Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-05-14
FOUR AMERICAN SONGS.
TWO WERE WRITTEN IN BATTLE
AND TWO DURING PEACE.

One of Them Ayerted a War The
Sources of Inspiration of the Four
Writers-Strange Fact About the Music
Sc . ~44az+iv. How Key Composed
His Lyric.
The four great lyrics of our country
are columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,"
"Rail Columbia" ''The Star Spanglei
Banner" and America"
The first named was written by Tim
othy Dwight, ancestor of Timothy
Dwight, the present President of Yale
college. He wrote Other patriotic an
thems, but columbia" is the only one
by which he became famous. Dwight
was native of Massachusetts, and a
graduate Of Yale.
He studied law, intending to adopt it
as profession, but thee being a dearth
of chaplains in the Revolutionary army
he became one in Parsons brigade of the
Connecticut line and sG7ed some time
there. 1t was during this service that
he composed the immortal song EEColum-
bia," which at once Attracted general at
tention. and from the irst became IA
nous.
It was composed without much
thought, the times being full of patriotic
feelings, which inspired the poet, and he
is said to have expected no more than
passing fame for his production. TWAS
caught up, however, by the patriots, and
soon became known throughout the
struggling colonies. After the war
Swight went back to the pursuits inter
rupted by his entering the army, and
eventually became president Of Yale
college, position which he held until
his death in 1917.
The author of columbia" was a vol
luminous writer, turning out many ex-
tended poems and books, but all seem
to have been forgotten but the great
lyric which he gave to his country DUR
ing the struggle for freedom. It will
ever remain his monument.
4 SONG THAT TOLD.
The words and music Of ''Hail Column
bia" were composed under the American
flag. It's author, Joseph Hopkinson, was
a native of Philadelphia and the son of
a slgner of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Like the composer of "Colum-
bia," he was the author Of many other
things in prose and verse, but nothing
has come down to our day with any
fame but his national song.
Hail Columbia" was written in the
summer Of 1898, when we were having
complications with France which threat
ened to end in war. Hopkinson had an
actor friend named Fox, who was to
have benefit at theater, and it was
for him that the song was composed.
The music which accompanied the
song, and to which it Is sung today, was
originally the "President's March,"
which was written ten years before, on
the occasion of Washington's visit to
New York, by German orchestra lead
CT named Fyles ''Hail Columbia"
sprang into sudden popularity, and it is
said to have averted the threatened war,
as it melted national pride and reused
the whole country.
Joseph Hopkinson lived until 1912, fill
ing various important Offices and loved
by all for the great song he had given to
his nation. He helped to revise the con-
stitution of Pennsylvania, was warm
friend of Joseph Bonaparte's during the
ex-king's sojourn in this country, and at
the time of his death was holding the
office of United States Judge for the
eastern district Of his native state.
INSPIRED BY BATTLE SMOKE.
| Of the many national song writers
none have enjoyed more enduring fame
| than the author Of ''The Star Spangled
Banner" 1t is perhaps the greatest and
most popular of all our songs and lyrics.
1t was composed amid the roar of can
non and the bursting Of bombs, and
seems to have sprung without effort from
! the mind of its author.
Francis Scott Key, the author, was a
prisoner in the hands OF the British when
| the song was composed. He had gone
down the bay at Baltimore, then being
attacked by the British feet, for the pur-
pose Of securing the release of a friend
+ who was held by the enemy. He carried
a. message from President Madison ask
ing for the prisoners release. The Brit
ish commander agreed to the request,
but told Key that he must be detained
during the attack. Key and his friends
were therefore held back, and it was
while they watched the terrific lombard
ment of Fort McHenry, now and then
losing sight Of the flag that waved over
it's ramparts, that he wrote "The Star
Spangled Banner" This took place in
1914.
When he was released Key took his
poem back to the city, where it was
speedily printed to the music of an old
English song, "Anacreon in Heaven"
and in short time was being sung all
over the country.
DR.. Smiths beautiful ode america"
was also adapted to an English air, that
Of ''God Save the Queen" Strange to
relate, this same melody answers for the
national song of the German empire,
Great Britain and Ireland, Bavaria,
Switzerland, Brunswick, Hanover, Nor
way, Prussia, Saxony, and does service
in the United States as my Country,
IT'S of Thee"
america" has no stirring history sur
rounding its composition. It was COM
posed in 1882, and was first sung at a
children's celebration at the Park Street
church, Boston, on the Fourth of July
the same year. Samuel Francis Smith,
its author, is still living. He is native
of Massachusetts,, where he was born IN
1893. His famous missionary hymn,
"The Morning Light Is Breaking" was
written at the same time and place IS
= ERICA" DR.. Smith has filed many
IL .ortant stations in the church, and