866 |
| Graceful and Easy | Kenneth Clark | Unknown | Unknown |
| And When the Leaves | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Shall I Wasting in Despair | George Wither | Unknown | 1600 |
| Ezekiel Saw the Wheel | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| You Shall Be Free | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Polly Wolly Doodle | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| In the Morning by the Bright Light | James Allen Bland | James Allen Bland | 1879 |
| Good-bye, My Lover, Good-bye | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| I Had a Dream Dear | Charlie Daniels | Charlie Daniels | Unknown |
| Down By the Stream | Alaur | Alaur | Unknown |
| My Comrades, When I'm No More Drinking and Breakfast | Edward Evans | Unknown | 1902 |
| Way Down on the Bingo Farm | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Oh, Mah Lindy | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Good-night, Ladies and Soldier's Farewell | Johanna Kinkel | Johanna Kinkel | 1911 |
