Missouri Waltz

Missouri Waltz recurs in the account of Harry S. Truman as a song imposed on him by public ceremony rather than one he chose: high-school bands played it during his 1948 campaign, and Richard Nixon performed it for him during a 1969 visit. Its return links the noisy repetition of the campaign trail to a quiet, difficult moment late in Truman’s life.

A Refrain on the Campaign Trail

During Truman’s 1948 rail campaign, crowds gathered at station stops, often well before his train arrived. A local high-school band might play the national anthem or Hail to the Chief, or struggle through Missouri Waltz. Truman particularly disliked the song, yet heard it repeated hundreds of times as he traveled from stop to stop. Its recurrence became part of the public ritual surrounding the candidate: the train arrived, the band played, the crowd cheered, and Truman stepped onto the platform to speak.

The Song’s Return in 1969

On March 22, 1969, Richard Nixon and the First Lady visited Harry S. Truman and Bess Truman at their home, then accompanied them to the library. Truman was not having one of his better days. Outside his office, Nixon sat at a concert grand piano and played The Missouri Waltz. Many of those present knew how much Truman disliked the song, making the performance a difficult moment. When Nixon finished, Truman turned to Bess and asked what he had played.

Recurrence and Contrast

The song’s two appearances carry sharply different circumstances. During the campaign, its repeated performance was one small, unwelcome feature of Truman’s energetic public life; in 1969, it returned as a personal encounter witnessed by those around him. The contrast gives the title its particular resonance in the narrative: what had once been a familiar irritation became part of a moment marked by Truman’s frailty.