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• John Brown's Body
  John Brown's Body

  noun

  a long narrative poem (1928) by Stephen Vincent Benét, about the U.S. Civil War.
• “John Brown's Body”
  “John Brown's Body”

  A song of the Civil War that pays tribute to the abolitionist John Brown (see abolitionism). It begins, “John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave.”

John Brown's Body

American  

noun

1. a long narrative poem (1928) by Stephen Vincent Benét, about the U.S. Civil War.

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“John Brown's Body” Cultural  

1. A song of the Civil War that pays tribute to the abolitionist John Brown (see abolitionism). It begins, “John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave.”

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“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was written to the tune of “John Brown's Body.”

Example Sentences

It was introduced in 1897, initially to the tune of the American abolitionist folk song, John Brown's Body.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2020

A 1948 limited edition copy of "John Brown's Body," the Stephen Vincent Benet poem?

From Fox News • Dec. 22, 2018

“Since I was a kid there’s always been a strong scene here,” says Elliot Martin, lead singer with the nationally acclaimed band John Brown’s Body.

From The Guardian • Nov. 20, 2018

Taking paper & pencil he dashed off the crude verses of John Brown's Body Lies a-Mould' ring in the Grave, set them to the music of his Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.

From Time Magazine Archive

The field music played "John Brown's Body," and a tiny Union flag in the hands of a girl of ten years waved us a welcome.

From The Black Phalanx African American soldiers in the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the Civil War by Wilson, Joseph T. (Joseph Thomas)