<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 . Yankee Doodle Variations Performed by Carrie Rehkopf 1 . Yankee Doodle Choral version by United States Army Chorus </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing these files? See media help . </Td> </Tr> <P> "Yankee Doodle" is a well - known British - American song, the early versions of which date back to before the Seven Years' War and the American Revolution (1775--83). It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut . Its Roud Folk Song Index number is 4501 . The melody is thought to be much older than both the lyrics and the subject, going back to folk songs of Medieval Europe . </P> <P> The tune of Yankee Doodle is thought to be much older than the lyrics, being well known across western Europe, including England, France, Holland (modern Netherlands), Hungary, and Spain . The earliest words of "Yankee Doodle" came from a Middle Dutch harvest song (which is thought to have followed the same tune), possibly dating back as far as 15th - century Holland . It contained mostly nonsensical and out - of - place words, both in English and Dutch: "Yanker, didel, doodle down, Diddle, dudel, lanther, Yanke viver, voover vown, Botermilk und tanther ." Farm laborers in Holland at the time received as their wages "as much buttermilk (Botermilk) as they could drink, and a tenth (tanther) of the grain". </P>

Where did the melody for yankee doodle come from