Wednesday, September 20, 2006

About "The Star Spangled Banner"


About "The Star Spangled Banner" written in 1814

I must confess, growing-up I only knew verses one, two and four, usually verse three is not sung since it was a stinging jab into the side of the British who are now our allies! I especially enjoy singing the whole poem/song as this can be quite moving. Strange itn't it that the official "National Anthem" which is only the first verse ends with a question?

"The Star Spangled Banner"
Words by Francis Scott Key,
Music attributed to John Stafford Smith
from the song "To Anacreon in Heaven"

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through 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 through 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 in 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 washed 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 freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved 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!

So, you're probably asking yourself what was "To Anacreon in Heav'n" anyway?
...Interesting question, actually.
The tune was probably composed by John Samuel Stevens although it was John Stafford Smith who wrote the tune in the mid-1760s, while still a teenager. It was first published by Longman & Broderip in London in 1778/1779, the original lyrics were attributed to Ralph Tomlinson and so "To Anacreon in Heaven" was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, a club of amateur musicians in jolly London England who gathered regularly to perform concerts!

(try singing it!)
The original lyrics are as follows:

"To Anacreon in Heaven"

I.
To Anacreon in Heav'n,
Where he sat in full glee,
A few Sons of Harmony
Sent a petition
That he their Inspirer
And Patron would be;
When this answer arrived
From the Jolly Old Grecian:
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
No longer be mute,
I'll lend you my name
And inspire you to boot,
Chorus:
And besides I'll instruct you,
Like me, to intwine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine."
II.
The news through Olympus
Immediately flew;
When Old Thunder pretended
To give himself airs.
"If these Mortals are suffered
Their scheme to pursue,
The devil a Goddess,
Will stay above stairs.
Hark, already they cry,
In transports of joy,
'Away to the Sons
Of Anacreon we'll fly,
Chorus:
And there with good fellows,
We'll learn to intwine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine.
III.
"The Yellow-Haired God
And his nine fusty Maids
From Helicon's banks
Will incontinent flee,
Idalia will boast
But of tenantless shades,
And the bi-forked hill
A mere desert will be.
My Thunder no fear on't,
Shall soon do its errand,
And dam'me I'll swing
The Ringleaders I warrant.
Chorus:
I'll trim the young dogs,
For thus daring to twine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine."
IV.
Apollo rose up,
And said, "Pry'thee ne'er quarrel,
Good King of the Gods,
With My Vot'ries below:
Your Thunder is useless"--
Then showing his laurel,
Cry'd "Sic evitabile
Fulmen, you know!
Then over each head,
My laurels I'll spread,
So my sons from your Crackers
No mischief shall dread,
Chorus:
While, snug in their clubroom,
They jovially twine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine."
V.
Next Momus got up
With his risible Phiz
And swore with Apollo
He'd cheerfully join --
"The full tide of Harmony
Still shall be his,
But the Song, and the Catch,
And the Laugh shall be mine.
Then, Jove, be not jealous
Of these honest fellows."
Cry'd Jove, "We relent,
Since the truth you now tell us:
Chorus:
And swear by Old Styx,
That they long shall intwine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine."
VI.
Ye Sons of Anacreon,
Then join hand in hand;
Preserve Unanimity,
Friendship, and Love!
'Tis yours to support
What's so happily plann'd;
You've the sanction of Gods,
And the Fiat of Jove.
While thus we agree,
Our toast let it be:
"May our Club flourish Happy,
United, and Free!
Chorus:
And long may the Sons
Of Anacreon intwine
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine."

10 Comments:

Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

Like you know how to recognize Spanish when you hear it, eh?

September 20, 2006 12:21 PM  
Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

¿Opinión de O, puede usted ver, por la luz temprana del amanecer, qué nosotros granizó tan orgulloso en destellar pasado del crepúsculo? ¿De quién amplias rayas y estrellas brillantes, con la lucha peligrosa, O'er los terraplenes que miramos, tan galantemente fluíamos? Y el fulgor rojo del cohete, las bombas que estallaban en aire, dio la prueba con la noche que nuestra bandera todavía estaba allí. ¿La opinión de O hace que la estrella spangled la bandera con todo la onda O'er la tierra del libre, y el hogar del valiente? En la orilla vista dévil a través de las nieblas del profundo. ¿Dónde el anfitrión arrogante del enemigo en silencio del pavor descansa, qué es el que la brisa, o'er el escarpado elevado, como fitfully sopla, mitad encubre, mitad divulga? Ahora coge el destello de la primera viga de la mañana, en gloria completa ahora reflejados brillos en la corriente: ¡` Tis la bandera Estrella-star-Spangled! O largo puede él agitar O'er la tierra del libre y el hogar del valiente. ¿Y dónde es esa venda que tan vauntingly juró que el estrago de la guerra y el hogar de la confusión A de la batalla y un país debe dejarnos no más? Su sangre ha eliminado la contaminación de sus pasos asquerosos. Ningún refugio podía ahorrar el hireling y el esclavo del terror del vuelo, o el abatimiento del sepulcro: Y la bandera Estrella-star-Spangled, en la onda O'er del doth del triunfo la tierra del libre y el hogar del valiente. ¡O sea siempre cuando los freemen estarán parados entre su amó así hogares y el desolation de la guerra! Blest con vict'ry y paz, puede la alabanza Cielo-rescatada de la tierra la energía que el hath nos hizo y preservó una nación. Entonces conquístenos debe cuando nuestra causa él es justa y éste sea nuestro lema: "en dios está nuestra confianza." ¡Y la bandera Estrella-star-Spangled en triunfo agitará O'er la tierra del libre y el hogar del valiente!

September 20, 2006 12:24 PM  
Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

This is TOO Crazy!
English => Spanish then translated back to English!

Opinion of Or, can you see,
by the early light of the dawn,
what we hailed so proud
in flashing last of the twilight?

Of whom ample rays and shining stars,
with the dangerous fight,
Óer the embankments that we watched,
so galantemente we flowed?
And the red fulgor of the rocket,
the pumps that exploded in air,
gave the test with the night
that our flag still was there.

The opinion of Or does that the star spangled the flag yet the wave
Óer the Earth of the free one,
and the home of the brave one?

In dévil the Vista border through fog of the deep one.
Where the arrogant host of the enemy in silence of the pavor rests,
what is the one that the breeze,
to óer steep the high one,
as fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now he takes the sparkle of the first beam in the morning,
in complete glory now reflected brightness in the current:
`Tis the Estrella-star-Spangled flag!
Or length can he shake
Óer the Earth of free
and the home of the brave one.

And where it is that bandage
that so vauntingly swore that the damage of the war and the home from the confusion
To of the battle and a country must leave us not more?
Its blood has eliminated the contamination of its revolting steps.
No refuge could save hireling and the slave of the terror of the flight,
or the discouragement of the tomb:
And the Estrella-star-Spangled flag,
in the Óer wave of doth of home and the Earth triumph free of the brave one.
That is always when they freemen
them they will be stopped between his loved thus homes and desolation of the war!
Blest with vict'ry and peace,
can the Sky-rescued Earth
praise the energy that hath did and preserved a nation to us.
Then conquístenos must when
our cause he is right
and this one is our motto:
"in God it is our confidence."
And the Estrella-star-Spangled flag
in triumph will shake Óer the Earth of free and the home of the brave one!


...very weird!

September 20, 2006 12:30 PM  
Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

A first to be sure!

September 20, 2006 4:50 PM  
Blogger bostonray said...

You most have caused a hole in the atmosphere over Buffalo using that much air!WHEW! I goota admit Brucie,when you get on a roll..YOU GET ON A ROLL! HA HA!

September 20, 2006 6:25 PM  
Blogger bostonray said...

Actually after everyone shook his hand with their chicken-sticky hands 'Ol smooch-butt probably gave them all a tums for their tummies!Actually...congratulation Bruce on your election to da board!

September 21, 2006 12:44 PM  
Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

What do you mean "congrats" ...for what? I've been on that committee since 2003 by default. Who else afer all could they get to take care of the BOSTON Sail and Rudder Company, Inc.

I guess you guys just didn't know huh?

September 21, 2006 2:57 PM  
Blogger bostonray said...

I take it all back Brucie or should I say Smooch-Butt extrordinaire? Whats the boston sail and rudder co???Hmmmm..

September 21, 2006 4:34 PM  
Blogger bostonray said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

September 21, 2006 4:34 PM  
Blogger ex-nuke bubblehead said...

You REALLY don't know what I mean when I say the "BOSTON Sail & Rudder Company"? ...sheesh!

It's in the header of this blog!!!

September 21, 2006 5:36 PM  

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