Quote: I know only two tunes; one is Yankee Doodle, and the other isn't. (U. S. Grant variant Lincoln)

[Garson O'Toole]

Ulysses S. Grant died in 1885 so this attribution in 1888 is somewhat late.

Cite: 1888, Educational Topics of the Day: Chips from a Teacher's
Workshop by L. R. Klemm, Chapter III: Fundamental Errors in Teaching,
Page 127, Lee and Shepard Publishers, Boston. (Google Books full view)

[Begin excerpt]
Thirty years ago this country was songless. Gen. Grant used to say: "I
know only two tunes; one is Yankee Doodle, and the other isn't."
[End excerpt]

Researcher Paul F Boller has a version of the story in his book of
Presidential anecdotes. There is a footnote, but I cannot read it in
Google Books because the relevant footnote page is apparently blocked.

Presidential anecdotes
Author: Paul F Boller
Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1996.

http://books.google.com/books?id=N0JRvfAIUFwC&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&

There is a variant anecdote featuring Lincoln instead of Grant. The
following pamphlet was published in 1914, but the incident apparently
was reported to have occurred in 1860.

Cite: 1914,  Abraham Lincoln's Visit to Evanston in 1860 by J. Seymour
Currey, Page 14, City National Bank, Evanston. (Google Books full
view)

http://books.google.com/books?id=1rXfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
A really good quartet, led by our long-time friend and fellow citizen,
Charles G. Ayars, called for Lincoln's special commendation; and I
recall how he put his arms around Ayars' shoulders, and said: 'Young
man, I wish I could sing as well as you. Unfortunately I know only two
tunes, one is "Old Hundred." and the other isn't.'
[End excerpt]

http://books.google.com/books?id=1rXfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&

Searches for this post were performed only in GB.

Garson

On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 12:54 PM, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Off-track: Re: [ADS-L] Mark Hanna Quote Question
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Not in YBQ, but U.S. Grant supposedly said/wrote that he knew "only two
> tunes. One is Yankee Doodle and I forget the other."
>
> IIRC, I read that in a book about the Presidents, ca1962.
>
> JL
>
> On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 11:07 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> Subject:      Off-track:  Re: [ADS-L] Mark Hanna Quote Question
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> At 5/14/2012 08:55 PM, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>> >I have been asked about the source of the following quotation, often
>> >attributed to Mark Hanna:
>> >
>> >"There are two things that are important in politics. The first is
>> >money and I can't remember what the second one is."
>> >
>> >Can anyone point me to early evidence of this quote?  Even
>> >apocryphal attributions would be of interest.
>>
>> I am reminded of Peter Wimsey, who said (approximately):  "I know
>> only two tunes -- one is God Save the King and the other
>> isn't."  (Not in Wikiquote, I see.)
>>
>> He also said "I always have a quotation for everything - it saves
>> original thinking."  Probably carries around a duodecimo edition of
>> the Yale Book of Quotations in his jacket pocket.
>>
>> Joel
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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