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‘The American Vicar of Bray’ is an American loyalist song first published on the 30th of June, 1779 in Rivington's Gazette. The song itself was submitted anonymously. The lyrics of the song recount a mockery of turncoats during the American Revolutionary War between Royalist, revolutionary, Whig and Tory, at which time Whig was associated with the American revolutionaries due to them being the opposition party during the Tory rule in Westminster when the revolution began. The song does have more verses recounting the formation of the continental congress, the agreement with the Kingdom of France and other events during the war not included in this recording. The first verse talks of George III, the king that had ascended the throne in 1760. The second of the Stamp Act that passed in 1765 to tax printed material, the Tea Act in 1773 to curb the illegal smuggling of teas from abroad, General William Howe’s landing and retaking of New York City in 1776 and the defeat of General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in 1777. The publisher, James Rivington, was born in London before relocating to America in 1760. Rivington kept a newspaper in New York as the American scene deteriorated. Rivington’s royalism would lead to a violent campaign against him by the ‘Sons of Liberty’ in New York. Effigies of him were hung, a fictional account of his speech when he would be executed published and both his shop and house being burnt down and looted, leading to him fleeing to Britain. In 1777 he returned following the Battle of Long Island, renaming his paper Rivington’s Royal Gazette. Sometime in mid-1779 he had been convinced to provide information to revolutionaries, remaining in the city after British withdrawal. Yet he was beaten severely by the Sons of Liberty regardless, his business failing and his death in poverty. This recording was done by Sherrill Milnes of the Continental Harmony Singers.