Here we go, via wikipedia: The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song, written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a London social club. "The Anacreontic Song" was already popular in the United States and set to various lyrics. Set to Key's poem and renamed, "The Star Spangled Banner" would soon become a well-known American patriotic song.

Francis Scott Key wrote poetry. The Star Spangled Banner's melody comes from an old drinking song. Try singing just the sounds of it with a bit of a swagger and you can't miss it.

As for Stars and Stripes Forever, it is one of my favorites. For some reason the piccalo solo is always played by one flautist or three, never two. I also listened to this song on my way into work this morning. The only thing I don't like about this song is the blind nationalism and patriotic fervor it seems to embue.

^I could not disagree more. If you want to be free, you must accept all the risks that come with it. It's right there in the star spangled banner "home of the free, land of the brave". You'll never be free if you expect to be kept safe.

This is what it ended up sounding like:

o say can you see by the dawn's early lightsh o so proudly we ent tat otilit so sleeming. who sro SARS and bite stripes tho the perilous fight or the ramparts we wash r so gallandly sleeming. and the rocket's red glare babombs bursting in air gave proof through danight dat our flag wash still there. o say doesh that shar spangled banner yesh waahave or the laaand of the free and the home of the baaaaaave


The only reason it sounds intelligible is because you already know the lyrics to "Star Spangled Banner" and you're using top-down processing.

Just shnagged like 5 good tunes from here, for my jukebox.

Jimi's Spangled Banner. Bonus points.

@ Hillary: "O say does THAT star spangled banner yet wave"

How is it I up here in Canada know the words better than she does?

couldn't be more wrong.

While they are not as good as America anymore in hockey , their national anthem still kicks the Star Spangled Banner's ass (unless, of course, Marvin Gaye is singing it)

zifnab, thank you for the promote . . .this gives me goosebumps each and every time I play it.

very cool. haven't seen that in ages. If you are looking for other interesting performances of the Star Spangled Banner, check out the Marvin Gaye version from the '83 NBA All Star game:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A

Best version ever, imo.