The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-04-04


ner" or my Country, 'Tis of Thee7"
"Dixie" and maryland, My Mary
land"
Proud as they are of their nation, it
Is a strange fact that Americans are
not SO familiar with their country's
patriotic airs as are the people of the
foreign lands.
Even when they are stirred to the
point of singing by bands they find it
hard to recollect the words. And it is
doubtful whether many are aware of
the bits Of history attached to some Of
the lands patriotic airs.
Take "The Star Spangled Banner"
for instance. How much can you sing
the national anthem, this is the one.
OF course it is unfair to ourselves to
say that we cannot sing it, but 1t must
be admitted that we don't know 1t as
generally as we should.
It's author, Francis Scott Key, now
lies in a cemetery at Frederick, Md,
where an American flag is always
waving over his grave. Key wrote the
song after an experience he had while
q prisoner aboard British war vessel.
While he was aboard the boat Fort
McHenry, the sole protection Of Bal
timore, was bombarded, and the song
tells Of his satisfaction at finding the
nag Of his country still waving upon
the dawn Of the succeeding morning.
It is a hymn which all Americans
can join in singing, because it breathes
the spirit of the whole land and has
not one suggestion Of sectionalism in
Il.
Next as a national song comes
America" sometimes known as "My
Country, IT'S 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 1t is of the United States, and when
1t is heard from afar one cannot tell
whether the band wants to feel the in
SEPARATION 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
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 a good one, and we all like
to whistle or hum it, but the words
unfortunately are not very good and,
Furthermore, it has been said did not
mean a great deal at the time they
were written. At any rate, it has not
the solemn grandeur that 1.-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 derision of the raw American
troops who Joined them at the camp
on the Hudson below Albany in 1855
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
a German who was conducting an or
chestra in New York Hopkinsor
wrote the words at the time when wal
was threatened with France in 1898
and for q long while it was the mos
popular of our patriotic songs.
As for sectional songs, there are SOM
which have mighty good tunes, a cas-
in point being Dixie" Although thi
was the battle hymn of the Confed
eracy, Lincoln enjoyed 1t immensel.
and on the day of his assassination
asked a band to play 1t for him.
"Dixie," however, was written lonI
before the civil war and was not in
tended for the use of the ConfedeI
ates. It was written In 1869 by Dan
lei D. Emmett, who was singing wit
Bryant's minstrels In New York. Bry
ants show was dragging, and as fail
ure seemed imminent he asked EN-
NETT to write a negro walk around
which would stir up some enthusiasm
"Dixie' was the result
It's adaptation nearly two years late
as the war song Of the south was O.
accident. Mrs. John Wood was ar
pearing at the New Orleans Varietie
theater in "Pocahontas." On accoun
of the rising tide of war a zouave dri
was introduced into the show. The o.
chestra leader tried over several air
for the march and finally hit upo
''Dixie." The war cloud burst the mel
week, and from New Orleans "Dixie
spread all over the south. At the mort
Fanny ]. Crosby. the hymn write
wrote a song for "Dixie" which ws
strongly Union In sentiment, but Il
40 L.