What Does The Star-Spangled Banner Mean

We are all familiar with our national anthem and some of us may have even learned in elementary school that the lyrics were penned by Francis Scott Key but do you know who composed the music? The music for the “Star Spangled Banner” was composed by John Stafford Smith. He was a musicologist, composer, and church organist from Gloucester, England. He lived from 1750 to 1836 and was the son of church organist Martin Smith. John was a choirboy at the Chapel Royal in London, England and he was a pupil of the famous composer William Boyce. John Stafford Smith was elected as a member of the exclusive Anacreontic Society and composed the music for the society's constitutional song "To Anacreon in Heaven" (a.k.a. "The Anacreontic Song)." It was this same music that was used for the “Star Spangled Banner”. This melody after it was originally composed became popular not only in England but also in Ireland, where, with different words, it was used as a drinking song. Later, the melody came to America. One of the earliest alterations of this melody in America was the Boston patriotic song by Thomas Paine, "Adams and Liberty," which appeared in 1797. Sometime later, it was used with other lyrics in "Jefferson and Liberty." This melody was so popular in America, in fact, it was adapted to more than 20 different songs.

As an American we can take our freedom for granted sometimes. In “Veterans Day: Never Forget Their Duty” John McCain illustrates “Sitting there, beneath that dim light bulb, a piece of white cloth, a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian” (7). In this quote John McCain reflects on his time in the military. This quote shows how much the American Flag meant to him and his comrades. They would risk getting brutally punished just to make a little flag, so they could do the Pledge of Allegiance every day. This quote relates with a quote from “What

Artworks featuring the American flag can have different meanings, for example, Faith Ringgold's God Bless America and Jasper Johns Flag. The painting God Bless America was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s it’s an expression of the emotional and physical agony of African Americans, it’s also a comment on bigotry. It shows a woman behind bars, the bars being the red and white stripes of the American flag. The star on the woman's shoulder represents a sheriff's badge. The art is contradictory because it's both patriotic and racist. The painting Flag is more patriotic. It’s made out of an ancient Egyptian painting called encaustic which leaves lumps and smears asking viewers to consider the work of art and to ponder its meaning.

Many people hail “The Star Spangled Banner” as the greatest piece of American music. The audiences of America’s national anthem seem, instinctively, eager to express their respect by embracing the notion to remove their hats and stand up. However, not many people ponder over the question of what “The Star Spangled Banner” truly means. What does it mean? Why does it deserve so much reverence and honor? What exceptional difference allows it to prevail over the masterpieces of prominent composers like Mozart and Beethoven? The answer is fairly simple. “The Star Spangled Banner” symbolizes America’s perseverance, its set of moral laws and ethics, and its history that constitutes what America truly means.

In the essay “Of thee they sing with feeling”, Garrison Keillor details his opinion on the United States’ National Anthem and the unity it brings Americans when they join together in song. After reading his essay, a greater appreciation for the indescribable feeling it gives those who sing it was more thoroughly developed. Although our society is constantly changing, the National Anthem is a timeless patriotic piece that will be cherished by many generations to come.

The battle flag of the Confederacy often referred to as the “rebel cross” was held in varying opinions through out Horwitz’s journey throughout the South. The dualistic nature of the flag was caught between two very distinct and different opinions of what it represented. The first being the view of pride in the ancestors who fought for their

Throughout the course we have learned how to read and interpret poetry with a better understanding of the mechanics that power the poem. Tone, pace, rhyme scheme, theme, and other various components within a poem develop an understanding of the work allowing for critical analysis. By reading poetry comprehending its various nuances and being able to reflect on the period of which it is written, provides a view into the past. Using culture, economics, and race are all factors that influence the writer and may even be the theme of the poem. A poem that had caught my eye recently, All-American Sestina although written in 1940, contains some of the issues that we are faced with today. It will be intriguing to consider the past before the united states entered world war two and examine how the author perceived the country at the time and how these matters have shaped over the course of 77 years.

Furthermore, the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was written as a patriotic war song for the Union soldiers and supporters (Doc B). As it was written to the tune of “John Brown’s Body,” it was immediately associated with abolition and the Union

The ground is not constant in every part of the world. Grass, sand, dirt, rocks, and everything in between is always changing underneath our feet. The sky is always shifting when new shapes and colors pass above our heads as we carry out our lives. It is baffling to think that people surrounded in a world of change believe it is possible to stick to one way of living. The belief in following a tradition can come from multiple ideals. The United States has an abundance of these traditions, and sometimes it is hard to notice when you are within one. The Star Spangled Banner is a prime example of a long-standing tradition in the United States, where it is usually played before national sporting events. Americans believe that the national anthem represents the greatness of America, and some believe that it honors our fallen soldiers and military. It is traditional to stand with our hands on our hearts, facing the flag while the anthem plays. The recent phenomenon of NFL players kneeling at the national anthem is a call to attention for the victims affected by racial inequality and police brutality within our country. Interestingly, NFL players weren’t required to be on the field during the anthem until 2009. Regardless, this show of taking a knee seems to many as a menace to their tradition. Some people were thoroughly opposed to these protests, including our own country’s leader. The president of the United States calling these gestures a “total disrespect of our

When the American flag still flew over Fort McHenry, Key was inspired to write it.

Scott Key felt inspired by the proud and unwavering spirits of the soldiers, and wrote “The Star Spangled Banner.” He wrote this poem to the tune of and old English drinking song, which later became the national anthem. Shortly after, the British left Chesapeake and turned their effort towards New

When you see the American flag, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Is it a war? A relative? A political leader? What? For me, I usually think of the Star Spangled Banner. I grew up on a military base in Germany. If the flag were being raised or lowered, you would see soldiers, and even civilians, standing at attention, saluting the flag. In a parade, as the flag was being carried in front by one of the brigades, everyone held his or her hand over his or her heart as the flag passed that person. Even in the theaters, before the movie would start, the Star Spangled Banner would be played while scenes of American flags in battles and peacetime were on the screen and everyone would stand, either at attention or with

Meaning in music is derived from parenthetical analysis of several technical aspects including lyrics, form, historical context, emotional content, and personal connection. A hermeneutical approach to the Star-Spangled Banner can yield only interpretational results. Therefore, we must examine the more concrete details of the work, and how the music relates to the meaning of the protests as stated by Colin Kaepernick in August of 2016.

A poem which I have read recently is “Soldier” by Rupert Brooke. The main point in question throughout this poem is appreciation for ones country. I will prove that this is the main point in question during the course of my essay.

If one listens closely, they can hear America’s song. The words, like thunder, comprise the groans of the slave, the cheers of the free, and the unmistakable sounds of the brave. The music rings out as clear as day; it is composed by the growing children and the dying men. Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes captured the essence of these songs in their respective works, “I Hear America Singing” and “I, Too, Sing America.” The first describes the melodies of a working nation, the “the wood-cutter’s song” and the “delicious singing of the mother” (Whitman 7-8). The quiet musings of a young African American make up the latter; it is a hymn of hushed hope for tomorrow. Although the two poems stand alone, both Whitman’s and Hughes's works powerfully capture the song of America through the sense of pride found in each piece, the uses of different literary elements, and their individual views of the nation.