The Star Spangled Banner

I've been thinking a lot lately about National Anthems. I believe we are right now in the crisis moment of our existence as a free people. The unbelievable spending of this government over the last almost two years is only the beginning. The open denial of our Christian heritage by our admittedly Muslim loving president (he said he favors Islam over Christianity in one of his books) is a threat to our very way of life. The health care bill passed by Congress threatens our status as a free nation and makes our future as a socialist state a dangerous reality. At the global warming conference in Copenhagen last December the president was ready to sign a treaty to create a government (yes, it used the word government) to oversee the compliance of all signing nations. In other words, had we signed, we would have given up our national sovereignty.

If that should ever happen I wonder if we'll still be able to sing our National Anthem. What's interesting is how many people wouldn't even care. I've heard plenty of people complain over the years about how our anthem is about war and fighting and it shouldn't be our anthem. People that think that way have never taken the time to learn what our anthem is about, what it stands for, or how it compares with anthems around the world. Our anthem is unique in both its focus and its conclusion.

The French national anthem, The Marsellaise, is one of the most rousing anthems with a very quick paced, march-like melody full of excitement. It was adopted in 1795 during the French Revolution and was a call of all patriots of France to throw off the tyranny of ferocious soldiers that were about to slit the throats of their sons and wives. The refrain is a call to arms for citizens to form battalions and march on to shed the blood of their enemies.

The German anthem is actually the Austrian Hymn, written by Franz Joseph Haydn in the 18th century. A poem was written a hundred years later and the tune and words were adopted in 1922. "Deutchland, Deutchland uber alles," it said. "Germany, Germany over all." It was a very inflammatory song and fit Hitler's philosophy of an Aryan master race to a T. After WW2 the first two verses were deleted and now the Germans sing the third verse which speaks of unity, justice and freedom, and a pledge of fortune for the Fatherland to flourish. The hymn itself is very beautiful and is often sung in churches with the words "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken."

The Austrian Hymn had also been the tune for the Austrian anthem, but in 1946 the Austrians chose a quieter love of country song that avoided any mention of politics or patriotism.

The Dutch anthem, "Het Wilhelmus," is the oldest national anthem in the world. It was written in 1568 and depicts deposed Prince William encouraging the oppressed people of the Netherlands to rise up against Spanish rule. It stemmed from the period of Dutch heroism and the struggle of the Dutch people to be free. The music is very majestic and hymn-like, but goes on for 15 stanzas in which Wilhelm tells his story appealing to God for help, and declares loyalty to the fatherland.

Each of the countries of the United Kingdom have their own anthem, but the British anthem is God Save the Queen (or King). The words come from Henry VIII's time but the melody was first performed in 1607. It was not officially recognized as the anthem of Great Britain until 1745. Who wrote it is a mystery. Several names are mentioned, but it is also claimed to be a French folk song. It was known in several countries around Europe and is also the tune of the anthem of Liechtenstein. The words are not about the country but about the Queen and loyalty to the monarch. "God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen. Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the Queen.

"Lupang Hiniram," the Philippine anthem, means "Chosen Land." It has a very lively tune, somewhat like the French anthem. It was composed in 1898 during the Philippine revolution against Spain. The first line, "Bayong magiliw," means "beloved country." It calls the Philippines the Pearl of the Orient, and declares that the people will never surrender their chosen land. It tells of of seas and mountains, air and blue skies, and ends with a dedication of willingness to die for the land.

In Japan the anthem is called "Kimigayo." It means "May You Reign Forever." The words of the song which are rarely sung speak of Japan reigning for 10,000 years and closes saying may Japan reign and flourish. The words were written over a thousand years ago, but the music was composed in the 1800's. It is written in a somber minor key, but the harmony is very stately. Musically it is very beautiful and thoughtful. It seemed to me the perfect music to cause one to reminisce about a tragic past such as being the only nation ever to have suffered a nuclear attack, although the anthem is older than WW2, and I'm in no way apologizing for the events that happened in 1945.

The Kenyan anthem is called "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu." It is translated, "O God of all creation," but literally it says, "O God our strength." It speaks of unity and peace and being blessed within their borders. The tune is not musically beautiful and tends to ramble about until it comes to a sudden end.

"O Canada" has a very nice, hymn-odic melody and speaks about the land and the people on guard for Canada. The anthem of Israel is all about the city of Zion. Serbia's anthem is actually a prayer called "God of Justice." It is an appeal for God's deliverance for an oppressed people. The Swiss anthem is a Psalm that speaks of God dwelling in their land. The anthem of the no longer existing USSR was a very bold, dramatic, and lengthy melody about the Soviet Union being victorious.

There is a common thread in most of the world's anthems. They are all about the country, the motherland, the fatherland, loyalty to the land. Everything is the land. The UK is different in that it is all loyalty to the monarchy. Many of them are appeals from enslaved people looking for hope and freedom, and others are very bloody indeed writing about conquering people or shedding blood, some as the French anthem, in fairly graphic details.

How does The Star Spangled Banner differ from all of these? To really understand it you need to know the context in which it was written, which is why I think some people don't appreciate it. In 1814 the United States was a free nation, but had gone to war with England because of British interference with our ships on the high seas. The English invaded the United States, capturing Washington, DC, and were attempting to make a drive into the heartland, but they had to get by Baltimore first, and at the gates of Baltimore was Fort McHenry. On September 13, a lawyer, Francis Scott Key, was on board one of the British men-of-war trying to secure the release of an American prisoner and was detained when the bombardment of Ft. McHenry started.

Throughout the night as the guns roared and rockets flashed through the sky, the outcome was in doubt. In the morning of September 14, the guns fell silent and as the mist cleared off the waters and the fog lifted the Stars and Stripes of the US flag still waved in the breeze. The fort stood and the British began their retreat. Key, witnessing that most dramatic moment, began to write, "Oh, say can you see?"

The US anthem is unique in that it begins with a question about the outcome of a battle that may have decided US independence. It speaks of the proud defense of the fort by our troops who were greatly outnumbered and outgunned, of watching through the night to see if the flag still stood, and then at the dawn's early light learning the great truth that we had prevailed.

The first verse finishes asking another question. Does that flag still wave? It is a question that is as relevant today as it was in 1814. Are we still a free land? Do brave men still defend our shores? It is a challenge to us as Americans to follow the grand tradition of our forefathers who would not bow to tyranny but fought valiantly for our freedom.

The last verse is likewise a challenge to free men to ever stand between their homes and the threat of tyranny. Then it acknowledges that our land was "heaven-rescued." The blessings of victory and peace come from above. Our anthem places our freedom, our very existence on the providence of Almighty God, and "praise(s) the power that hath made and preserved us a nation."

"Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just." That line gives all the justification we needed for invading Iraq and Afghanistan. They were just causes necessary for the defense of our own homes. The verse finishes with the declaration that as long as our motto is, "In God is our trust," our flag will wave in triumph over the land.

Our anthem is not about the land, neither is it about a leader. It stands unique because it is about our flag, a banner that stands for freedom and a beacon of hope to oppressed people around the world.

This is not something to be ashamed of as the hand-wringing liberals think. Rather, this is something of which to be chest-thumping proud. We live in the greatest nation on earth, not because of the land, not because of the government, but because our God reigns, and He has raised up men and women who built this country by the sweat of their brow, the cost of their blood, and the bend of their knee praising the Power that made us great.

I'm telling you I am proud to be an American and I will never give up the fight for American sovereignty, no matter what false messiah usurps the reins of government and tries to overthrow the Constitution, and I will proudly stand up and salute and sing our National Anthem every time and every place it is played.

The music to the Star Spangled Banner is a great tune, but sometimes it gets butchered by country and pop performers who think they've got to do all kinds of styling to make it better. It's better when they don't do anything but sing it straight. I couldn't care less how great the vocalist is who sings it either. If it's sung too slow it dies. Too much variation distracts attention from the song. It is better sung quick and to the point. One of the best performances I ever heard was on TV on Monday Night Baseball. There was a plumber from Detroit back in the 70's who occasionally would sing the National Anthem before the game. No name recognition, no frills, he just sang and he was great. My favorite version of all time, however, is the link I've added on the blog by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I hope you'll take a moment to look it up and listen to it, and get your patriotism stirred.

We need to take back our country before the godless liberals ruin it forever.