The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-06-03
OUR PATRIOTIC SONGS
We Are Not as Familiar With
Them as We Should Be.
FEW or US KNOW THE WORDS

How Many Americans, For instance,
Can Recito "The Star spanDsd Ban
ner" or my Country, 'Tis Of Thee?"
"Dixis' and Maryland, My Mary
land"
Proud as they are of their nation, 1t
is strange fact that Americans are
not no familiar with their country's
patriotic airs as are the people OF the
foreign lands.
Even when they arc stirred TO the
point Of singing by bands they lnd II
hard TO recoIlect the words And 1t IL
doubtful whether many are aware Of
the bits Of history attached to some OF
the lands patriotic airs.
Take "fhe Star spangIed Banner"
for instance, How much can you sing
Of that song? Yet. II any can be called
the national anthem. this is the one.
or course II Is unfair to ourselves to
say that we cannot sing 1t, but 1t must
be admitted that we don't Snow II as
generally nv we should.
Its author. Francis Scott Key, now
lies In cemetery at Frederick, Md,
where an American flag Is always
waving over bis grave. Key wrote the
song after an experience he had while
d prisoner aboard British war vessel.
While he was aboard the boat Fort
McHenry. the sole protection OF Bal
tlmore. was bombardcd, and the song
tells OF his satisfaction at finding the
flag Of his country still waving upon
the dawn OF the succeeding morning
II IS a hymn which all Americans
can Join In singing. because II breathes
the spirit OF the whole land and has
not one suggestion OF sectionalism In
II.
Next as national song comes
America" sometimes known as MY
Country, "Tis Of Thee" Objection is
frequently raised against this because
the tune was not original. 1t Is the
property Of the British empire as much
as II Is OF the United States, and when
II is heard from afar one cannot tell
whether the band wants to feel the in
spiratlon that is In the words of
America" or In God Save the King"
The words OF the song "My Country.
IT'S Of Thee" were written by Samuel
Francis Smith. The song was first
sung at Sunday school celebration OF
the Fourth Of July at the Park Street
church In Boston. 1t is an interesting
fact that one OF the little boys who
helped TO sing america" for the first
time Is now the chaplain of the United
States senate. the venerable and rev.
erend Edward Everett Hale
Then we have Columbia, the Gem
of the Ocean," which has something
like an echo Of Britannia, the Pride
OF the Ocean" The tune OF Yankee
Doodle" Is good one, and we all like
to whistle or hum 1t, but the words
unfortunately are not very good and,
Furthermore, 1t has been said did not
mean a great deal at the time they
were written. At any rate, 1t has not
the solemn grandeur that "The Star
Spangled Banner" holds.
The origin of Yankee Doodle" is
shrouded In the mystery of score Of
conflicting tales. 1t Is generally
agreed, however, that the tune came
from England, and the words were in
vented by the British soldiers to be
sung in derlslon Of the raw American
troops who Joined them at the camp
on the Hudson below Albany in 1865
during the French and Indian war.
Twenty years later the rebellious pa
triots played Yankee Doodle" at the
battle OF Lexington. and 1t became the
first national song Of the United States.
Philadelphia has considerable inter-
est in "Hail Columbia" 1t was writ
ten by Joseph Hopkinson Of this city,
although the air was one composed by
German who was conducting an or
chestra in New York. Hopkinson
wrote the words at the time when war
was threatened with France In 179S,
and for long while 1t was the most
popular Of our patriotic songs,
As for sectional songs, there are some
which have mighty good tunes, a case
In point being "Dlxie." Although this
was the battle hymn of the Confed-
eracy, Lincoln enjoyed 1t immensely
and on the day Of his assassination
asked band to play 1t for him.
"Dlxie," however, was written long
before the civil war and was not in
tended for the use of the Confeder-
ates. 1t was written In 1850 by DAN
lei d. Emmett, who was singing with
Bryants minstrels In New York. Bry-
ants show was dragging, and as fail
ure seemed imminent he asked EN-
NETT to write negro "walk around"
which would stir up some enthusiasm.
"Dixie" was the result,
Its adaptation nearly two years later
as the war song Of the south was an
accident, Mrs. John Wood was ap-
pearing at the New Orleans Varieties
theater In "Pocahontas. On account
Of the rising tide Of war zouave drill
was introduced into the show The or
chestra leader tried over several airs
for the march and finally hit upon
"Dixle." The war cloud burst the next
week, and from New Orleans "Dixie"