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How many of you knew that Francis Scott Key set his words to the US National Anthem to the 18th-century English drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven"? http://www.contemplator.com/america/anacreon.html~~~~ Edit: I shoulda known. Anu was one step ahead of me in his Word for yesterday.... 
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raises hand. 
formerly known as etaoin...
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...also raises hand. Once preached on this very fact.
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Raising hand while remembering an article written by Isaac Asimov in which he bemoaned the fact that the more overtly anti-British verses of the SSB are no longer sung.
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What I remember from the Asimov article is his stating that it is the only national anthem that starts with a question.
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Here's the whole thing:
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
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And here is the Asimov article I misremembered. (Or not, I read it in Reader's Digest, and the recollection of his defence of the slighted 3rd stanza is VERY strong). http://www.purewatergazette.net/asimov.htmAlthough nominally an atheist, he had a religious devotion to the SSB, it seems. I can't say I blame him, either. Anti-patriot that I am, the SSB is still my second-favourite anthem, after La Marseillaise.
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http://www.marseillaise.org This link has the sheet music for piano and both English and French version of the French National Anthem. By the way : check the Google logo for the Fourth of July. Raising hand - and did you know the name of the tune played when the British regulars under Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown? It was : "The World Turned Upside Down."
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Google logo
and OneLook as well.
I'll put the next part in white since it contains religious/political content.
the parts if the SSB that bother me(especially the 4th verse), and is true of any literature, are those that ascribe the victory to a deity's choice of one over another. my little pet peeve...
formerly known as etaoin...
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To put a less emotion-laden point on it, the notion of God taking the side of one nation against another -- which has lots of precedent in the Old Testament -- parallels the notion that God would favour one professional football team over another, despite the prayers of faithful people on both sides.
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hmm. my readings have it that He doesn't so much favor one side over another as know which one is going to win before they ever have their contest.
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right, Padre. and tsuwm, hehe. happy 4th, everyone!
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>To put a less emotion-laden point on it, the notion of God taking the side of one nation against another
Or, in the case of the pathetic NZ anthem, an appeal for God to do that which NZ is not capable of doing for itself, and which no one else can be bothered doing.
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God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.
Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our State,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.
Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.
Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.
May our mountains ever be
Freedoms ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.
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Not bad, Padre. Only half marks, though since, like Canada, NZ is officially bilingual, and our anthem is now sung first in Maaori, then in English (only one verse each).
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I have a copy of the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer and it, too, contains everything twice -- once in Mother English and once in Maori. This explains it.
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Pooh-Bah
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I have a copy of the New Zealand Book of Common PrayerSnap. It was given to me by a friend of my mother when I was about eight, and despite everything it's travelled everywhere with me! Max (as usual) has it right about "God Upend New Zealand". No one likes it. I used to play for RSA (Returned Services Association) concerts and dos, and there was always an entry in the programme which simply said "Anthem". I always took great delight in asking the president of whichever RSA I was at which key he wanted me to play "God Defend New Zealand" in. The answer was always the same: "Not that rubbish! The REAL national anthem, God Save The Queen! And in any key you like." I played once for an RSA in deepest, darkest, conservative-like-GWB-only-worse Southland and asked the same question. I shall always treasure the response: "If you play that shit, you'll get thrown out!" 
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Could one of y'all supply a sound file?
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Pooh-Bah
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earplugs and glom
who is that, Cap?
formerly known as etaoin...
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Pooh-Bah
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earplugs and glom
who is that, Cap?
That would be the latest grunge band megastars.
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"American singers are always changing the words to our anthem at sporting events as they salute our upside-down flag. Last year, before a CFL Argonauts-Las Vegas Posse game, some lounge-lizard crooner even changed the tune of 'O Canada,' somehow confusing it with 'O Christmas Tree.'" http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_11.09.95/NEWS/nak1109.htm
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Hum this : "Autumn in New York."
Now try : "Moonlight in Vermont."
Tricky, wot?
Hi Musick !
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veteran
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Now comes the guy who lives in the city where the SSB was written. Many thanks, Padre, for saving me the trouble of writing out all the verses.
A few random observations on this and related subjects discussed further down.
One of the most frequent objections to the SSB as our National Anthem is that it's too hard to sing. True, its range is over an octave and when sung in the usual keys may go as low as B-flat below Middle C and/or as high as F above the G-staff. But I have noticed lately that there are a number of hymns in many standard hymnals with a similar range. And, singing as a bass in our choir, I have to cover from low C (below the bass staff) to high F (the one above middle C) which is 2 and a half octaves, which makes the SSB a piece of cake. So phooey to that objection. It's only hard for people who are not singers, or who are accustomed to sing only the modern pap which passes for music in this degraded generation.
That said, I would rather see "America the Beautiful" (to the tune 'Materna', the standard one) as our National Anthem.
As for 'O Canada', I confess to having a liking for it, especially in the French version, having sung it once (in French), with our choir, before a baseball game at Memorial Stadium between the Orioles and the Expos. I love the opening -- "Terre de nos aieux" is a really satisfying mouthful.
Lastly, a word about the author of the SSB. Francis Scott Key, who was on a humanitarian pro bono job and wound up being held on a British warship whilst Fort McHenry was being bombarded, was a talented and very successful lawyer. His home was in Frederick MD, where he is buried; he practiced mostly in Washington DC. He was a faithful, committed and practicing Churchman (Episcopalian) and at one point seriously considered Holy Orders but instead took up the law. Music and poetry were his avocations.
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too hard to sing
Next, can you teach them to pronounce perilous correctly?
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...and to sing the word banner near the end with THREE notes, not four? The first syllable gets two beats, but held on the same note: it does NOT go up a step!!! 
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THREE notes, not fourJackie, you've hit what I think is my biggest musical peeve. I *hate when they do it wrong (which is most of the time)!!! I guess it's either the parallel construction or the shorter interval that seduces these miscreants.... BobY, it's so good to see you again.
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And who put the "the" in "...bombs bursting in air"? I don't think it was Francis Scott Key. Father S, it's in the version you posted; is that validated? But everyone else does it, too (except maybe people who won't split infinitives either). among whose number I proudly count myself, fbofw
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And who put the "the" in "...bombs bursting in air"?
Hwæt? It's not there? Father Steve has misquoted lyrics?
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Max: Anti-patriot that I am, the SSB is still my second-favourite anthem, after La Marseillaise.
Yep, despite my misgivings at the French having stolen the 1998 World Cup soccer championship, it's my favorite, too, of the ones I know. Have you ever seen King of Hearts with Alan Bates and Genevieve Bujold? One of my top-ten movies. The rendition of La Marseillaise is to make you weep and laugh at the same time.
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That said, I would rather see "America the Beautiful" (to the tune 'Materna', the standard one) as our National Anthem.I'm torn between the nature of the lyrics in "America the Beautiful" which IMHO overshadows, by far, with approprate and singable subject matter. I'd much rather "crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shinning sea" than sing praises of "the land of the free and the home of the brave", but, I digress. On the other hand - where else does one get to sing about "ramparts" and things "gallantly streaming"? The harmony of both fall into the same "category" (if you will) but the melody of SSB is so much more dynamic (because of its *shape and range) and takes one on a bit of a journey... Being hard to sing will never be a good reason. It is good to *see you, BYB. ********* I *hate when they do it wrong (which is most of the time)!!!I *sense a little prescriptionist eeking its way into your psyche... 
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THREE notes, not foursheesh. it's just a little passing tone. sure, when Bach does it it's fine, but if someone else... 
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My peeve can beat up your peeve Now, dang it--here I've been, thoroughly immersed in self-pity, and here y'all go, makin' me laugh! Thanks. This link settles both questions for me: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm065.htmlI have a feeling I have seen 'King of Hearts', but I'm not remembering...will try to rent it. And yes, Bob--delightful to see you here again! (The skies above are clear again...)
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old hand
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... when did they take the haunting and mysterious 'donzerly light' out of the lyrics and replace it with the plebeian "dawn's early light"?
Yessir. That's what I want to know.
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?MondeGreen
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http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm065.htmlwell, youse better start polishing up your peeve for that last "and the", cuz ain't nobody that sings it that way neither... and now that I look at more of it closely, there are several melodic phrases that are sung differently today...
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that last "and the"
And the home of the Atlanta Braves.
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