It was apparent Key was there to witness the attack!īut, it was the tenacity of Baltimore that inspired Key to pen the lyrics recalling the attack. However, the doctor would not get released until after the British attacked nearby Baltimore. Here, he was treated well to a nice meal where the terms of his release were getting negotiated. Beanes, Key met the opposing side on their ship. To negotiate the release of the prisoner, surgeon Dr. It may count as an early version of song sampling!
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What’s interesting is the tune was nearly 40 years old by the time Key used it for his lyrics. In fact, the existing tune, To Anacreon in Heaven, was favorited among the English elite! He wrote the lyrics as a snub to the British rather than as something to take seriously. sent to negotiate the release of a political prisoner when the battle began. His day job was as a lawyer from Washington D.C. Key was surprisingly not a lyricist, but a poet. While Francis Scott Key did pen the lyrics, the theme itself comes from a different song. Unlike other country’s anthems, the United States’ song isn’t an original tune. And, that was after 40 attempts at getting approval! But it wasn’t until a need arose in the early 1900s that President Wilson declared it the anthem of the armed forces and their ceremonies.īelieve it or not, it wasn’t until 1931 that the nation formally adopted the song as the national anthem. The song continued to gain traction after the Civil War as Union soldiers and supporters celebrated. In fact, it wasn’t until the Union chose the Star-Spangled Banner as their song when they battled the Confederates. However, in the meantime between independence and continued conflicts, we still hadn’t had time to pick an anthem! Our country wound up kicking a few tunes around, but none of them stuck. Shortly after fighting for independence, the country participated in the War of 1812 before turning on itself during the Civil War. The United States had a rocky start towards launching a new country. They gave it the name of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and it has stuck ever since! It wasn’t until the following November that a music store in the city changed it.Īlso located in Baltimore, there was a shop that was one of the first stores to sell the sheet music.
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Many went so far as to print them on their vessels!Īt first, a publication from Baltimore called the tune “The Defense of Fort M’Henry,” where the inspirational battle took place. Just a few days after his release from the cell where he scribbled the first draft, his lyrics were already gaining popularity. In fact, it didn’t have a name until a music store made one for him! It may sound surprising, but Francis Scott Keys didn’t name his famous anthem. “The Star-Bangled Banner” Wasn’t the First Title And, once you’ve finished your history lesson, be sure to sign up here to join other heroes across this great country that save money with Homes for Heroes! But there are a few facts that are still surprising to learn!īelow is a quick history of our country’s anthem.
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But how well do you know The Star-Spangled Banner?ĭespite the fact that the music existed before the United States was even a country, you’d think you would know it well. We all know the importance of the national anthem, and few things instill pride in us like hearing the first few notes before an important event. As we celebrate National Anthem Day, we wanted to take a look at the history of how our beloved national anthem came to be.