This blog is a revision of one I wrote after watching the presidential inauguration in January 2009. More about that later, but what got me thinking about anthems was an issue that is very much in play in Maryland, namely, a movement to toss out the current state song, "Maryland, My Maryland."
Now this is not a subject I've thought about much . I'm more interested in the official Maryland cake, the multilayer Smith Island Cake cake, which is tasty and decadent. Or the Maryland state cat, which shares the orange, black, and white colors of the Maryland flag. (Yes, it is a rather odd looking flag. <G>)
I'm not a native Marylander and wouldn't have even recognized the state song. The Mayhem Consultant, who is a native and was a state employee for some years, would recognize it; he informed me that it's sung to the tune of "O, Christmas Tree." <G> (<
I was appalled to learn that the words are based on a violent secessionist anthem which refers to Lincoln as a tyrant, vandal, and more, and calls for defeating "northern scum." An op-ed piece I read in the newspaper this morning said that Marylander John Wilkes Booth shouted a phrase from stanza 6 when he assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Mmmm, I think the song has passed its expiration date. Quite apart from the fact that it advocated treasonous violence, it's a really bad song.
Quite a lot of Marylanders are now advocating for dumping the song and perhaps having a contest for a new one, which sounds reasonable to me. But as I said above, the current discussion of the song got me thinking about anthems. The original blog was triggered when music played at the inauguration including the patriotic song, "America."
Say what? We've had Wenches from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and they wanted to know why the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen," was being played at an American presidential inauguration. Much discussion ensued. <G>
How would a French citizen feel about hearing “La Marseillaise” played at the American inauguration? Or how would an American feel about hearing “The Star Spangled Banner” played at a British coronation?
I started researching. Throughout history, it's been pretty common to latch onto a good tune and set new words to it. Samuel Francis Smith, who wrote the lyrics to "America/My Country 'Tis of Thee" (aka "God Save the Sovereign of Your Choice") got the tune from a German source. The music of “America/God Save the Queen” is very easy to sing especially when compared to the official US anthem, the notoriously difficult “Star Spangled Banner,” which covers an octave and a half range, so that helped "America's" popularity.
Through much of the 19th century, “America” was a de facto national anthem. In earlier days, around the time of George Washington, “Hail, Columbia” was the most common patriotic choice. Other songs were also widely sung.
As some of you probably know, the tune of “The Star Spangled Banner” was taken from a drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” (Anacreon was a classical Greek poet who wrote poems in praise of love and wine, which makes perfect sense for drinking songs.) The lyrics were written by Francis Scott Key toward the end of the War of 1812. He watched the Battle of Fort McHenry from a ship several miles away and was desperate to see what flag flew over the fort the next morning: the British Union Jack or the American Stars and Stripes? You know the answer to that. <G> The battle was a key episode in my book Once a Soldier. (An aerial view of the fort is on the right. It's not very big and was called the Star Fort by Baltimoreans.)
The idea of a national anthem really took hold in the 19th century, along with the development of nation state identities, though some of the anthems are older, of course. Probably the first national anthem was “God Save the King,” which dates from the mid-18th century. Ideally, an anthem captures a sense of the nation and its essence or aspirations.
These days a lot of anthem recognition comes through sporting events. Before television, anthems weren’t needed so much. A lot of anthems weren’t formally adopted until the 20th century. “The Star Spangled Banner” wasn’t adopted until 1931, for example.
Anthems generally come in two types: Martial marches or hymns of praise to the monarch or the country. “God Save the King” is definitely hymn-like, as is “Jerusalem,” which is also something of an English anthem, as is “Land of Hope and Glory.”
Countries born in revolution often have more martial anthems, and of these, France’s “La Marseillaise” is hard to beat. Stirring! Here's a clip from the famous scene in "Casablanca" where the French people in Rick's Café out sing the Germans.
Both the US and Britain have marches as well as hymns. “Rule, Britannia!” is a grand and stirring song, but not exactly conciliatory. <G> The refrain is “Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves: Britons never will be slaves." The military pride and naval slant definitely reflect the Empire. (These days, you can get “Rule, Britannia” as a ring tone for your cell phone. <G>)
“The Star Spangled Banner” is also pretty martial, with all those bombs bursting in mid-air, although the Battle of Baltimore was one of defense, not offense. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is both a hymn and a march. “He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword.” Right. It was a popular abolitionist song during our Civil War, but it’s not exactly conciliatory, though still popular as a patriotic song. Actually, even hymn-like anthems tend to turn martial in later verses, with much smiting of foes and crushing of enemies beneath righteous feet.
On the other hand, “America the Beautiful” is definitely a hymn, and that’s the patriotic song I heard most after the horror of 9/11. It has always been a contender for national anthem, and it’s a love song, not a battle song. It was written by Katharine Lee Bates, a Wellesley English professor, after she took the train cross country to Colorado Springs. It’s said that the words came to her when she was on top of Pike’s Peak looking out over the ‘amber fields of grain’ of the Great Plains. (The music is by Samuel A. Ward.)
Choosing anthems gets complicated. Australia used "God Save the King" for a long time, but it’s not an Aussie song. “Waltzing Matilda” is widely associated with the country, and personally I think that a song about the drowning of a sheep thief has a cheerful anti-authoritarianism which seems quintessentially Aussie to me. <g> (In a similar vein, a friend from the state of Washington says that the unofficial state song is “Louie, Louie.” <G>)
Being a modern nation, Australia decided its national anthem by popular vote in 1984. There were four contenders, and the winner was “Advance, Australia Fair,” a nice song in the hymn mode. It mentions the Southern Cross, which is part of the Australian flag.
All that being said, why was “America” sung at the 2009 inauguration rather than a different patriotic song? I don’t know the official reason, but my guess is because the song is a paean to liberty and freedom, an affirmation of our deepest American ideals. As such, it makes perfect sense for momentous national occasions.
So do you have any thoughts on national anthems in general, or the choice of “America” in particular? What songs stir your blood? Which ones make you want to stand up and cheer?
And which ones bring tears to your eyes?
Mary Jo
What an interesting and timely discussion. As an Australian, I'm not a big fan of Advance Australia Fair. Most of our indigenous population have never sung it, as it never seems to have included them. It also talks about sharing with those who come across the sea while Australia anti immigration. I think it's hard when the value of your national anthem are not one that your country actually does and acts upon any more. My favorites are the NZ national anthem seeing in English and Maori and also a love song, plus the the South African anthem, which is sung in three of their languages with differing things as you go along. Both are deeply moving and aspirational, and yes, the hair strands up on the back of my neck.
Posted by: Mary D | Thursday, July 02, 2020 at 09:15 PM
National and State Anthems meant something special to the people at the time they were adopted. They become traditional and then sanctified in the minds of the people who live there. Yes, some anthems need updating to represent our current morals as citizens of the state or nation. The Star Spangled Banner is wonderful, but not easily sung. The fourth verse is offensive. As for a new anthem, America the Beautiful comes to mind. The only problem I can see with it is people who choose not to believe in a greater power will not like "God shed his grace on thee." I swear, nowadays, there is no satisfying people which ever way we decide to go. Honestly, I think the next fight on our hands will be defending our right to not be offended.
Posted by: Pamela DG | Thursday, July 02, 2020 at 09:18 PM
Count me in as someone in Australia who was mortified Waltzing Matilda - a song about a sheep - nearly won the vote for our national anthem in the 80s!
One that personally means a lot to me is - Ще не вмерла Україна (which sort of means "Ukraine's spirit has not yet died") - the national anthem of my family's country. It was used underground for generations before it became official. After centuries of colonialism, ethnic cleansing and genocide, finally Ukrainians were allowed to adopt it officially at the fall of the Soviet Union. It means at least as much now, 6.5 years into the war with Russia.
Posted by: Sonya Heaney | Thursday, July 02, 2020 at 11:04 PM
I should add: there's a VERY rude version of Waltzing Matilda I was taught when I was eleven, so probably not the best advertisement for a song representing the nation!
Posted by: Sonya Heaney | Thursday, July 02, 2020 at 11:20 PM
"America the Beautiful" has always thrilled me, to sing or to hear. Small factoid: the Chinese name for America/U.S. is "Meiguo," which means beautiful country. The first time I went to China, in 2008, it was my ambition to play the national anthems of China and the U.S. on the Great Wall, along with "Amazing Grace," on my Native American flute. (This was quite a challenge, because as Mary Jo pointed out, "Star Spangled Banner" is an octave and a half, very difficult to achieve on the basically one-octave NAF. The Chinese anthem isn't much better.)
So there I was, on the Great Wall. The three songs went perfectly, as my friend Kay filmed it ... not! In the sunlight, she turned the camera off, rather than on. We tried again in one of the lookout towers, but I never got it perfect again. Still, I did it and it was a highlight of that trip.
I was surprised that when I played the Chinese anthem, "March of the Volunteers," none of the Chinese tourists on the Wall responded. I later realized that I had played it solemnly (as most national anthems are played), but the Chinese sing it with vigor and about twice as fast as I played--they didn't recognize it! You can hear it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UctriMuXYS0 . It's very stirring. Relative to Mary Jo's interesting post, it's similar in attitude to the French anthem. Not surprising, since both were born out of energetic struggle by "the people." Not that the U.S. wasn't, but TBH it was more "get your grubby taxes off my assets" than "get your fat knee off my neck"--we saved that for later, but that's another story.
Posted by: Mary M. | Thursday, July 02, 2020 at 11:49 PM
What a fascinating blog post! I had no idea the individual states had their own anthems (and cake and cats!). As a UK citizen, I love both "Rule Britannia" and "Land of Hope and Glory" - especially when sung at the Last Night of the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall by about 6,000 people! "Jerusalem" is beautiful too but always makes me cry (it was played at a funeral I went to). I have to put in a word here for the Swedish national anthem "Du gamla, du fria" which is beautiful and is an ode to how lovely the country itself. It seems to me that's what an anthem should be like?
Posted by: Christina Courtenay | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 03:50 AM
The Missouri Waltz was adopted as out state song in 1949. as a tribute to Truman, who was purpoted to like it.
I believe he began with indifference and grew to hate it from over exposure; but he was always polite about it. It's not a bad tune — i've never, ever remembered the words, so they probably aren't worth much.
But the matter of choosing it is typical of the way we pick our official songs.
As for out national anthem, I would have preferred America the Beautiful.
Posted by: Sue McCormick | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:21 AM
I plwyed Piccolo in marching band & found I had to "playat ocytive" for it to sound proper!!
I still remember the music aftervall these years!!
Posted by: Ann G | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 08:13 AM
Great post, Mary Jo. My choice for national anthem is "This Land is Your Land," by Woody Guthrie. I also like "God Bless America," written by an immigrant, Irving Berlin. While as for "The Star Spangled Banner", note that Francis Scott Key was a slaveholder and (as my Marylander son tells me), the little-known third verse celebrates the deaths of escaped slaves who were fighting on the British side: "No refuge could save the hireling and slave/From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave." And finally, check out that most gorgeous of hymns, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also known as the Black National Anthem, written to celebrate the end of slavery and sung on Juneteenth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jufE7HuY5nI&fbclid=IwAR0TgZPccdUUJbL90C_9z_4K88IB3Tneog8Dpg_3JeF2lYQh0tBqCDH-h6k
Posted by: Pam Rosenthal | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 08:15 AM
The Star Spangled Banner is sooo hard to sing. I've been partial to Irving Berlin's God Bless America ever since we learned to sing it in first grade.
Posted by: Pat Dupuy | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 08:36 AM
When we lived in MD my daughter had to learn all the verses of the state song - not a pleasant one and one that does not mean much in this century. For me I go more by the tune and how they are sung. I like "America the Beautiful" but I also think "This Land is your Land" would be perfect. The Indiana state song tune is not very exciting and hard for many to sing. The words are descriptive "Back Home Again in Indiana"
I don't recall having to learn the state songs of the other states I lived in - I guess they all have one. I used to know the tunes of many various country anthems. I like the tune of the Germany one and that is where my parents originate, so I knew it when I was quite small. They did not like to hear me sing it as they had to leave the country as WWII started.
I enjoyed this posting as I love music and song (Just read your book "Diabolical Baron" and loved all the musical references.)
Posted by: Margot | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 08:45 AM
I favor America The Beautiful. We should be singing it while we still have "purple mountain majesties and fruited plains". Might inspire us to do more to keep them.
However, I think the words to "This Land Is Your Land" are also very appropriate for this day and time.
Posted by: Mary T | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 10:28 AM
Thank you so much for this post. I love America the Beautiful. I also Love God Bless America. But, I am easy. I get tears in my eyes when several pieces of music are played.
I think God Bless America is a good reminder - Irving Berlin - an immigrant - wrote it to salute the country which had provided him with so much opportunity. He wrote it right as WWI was ending.
Maybe we could put the two songs together to make one very long anthem which could remind us of what we have and why we should be darn grateful. I also believe even the two songs together would be easier to sing for everyone.
Happy 4th Everyone!
I hope everyone is taking care and staying safe.
Posted by: Annette N | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 10:52 AM
My father told me that before the Star Spangled Banner was adopted, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean was a hot contender. It has a line about "Thy banners make tyrannies tremble/When born by the red, white and blue" — probably especially meaningful when Fascism and Communism were looming on the horizon.
And I've always had a soft spot for The Battle Cry of Freedom (Rally 'Round the Flag), but I suppose a Union song is still a bit divisive. Maybe we could put it up against Maryland, My Maryland.
Posted by: Lil | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 11:25 AM
Sonya, it sounds as if the New Zealand and South African anthems are role models for inclusive new national songs. I'll have to go youtube to listen to them!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 12:35 PM
Pamela DG, that's a very good point about how anthems are adopted at a certain point in time, then become sanctified despite the fact that they may not reflect changing values.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 12:37 PM
Sonya, I can see the power of the Ukrainian anthem! It reminds me of the Estonia anthem. The country suffered for decades under first Nazi, then Russian control. The anthem was banned, but people kept singing it in private, and a Finnish radio station that could be heard in Northern Estonia would play it. (The languages are closely related.) An anthem that embodies the spirit and aspirations of a nation has POWER!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 12:40 PM
LOL, Sonya! I can see why that would affect one's feelings about the song. *G*
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 12:41 PM
Mary M, how great to play your flute on the Great Wall! The version of the Chinese anthem you linked to was very rousing, which puts it in the category high energy wars of revolution. Not a hymn. *G*
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:27 PM
Christina, cats and cakes and cakes are kind of a harmless local politicking. Songs have more weight, and Maryland's needs to GO!!!! I've never been to the Proms, but here's a link to the 2018 closing, and it's terrific with singing and flag waving and general wonderfulness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtY8BYP0mnc
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:32 PM
Sue, Truman was a gentleman and a politician and tactful, but one can see why he might have grown to hate the Missouri state song. "America the Beautiful" would be a wonderful national anthems, and comments below mention some more.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:34 PM
Ann, I've always thought it takes real talent to march, play music, and do formations all at the same time! Now wonder the music is graven in your mind. *G*
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:35 PM
Pam R, This Land is Your Land and God Bless America are both terrific possible anthems. To my shame, I didn't realize that Lift Every Voice and Sing was the black anthem, but it's wonderful! We need to have a collection of maybe 5 anthems. At least.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:42 PM
Pat, God Bless America is not only a great song, but MUCH easier to sing@
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 01:42 PM
I'm with you, Mary. That whole vote for an Australian National Anthem was, in my opinion, rushed through, and I don't believe most people looked any deeper than the title of the song. So they voted for a title. And then realized it started with "Australian sons let us rejoice" and then there was an outcry for it to be changed to Australians all.
It's a shame these things are organized by politicians. The vote of whether to become a republic or not was scuttled by the then Prime Minister (a royalist) who effectively divided the vote by linking it to a presidential system nobody wanted. So a country where every survey under the sun showed a huge majority of people were in favour of Australia becoming a republic, ended up voting against it.
Posted by: Anne Gracie | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 04:31 PM
Great post, Mary Jo. I have a Dutch friend who often talks about how the Dutch national anthem pledges undying loyalty to the King of Spain. Kind of underlines how anthems come in at a particular time and then stay on long after their use-by date.
Posted by: Anne Gracie | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 04:37 PM
King of Spain. Riiiiiight. I'd say that one is way overdue for updating!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:27 PM
Anne, politicians tend to be really good at manipulation. This is why most people hate them. *G*
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:28 PM
Margot, I'm glad you enjoyed THE DIABOLICAL BARON. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about music, but I wanted to write a book with a heroine who was more interested in music than marriage. Of course she gets both. *G*
I don't think most states have a lot of energy on their state songs; I grew up in the farm country of Western New York and haven't a clue what the state song was. I suspect that most are like in Indiana--forgettable. Maryland's, though is downright offensive.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:33 PM
Mary T, "This Land is Your Land" might fit a new category that could be called 'folk anthems.' It's certainly a celebration of the beauty of AMerica.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:37 PM
Annette, I'm not sure the two songs would fit together well, but they're both great songs. As you say, the fact that God Bless America," was written by an immigrant says a lot about our country right there.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:39 PM
Lil, I just looked up "The Battle Cry of Freedom," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Cry_of_Freedom and it was so popular that the Confederates came up with their own version. I like the Union version better, but even the Confederate on is better than the Maryland state song!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:47 PM
That Chinese anthem is rousing, but with very martial lyrics!
Posted by: Karin | Saturday, July 04, 2020 at 07:43 AM
This Land is Your Land is a great choice!
Posted by: Karin | Saturday, July 04, 2020 at 07:45 AM
I mainly tend to tear up hearing "America the Beautiful" or "My Country Tis of Thee" when I'm traveling abroad and feeling homesick.
I also tear up during that scene in "Casablanca" when they sing "La Marseillaise". Every Time.
Posted by: Karin | Saturday, July 04, 2020 at 07:48 AM
Gives me goose bumps every time! :-D
Posted by: Christina Courtenay | Sunday, July 05, 2020 at 06:45 AM
To mess up my sense of melodies even further, our church hymnal has "God Bless Our Native Land" which we usually sing around this time of year...also sung to the tune of My Country 'Tis of Thee/God Save the Queen.
Posted by: Amy J | Monday, July 06, 2020 at 04:58 PM
Karin, they are all deeply emotional songs. Tears are appropriate.
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Tuesday, July 07, 2020 at 11:28 AM
Amy J--you just can't keep a good tune down!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Tuesday, July 07, 2020 at 11:28 AM