The Washington times., 1917-02-21
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NATIONAL ANTHEM
Music Of "Star-Spangled Ban
ner" Said to Be Taken From
English Drinking Song.

If this country went to war with
Germany would we do our fighting to
the tune OF yankee Doodle" MY
Country, 'TIs of Thee" "The Star
spangled Banner" Columbia, the
Gem of the Ocean," or "Dixief"
Severance of diplomatic relations
were followed by inquiries about the
national anthem of the United States.
These questionings brought out an
other item in. our national unpre-
paredness-we have no national an
them.
Federated club women tried to
prevail upon Congress at this session
to adopt a national fower-the noun
tain lAurel-but so far a national an
them hasn't gotten even that far to-
ward recognition.
Yes, it is perfectly proper to rise
when THE Star-Spangled Banner" is
played. That is the nearest thing to
a national anthem we have. 1t Is Of
ficially recognized by the army and
navy as a patriotic air. That Is why
the United Statea Marine Band, and
all other army and navy bands, con-
clude each program with 1t.
Endorsed "star-spangIed Hammer
Thereby hangs one tale. Formerly
even our official anthem was a med
ley. Before the administration of
Roosevelt the army and navy bands
played "Columbia" in the morning
and "The Star-Spangled Banner" In
the evening. President Roosevelt
ordered that the latter should be the
official patriotic air of these two
branches of the military service.
This was done because MY Country,
'Tis of Thee" was set to the music of
the national anthem OF Great Britain,
God, Save the King" But so far as
getting a home product, "The Star
Spangled Banner" 1t later developed.
is no improvement.
The music to this song has q more
mysterious and polyglot origin than
that OF MY Country" Some authori-
ties assert It had its origin in an
Irish folk song. The evidence is
pretty clear, though, that 1t was COM
posed by an Englishman for the words
OF ITO Anacreon in Heaven" an old
drinking song. Others have tried to
trace the music to Germany, and Puc-
cini, an italian, used 1t. in MADAM
Butterfly"
Pedigree Not simon Pure.
Not even Columbia" incidentally,
has a simon pure American pedigree.
The words were written by Joseph
Hopkinson, an American, in 1898, but
the tune Is that OF ''The Presidents
March," composed in honor of George
Washington, by a man named Philip
Phile, and IL is believed he was either
a Swiss or q German. and his name
was an Angelicized form of "PfeIl."
The roauafr nf taTha
Banner" has been the subject OF ex-
tensive study. Probably the most Su-
thoritatiVe work upon 1t is q mono
graph. OF more than 100 pages, and
numerous plates showing early copies,
compiled by Oscar G. T. Sonneck,
chief OF the division of music. Library
OF Congress. This monograph, cloth
bound. was printed in 1914 as a Gov
ernment document.
In summing up the highly conflicting
evidence about the origin OF the air. Mr..
Sonneck states:
Available evidence, and a more thor
ough study Of 1t than in 1909. together
with the deductive force OF Mr.. Blake's
discovery OF the copyright entry Of
Smiths Fifth Book. compel me to be-
lieve that the music Of Ralph Tomlin-
sons poem. To Anacreon in Heaven.
wss indeed composed by John Stafford
Smith. Words and music, OF this song
later on popularity known as The Ana
creontick Song probably originated
about the year 1775, at any rate, before
the Anacreontic Society moved from
I.udgate Hill. London. to the Crown and
Anchor Tavern in the Strand"
Old, Old story.
How the words Of the song were COM
posed. by Francis Scott Key. after
watching an all-night bombardment OF
Fort McHenry. during the war Of 1872,
and seeing the morning sun rise while
"our flag was still there" Is q story told
over and over again. and known to
every school child.
The time OF ''Anacreon" was Just
then highly popular in this country, and
was sung at convivial gatherings OF all
kinds, and 1t is supposed that the mel
ody must have been known to Key. or
he would not. on the spur OF the mo-
ment. have composed poem Of such
unusual meter.