by Percy Moran
Francis Scott Key catching that glimpse on September 13, 1814. Within five days, his poem had been circulated throughout Baltimore, with instructions that it should be sung to the tune of “To Anacreon in Heaven”, an already-existing British song.
Here is one of the original broadsides of the lyrics. It was called “The Defense of Fort McHenry” at the time.
I can’t help but think of Eddie Izzard’s very funny bit about the singing of the national anthem and if you can’t remember the lyrics:
Watch How to Sing the Anthem in Comedy | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
The Star-Spangled Banner is one of the more difficult anthems to sing (I love that in Nashville, Hal Philip Walker, the unseen candidate for the Presidency of the United States, rolling around town in his van blasting his campaign promises into the apathetic air, says that he will make sure that he changes the National Anthem because “Nobody knows the words”), it starts low and catapults itself up high, and it has defeated even very good singers on occasion.
Some wonderful clips below of the singing/playing of the National Anthem. Lots of “confirming and denying”!
And here is what may be the most famous version.
You’ve aroused my curiosity about the original words. I found several links to the poem “To Anacreon in Heaven.” Curiously, the words don’t seem to fit the tune.
At the risk of seeming unpatriotic, I’ve always envied the French their national anthem. I don’t know the words, but it’s a smashing tune. Ours is mediocre. Can you imagine that scene in Casablanca with the Star-Spangled Banner? I can’t.
It is a smashing tune! We had to learn it in French class, and I still know it!
I do love ours too, though, especially when sung well. My first concert I ever went to was Huey Lewis and the News – and they sang their version of the National Anthem that night, and I’ll never forget it – I was so pleased to find some Youtube clips of it. To me, theirs is one of the most satisfying versions I’ve linked to. It’s elegant, tight, crisp, and not top-heavy: perfect harmony.
i think my all time fave is the marvin gaye version…love it soo much.
It’s so brilliant. I remember Vh1 did a special on “Great TV Moments” (I think that clip is from that special) – and the comments of other artists, who saw that version and reacted to it, were incredible. I remember in particular Elvis Costello describing the first time he saw the clip, and how he was just stopped dead in his tracks.
And don’t you think, Mitchell, that you can hear the crowd reacting to the interpretation of the song? Like, they’re screaming not just because they’re at a basketball game and it’s Marvin Gaye … but they’re screaming because of what he is doing with it. Maybe I’m reading too much into the crowd reaction, but that’s what I hear.
You had to learn the Marsellaise in French class? Wow. I had three years of high school French, but they never taught us that. We may have learned Frere Jaques. If so I’ve forgotten it along with most of my French, unfortunately.
I’ve occasionally heard suggestions to change the national anthem because it’s so hard to sing, but people are hung up on tradition. And I guess many people do like it – like you. It has its points. And it has a great story behind it. You can’t beat a great story.
Phil – Oh yes, we had to learn the Canadian national anthem as well, in French. We did a LOT of singing in our class – it was a good way to at least get the language in our mouths.
My sister Jean can still belt out “O Canada” in French after a couple of mojitos. hahahahaha
How about “Alouette”? Did you have to learn that one?
I actually remember my mother teaching us that and we used to sing it on long car rides.
O Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix.
Ton histoire est une épopée,
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
hahahaha Imagine the science lab students huddling over their Bunsen Burners as 25 kids blasted that out next door.
Although it’s hard for me to have an all-time favorite of a song I’ve heard performed several thousand times and I know I’m a little late but the all-time favorite here is The Dixie Chicks version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU5AYcAhvyo
Rob, that was magnificent – I’ve never seen it before. Thanks for the clip.