Star Spangled Banner Song/Melody...Francis Scott Key

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Picture of Francis Scott Key

Star Spangled Banner Melody..The United Sates National Anthem

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Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke. Does not such a country and such defenders of their country, deserve a song...Francis Scott Key

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US Flag 1814

Older Picture of actual Fort McHenry Flag

Fort McHenry Flag at the Smithsonian

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Francis Scott Key was a well known lawyer(later appointed US District Attorney and practiced before the US Supreme Court on occasion)(also defended Aaron Burr against charges of treason) who lived in the Washington, D.C. area during the war of 1812 between the United Sates and Great Britain. In 1814 the British entered Washigton sacked and burned the city, forcing President James Madison to retreat into Maryland. Next the British intended to destroy Baltimore and it's important harbor. This was the Battle of Baltimore and was a significant event in the War of 1812. The British planned to attack by land and water. The land attack was defeated by the Americans(they outnumbered the Britsh at least 2 to 1,but the British had well disciplined, strong troops)) and the attack by water on Fort McHenry ended after the land attack failed. The British withdrew after a 25 hour bombardment of the fort, by nineteen of their ships, with about 1,500 cannon shells(bombs).

Here are pictures of Fort McHenry....[1]....[2]....[3]...

Key was with the British fleet bombarding Fort Mchenry. He was there to arrange the release of an American doctor who had been arrested(captured) by the British, as the local people were afraid the British would hang the doctor. At first the British would not consider the request, but Key showed them writtten statements from captured British soldiers, stating that the doctor had given them good treatment. Having negotiated the release, Key was detained until the attack on Fort McHenry was over.(so he could not pass intelligence on the British fleet positioning to the Americans). All through the night Key watched what was recounted to be an intense shelling of the fort.  The Bristish were firing rockets and a newer type of projectile that would often explode prematurely in mid air.(hence in Key's poem...bombs bursting in air and rocket's red glare). Towards dawn the shelling stoppped and Key was very anxious for the fate of his countrymen, only to after awhile learn that he was to be released and that the British were withdrawing. As the sun came up Key saw the US Flag still flying over Fort McHenry. He was so grateful, as he later related, that he immediately started to think of lines for the poem he would compose.

The poem that Francis Scott Key wrote was first published in the Baltimore Patriot newspaper on September 20th, 1814 and was entitled 'Defence of Fort M'Henry'.  It became popular and was eventually reprinted in papers as far away from Baltimore as Georgia and New Hampshire. Key's brother in law suggested that he have the poem set to the melody of a popular English song, 'To Anacreon in Heaven'(which he did with the help of a music publishing company), and in October a Baltimore actor first sang the song at a public performance. It had been renamed, 'The Star Spangled Banner'. Soon it was published as sheet music. Here is a picture of the 1814 sheet music.......(document) Here is a picture of the poem in Key's own hand, written later in his life...(document)(side note..F. Scott Fitzgerald, the famous writer, was related to Francis Scott Key)

The actual flag that Key saw(picture above, housed at the Smithsonian)) was the idea of the commander of Fort McHenry, Maj. Armistead. He knew the British would attack and he said he wanted a flag big enough that the British could see from a great distance. Mary Young Pickersgill and her daughter were hired to make the flag. The stars were 2 feet from point to point and the stripes were 2 feet wide. They used 400 yards of cloth to make the flag that was 30 by 42 feet and the cost was $405.90. A replica of the 1814 US Flag now flies over Fort McHenry and Key's birthplace 24 hours a day. 

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Star Spangled Banner Melody..The United Sates National Anthem

The Star Spangled Banner Song Lyrics

Francis Scott Key 1814

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' 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 thro' 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, half conceals, half 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 wash'd out their foul footsteps'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.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

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We Americans are the lavishest and showiest and most luxury loving people on the earth. At our masthead we fly one true and honest symbol, the gaudiest flag the world has ever seen...Mark Twain

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The Anacreontic Society was a popular gentlemen's club in London, named in honor of Anacreon, a lyric poet of ancient Greece. The Anacreontic Song was composed by this society and appeared as early as 1798 in America, with various lyrics. Others had adapted American lyrics to the tune, but Francis Scott Key was the first to do so with a patriotic theme. It has been said that The Star Spangled Banner was based on a drinking song. It could more rightly be called a song of 'Good Cheer!' and comradeship. It is considerably more sophisticated than a common drinking song.

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The Anacreontic Song Melody

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The Anacreontic Song
(To Anacreon in Heaven)

To Anacreon in Heaven, where he fat in full glee,
A few fons of Harmony fent a petition,
That He their Infpirer and Patron would be;
When this anfwer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
"no longer be mute,
"I'll lend you my Name and infpire you to boot,
"And, befides, I'll infruct you like me to entwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.
*Play the melody.

The news through OLYMPUS immediately flew;
When OLD THUNDER pretended to give himfelf Airs
"If thefe mortals are fuffer'd their Scheme to perfue,
"The Devil a Goddefs will ftay above the Stairs.
"Hark, already they cry,
"In tranfports of Joy,
"Away to the Sons of ANACREON we'll fly,
"And there, with good Fellows, we'll learn to entwine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BUCCUS'S Vine.
*Play the melody.

"The YELLOW-HAIRED GOD and his nine fufty Maids
"From Helicon's Banks will incontinent flee,
"IDALIA will boaft but of tenantlefs Shades,
"And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be
"My Thunder, no fear on't,
"Shall foon do it's Errand,
" and, dam'me! I'll fwinge the Ringleaders, I warrant,
"I'll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.
*Play the melody.

APOLLO rose up; and faid, "Pr'ythee ne'er quarrel,
"Good King of the Gods, with my Vot'ries below:
"Your Thunder is ufelefs." - then, fhewing his Laurel,
Cry'd, "Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!
"then over each Head
"My Laurels I'll fpread;
"So my Sons from your Crackers no Mifchief fhall dread,
"Whilst fnug in their Club-Room, they jovially twine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.
*Play the melody.

Next MOMUS got up, with his rifible Phiz,
And fwore with APOLLO he'd cheerfully join
"The full Tide of Harmony ftill shall be his,
"But the Song, and the Catch, & the Laugh fhall be mine
"Then, JOVE, be not jealous
Of thefe honeft Fellows.
Cry'd JOVE, "We relent, fince the Truth you now tell us;
"And fwear, by OLD STYX, that they long fhall entwine
"The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.
*Play the melody.

Ye fons of ANACREON, then, join Hand in Hand;
Preferve Unanimity, Friendfhip, and Love!
'Tis your's to fupport what's fo happily plann'd;
You've the Sanction of Gods, and the FIAT of Jove.
While thus we agree
Our Toaft let it be.
May our club flourish happy, united and free!
And long may the Sons of ANACREON intwine
The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCUS'S Vine.
*Play the melody.

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In 1931 the Congress of The United States enacted legislation that made 'The Star Spangled Banner' the official national anthem. It had been a popular tune with the US military for a long time previously.

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