| Whether played by a marching band, an orchestra, or | | | | greatly moved by the R&B version by Ray Charles, a |
| a rock group, there are patriotic tunes that everyone in | | | | truly wonderful blending of emotion with what |
| America finds familiar, exciting and uplifting. But how | | | | musicians call "the groove.""Rally 'Round the Flag," |
| much do you know about how these songs were | | | | George F. Root, 1862. |
| created? And what do you know about the people | | | | Written for the Union army and its supporters during |
| who wrote them?There are some surprising facts | | | | the Civil War, the song was hugely popular in the North. |
| behind all of this glorious music.So, fire up the barbecue | | | | This didn't prevent Confederate troops from writing |
| grill, look up at the fireworks, and strike up the band as | | | | their own lyrics and singing the song throughout the |
| we reveal the secrets behind the most influential | | | | South."When Johnny Comes Marching Home," Louis |
| nationalistic musical moments of all time."Star Spangled | | | | Lambert, c. 1863. |
| Banner," Francis Scott Key, 1814. | | | | Lambert was a pseudonym for Union Army |
| Schoolchildren in America all learn how Key watched | | | | Bandmaster Patrick S. Gilmore. His lyrics, set to an old |
| the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the | | | | Irish folk song, were popular through the whole |
| War of 1812 and so admired the courage of the | | | | Reconstruction Era (1865-1896). It appears in an |
| beleaguered American forces that he wrote four | | | | extended instrumental version on the soundtrack of |
| stanzas of "The Star Spangled Banner" (only the first | | | | Stanley Kubrick's film "Dr. Strangelove.""Battle Hymn of |
| is usually performed). Key based the melody on an | | | | the Republic," Julia W. Howe, 1861. |
| English drinking song called "To Anacreon in Heaven." | | | | Howe is another lyricist who succeeded by utilizing a |
| The song has only been the national anthem since | | | | pre-existing piece of music, in this case a camp |
| 1931, and there was a strong movement to replace it | | | | meeting tune of the 19th century (which also became |
| with one of the other songs on this list."America (My | | | | "John Brown's Body"). The profound power of the |
| Country 'Tis of Thee)," Samuel F. Smith, 1832. | | | | words combined with the compelling melody cannot be |
| The music was composed in the 1700s, sometimes | | | | denied, and it was sung at the funerals of Winston |
| attributed to Henry Cary. First popular in Great Britain | | | | Churchill, Robert Kennedy, and Ronald |
| as "God Save the King (Queen)," the song became | | | | Reagan."Overture: 1812," Petr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1880. |
| bi-continental in 1832. Modern audiences have been | | | | |