It’s Presidents’ Day. Before you hit the white sales, I’ve got a couple of musical selections for you.

Here’s a melody called “Lincoln and Liberty” (originally “Rosin the Beau”), a tune Lincoln appropriated for his campaign song in 1860. If you note the pattern on the performer’s pants, you might deduce he is an escaped convict.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es3J4yxPFiI

This is a concert overture titled “McKonkey’s Ferry (Washington at Trenton)” by Trenton’s own George Antheil. I think you’ll agree, Washington has never sounded so Soviet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dROk2QXrFOs

Which presidents to celebrate, anyway?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/16/why-presidents-day-is-slightly-strange/

Chester A. Arthur, our 21st president, thought “Hail to the Chief” too undignified, so he requested a new piece from John Philip Sousa. The result was the “Presidential Polonaise” (1886):

I wonder if anyone ever thought to write a polka for Polk?