This is a column I wrote in July, 2008, 13 years ago, and it needs to be said again.
“On July 4th, everyone plays patriotic music, and it is one of my favorite holidays. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir always does a wonderful program of patriotic songs, and usually a drama of some sort. And then the fireworks. Makes me awfully glad I am an American! At my church, we all sing the un-singable “Star Spangled Banner,” which officially became our National Anthem in the 1930’s. The “Star Spangled Banner,” was a poem written by Francis Scott Key , while the Brits were trying to destroy Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. Next morning, the flag was still flying, so Key wrote the poem, which was later accompanied by an old English drinking song named, “To Anachreon in Heaven.” I have an LP of the song in its correct tempo, and it is a sort of jazzy waltz type of melody, which could easily be played in an English pub or bar. I have no idea of who Anachreon was supposed to be, why she was in Heaven, nor do I care.
The point is this: The Brits later sacked D.C. after finishing with Baltimore, and burning the White House. I have no idea why Americans seem to love the Brits after that episode, and the Revolutionary War itself, for that matter. “The Star Spangled Banner,” besides being virtually un-singable, due to its wide range of notes, (Ask any chorus director), has nothing to do with the war which won us our independence from mother England. Who knows what, “Bombs bursting in air,” “O’er the ramparts we watched,” “By dawns early light,” “Rocket’s red glare,” or any of the rest mean? Ask any one who sings it what it means? Ask them what it is about. No one knows, and especially that it is a poem mated with an old English drinking song titled, “To Anachreon in Heaven.”
I have a suggestion, which makes ever so much sense. Why not change our National Anthem to a song which describes America wonderfully, is beautiful, and easily singable?
“Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountains’ majesty, above the fruited plains. America! America! God shed his grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea. Oh beautiful for pilgrim’s feet, whose stern impassioned stress, a thorofare for freedom beat across the wilderness. America! America! God mend thy every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law. Oh beautiful, for heroes proved, in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life. America! America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine. Oh beautiful, for patriot’s dream. That sees beyond the years, thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears. America! America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”
A poem written by Katherine Lee Bates, after visiting Colorado, (of course), and put to music written by Samuel A. Ward. It is a marvelous, uplifting, thrilling song, which is beautiful, easily sung, and with marvelous harmony. What a National Anthem that would be! Even “God Bless America,” would be OK, except the copyright belongs to the estate of Irving Berlin, and it may not be easily released. “My Country Tis of Thee,” are different words to the English National Anthem, “God Save The Queen,” so that wouldn’t do, even though the words are great. Anything but, “The Star Spangled Banner,” which has absolutely no meaning to hardly anyone, has such a wide range of notes, that it is extremely difficult to sing, and has absolutely nothing to do with our nation’s founding, beauty, or Judeo-Christian heritage. Every time I hear that song, I long for, “America the Beautiful,” to be our rightful National Anthem, not a poem sung to an old English bar room song, named “To Anachreon in Heave.”
Don Stott -don@coloroadogold