“The Star-Spangled Banner” was not even Francis Scott Key’s first go at it. There were dozens of versions of the lyrics, including a powerful parody by an abolitionist writer. The song was most likely intended for a trained soloist, and it would have sounded something like this:Īs the song became popular in both Britain and in the newly independent United States, people borrowed the tune liberally.
Correct american national anthem lyrics professional#
They called themselves the Anacreontic Society after the Ancient Greek poet Anacreon, and their meetings included hours-long concerts by professional performers. It was composed in the 1770s by an elite men’s club of amateur musicians in London. It’s often said that the tune was originally a “drinking song,” but that connotation is not quite right. Rather, like “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” “The Star-Spangled Banner” was adapted from the British (and given lyrics about a war against the very same British). The music itself was not written by an American. There’s no doubt that it’s hard to sing, but in the video above, we debate whether that’s a feature or a bug. In a 1906 editorial, the North American Review asked for a replacement for “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the United States’ national anthem because “the American people have been trying in vain for nearly a century to sing it.” With bizarre lyrics and a 12-note range, the song has always been a controversial choice.