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Showing posts with label National Anthem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Anthem. Show all posts
Today is Flag Day and I thought it might be cool to look back at the old TV sign offs. I always enjoyed the one with the jets streaking across the sky, but this one is pretty good. It showcases many of our nation's monuments, all while rolling the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner across the screen. I wonder if they even teach it in school anymore?
Heritage is something which must be nurtured from one generation to the next. Tradition does not stay alive of it's own accord. Take the time today and look at our flag and think beyond the current state of politics. That is not the real America represented by the flag.
The flag has been temporarily high jacked. It won't be the first time; or the last. But it's the actual meaning of the stars and stripes which count most. The meaning of the red and white stripes and the stars on a field of blue. Keep that spirit alive and we can't lose. What was it that David Crosby once wrote? "Teach your children well...."
For years I thought this song was called “Rally Round the
Liberty Tree.” As a child I always heard that extra word in the chorus, and
somehow it became the title in my mind. It wasn’t until I was watching the
mini-series on John Adams that I noticed that the words were wrong. That’s a
joke- I mean that I had the words wrong.
I love the Star Spangled Banner; especially the history
behind the writing of it; but sometimes when I think about it, and realize that
it wasn’t our National Anthem until 1931, I find myself looking back at songs
like “Hail Columbia” and “America the Beautiful” and wonder how it was that we
didn’t have a National Anthem sooner than we did.
But, as much as I prefer “Hail Columbia”, simply because it
was written at the time of our nation’s birth, rather than some 25 years later
at the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, I would never change it. How
would we ever play baseball without it? Can you imagine, even for a moment,
70,000 people or more, singing “Hail Columbia” before the game?
That being said; let me briefly make the case for “Hail
Columbia” as the true National Anthem. First of all, it was widely considered
to be the National Anthem up until the time that “The Star Spangled Banner” was
designated as such in 1931. The song is wholly American in composition, unlike
the “Star Spangled Banner”, which was written by Mr. Key as a poem and later
set to an old British air.
By contrast, Joseph Hopkinson wrote the poem, which was
added to Phillip Phile's music. Both were Americans; one an immigrant and the
other native born. Joseph was the son of Francis Hopkinson who was personally known
to General Washington from the War for Independence. This allowed him to send
the words and music to Washington in 1798. The lyrics were the same as the
General had heard at his first inauguration in 1789, but this time the music
was different. The original title had been called “The President’s March” but
was now billed as “Hail Columbia” due to a change in the words by Mr.
Hopkinson.
Just as with the “Star Spangled Banner” there is an interesting
“backstory” here as well. It involves an actor named Gilbert Fox, who wanted to
find more rousing lyrics to go with the “President’s March.” He had chosen the
song for the debut of a benefit concert; I bet you thought that sort of thing
began with Bangla Desh; which was only days away. The concert was undersold and
slated to be a losing proposition unless he could come up with something new
and exciting.
On a Sunday afternoon he went to see Judge Hopkinson and
asked for his help in composing a new set of lyrics. When the actor returned
the next day, the song was finished.
Mr. Fox was able to open his show on time, the following
Wednesday April 25, 1798 at Philadelphia’s New Theatre. The song was a show
stopper, calling for 12 encores, with the audience quickly learning the words
and joining in on the chorus. This was clearly a song of the people.
The scene above, from “John Adams” is pretty much true to
life, as only a few nights later, President Adams and some of his cabinet; then
based in Philadelphia; caught the show.
Interestingly, the song has survived as the entrance
march for the Vice President of the United States, and is played whenever he leaves
or arrives, much as "Hail to the Chief" is for the President.
Today is Defenders
Day in Baltimore, Maryland. The occasion marks the Battle of Fort McHenry and
the birth of our National Anthem, written by Francis Scott Key. As a kids we all
learned the basics of that story, but there is much more to it than what you
were taught in grade school. I first posted this in 2010, but want to reprise it
today for those who have not read it before. The picture above was taken by my daughter Sarah in 1998.
I have always been the type that stops to read the
historical markers on the side of the road. When I was an estimator, working in
and around Washington, D.C., I frequently went to the Prince Georges County
Courthouse to obtain Building Permits and Deed information. Across the street
from the courthouse was an old, and sometimes unkempt, grave which always intrigued
me. One day, when I had some time to spare, I walked over to see it more
closely and was surprised to find that this man, one Dr. William Beanes, was
connected to; wait, make that responsible for; the chain of events that
culminated in Francis Scott Key writing "The Star Bangled Banner"
some 199 years ago today. Let me tell you the story.
Dr. Beanes was born in Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges
County in Maryland in the year 1749. He was the son of a prominent planter.
Educated in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh, he became a Doctor and
returned home to Maryland.
Still living at the time of the War of 1812, he resided
in Upper Marlboro, around which some of the preliminary battles to seize
Washington, D.C. were being fought in September of 1814. And this is where Dr.
Beanes begins his intersection with history.
The British were foraging for food and supplies when they
arrived at Dr. Beanes home. He identified himself as a Federalist, the American
political party which was vehemently opposed to the war with Britain. He even
went so far as to let them take whatever they needed, and was so cooperative,
that he was paid full market value for everything that the British took from
him.
They then proceeded on their journey, leaving 4 men
behind. 2 of these were "stragglers", who had become separated from
their units. The other 2 were deserters, and had they been caught by the
British, would be hung.
The following day found Dr. Beanes strolling across his
fields with American General Bowie when they noticed 2 men lurking nearby.
These were the "stragglers." A short time later the deserters were
captured as well and all 4 were held in Upper Marlboro. The news spread quickly
and soon the British had sent a squad back to the town to collect the
prisoners. They gave the town until noon the next day to produce them or else
the entire town would be burned.
The next day the town gave them the
"stragglers", who were after all, still enemies, but refused to give
up the deserters. By this time they had been removed to Queen Anne County for
safe keeping. When the British began to make preparations to burn the town, Dr.
Beanes quickly offered himself in exchange. This was a remarkable man, who, at
one moment is dealing with the enemy for provisions in a war to which he is
opposed, the next moment finds him capturing the enemy and then aiding in
hiding 2 of them before finally offering himself up in an effort to spare his
town!
When the British left Upper Marlboro, a Mr. Weems and Dr.
Hill rode to Georgetown, where Richard West, a friend of Dr. Beanes, contacted
his brother-in-law, Francis Scott Key, a prominent attorney and also brother in
law to Richard Taney. The trio was able to contact President Madison and he
dispatched Mr. Key, along with the Presidents emissary for Prisoner exchanges,
John Skinner, aboard the USS Minden to seek out the British Fleet and arrange
for the release of Dr. Beanes.
Starting downriver from Baltimore the Minden located the
British at the mouth of the Potomac, just as they were about to turn and head
towards Fort McHenry and Baltimore. They had already burned Washington, D.C.,
and the capture of Baltimore would be another "feather in their
caps."
The British were, at first, reluctant to release Dr.
Beanes, and both Mr. Skinner and Mr. Key were appalled at the condition of Dr.
Beanes, who was being held in solitary confinement and on reduced rations. But
as affidavit after affidavit poured in from the British commanders in the
field, attesting to Dr. Beanes fair treatment of the British, both General Ross
and Admiral Cochrane agreed to his release. However, as Skinner and Key had
been aboard too long, and heard too much about the British plans, all three
would be held until the following day, when the battle for Baltimore would,
presumably, be over.
That night the British sailed up river to Fort McHenry
and the bombardment began. Throughout the night both Key and Skinner struggled
in vain to see if the flag had been "struck", or lowered, indicating surrender
on the part of the Americans. But as the dawn broke, and the smoke cleared, Key
could see "by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed, at
twilights last gleaming..." The flag was still flying when the British
turned around.
The British may have managed to burn the White House and drive the government out of town, but they would not go on to win a victory in Baltimore, and they would lose the war. Although the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24th, 1814, word of the treaty would not reach America until February of 1815. By that time the British had lost The Battle of New Orleans, fought in January of 1815, which resulted in their unconditional surrender, and almost 150 years later inspire another, but quite different song, concerning the events there. But that's another story, and another blog....
We've all seen some pretty bad performances of the "Star Spangled Banner" over the years. Nobody can ever forget Roseanne Barr's mangling of the song, and there have been others who could not even remember the lyrics, if they ever knew them at all.
So what a pleasure it was, while googling the other day, to come upon this clip of Michelle Malone, doing a flawless rendition of the National Anthem, complete with a military flyover at the end. I can't think of a more fitting item to share with you on Memorial Day. Enjoy the holiday, drive safely, and have a good time. And, if you have a moment, take it upon yourself to remember those who have sacrificed their own freedoms, so that we may continue to enjoy our own.
By the way, this video was taken at the Atlanta Braves game on July 4th, 2008. The Braves hosted the Houston Astros, defeating them 6-2. Hit this link for the complete box scores of that game;
