The Star Spangled Banner

I'll give you that. It's a very stately tune.

 

I am not in a position to give a view about the words of each, as I am British. But musically, I agree with Jaigner.

The pitch range of "The Star-Spangled Banner" goes from B-flat just below middle C, to F over an octave and a half higher, and is a huge one. Offhand, I can't think of a hymn tune with a range as large as that. The music for "America the Beautiful" has a range of just over an octave.

I would agree also that the melodic line of "America the Beautiful" flows more naturally than that of SSB.

And I say that, even though the music for SSB was written by a British composer, John Stafford Smith, not for the US national anthem, but for an English drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heav'n"

 

Drinking song eh.....then I like all the more! Probably sounds better after a coupla pints. :love2:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven

 

Bombs bursting in air

An interesting bit of military trivia: The fifth line of SSB: " And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."

The bombs were not supposed to burst in the air. Apparently, the British Ammo Ministry were having quality control problems with their bomb fuses--the burn rate was very unpredictable--bursting in flight instead of on target. They may have damaged some eardrums but not many ramparts and walls.

We have had a system called: Assault Breaker, not unlike the older "grapeshot; but "airbursts" would have a use in tactical nuclear scenarios.

The SSB can still makes tears in eyes of those who defend the U.S. Constitution--uniformed or otherwise.

Peace,

Bro. James