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'Star-Spangled Banner': Anthem was once a song of drinking and sex
LATimes ^ | 13 Sep 2014 | Michael Muskal

Posted on 09/14/2014 5:18:53 PM PDT by shove_it

~snip~

Key was on a British ship, part of a U.S. delegation to negotiate a prisoner release. He was kept on board to prevent the American forces from being tipped off about the forthcoming bombing by the British.

He was allowed to return to Baltimore on Sept. 14 and was so inspired by the U.S. pluckiness that he wrote a poem, "Defence of Fort M'Henry," which he published on Sept. 20, 1814.

~snip~

Neither Key's early hymn nor the Barbary War is widely taught in American schools anymore (except for the reference in the Marines’ Hymn: “To the shores of Tripoli”).

[...]

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: nationalanthem; starspangledbanner
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Pluckiness??? Any list of synonyms for bravery ranks pluckiness way down toward the bottom. A large part of the problems with our society today is due to our education system not teaching American history any more.

Thanks for your BARFY article, Michael - bite me.

1 posted on 09/14/2014 5:18:53 PM PDT by shove_it
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To: shove_it

the Marines’ Hymn: “To the shores of Tripoli”).
___________________________________________

Nope its not called that...


2 posted on 09/14/2014 5:21:30 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: shove_it

I for one would like to see our National Anthem changed to “God Bless America” but I know that would never happen.


3 posted on 09/14/2014 5:22:45 PM PDT by bayliving (Democrat. The word ascribed to those who are intellectually dishonest with themselves.)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Count on the LA Slimes to flunk history every time.


4 posted on 09/14/2014 5:23:28 PM PDT by shove_it (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen -- Dennis Prager)
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To: shove_it

What the education system can’t destroy, Pravda on the Pacific is willing and able to.


5 posted on 09/14/2014 5:24:12 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Obama and the Left are maggots feeding off the flesh of the United States.)
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To: shove_it
'Star-Spangled Banner': Anthem was once a song of drinking and sex.

In that case, Los Angeles should immediately adopt it as its theme song. A position currently held, IIRC, by Randy Newman's I Love L.A.

6 posted on 09/14/2014 5:24:18 PM PDT by Steely Tom (Thank you for self-censoring.)
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To: bayliving

“America the Beautiful” would also be a good choice.


7 posted on 09/14/2014 5:25:15 PM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: shove_it
Pluckiness??? Any list of synonyms for bravery ranks pluckiness way down toward the bottom. A large part of the problems with our society today is due to our education system not teaching American history any more.

Thanks for your BARFY article, Michael - bite me.


From the Online Etymology Dictionary:
pluck (n.)
c.1400, "act of plucking," from pluck (v.). Meaning "courage, boldness" (1785), originally in pugilism slang, is a figurative use from earlier meaning "heart, viscera" (1610s) as that which is "plucked" from slaughtered livestock. Perhaps influenced by figurative use of the verb in pluck up (one's courage, etc.), attested from c.1300.

Language evolves. It meant something more in the early 1800's than today. Just FYI.

9 posted on 09/14/2014 5:27:36 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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To: shove_it

The US National Anthem was never a song about drinking and sex.

The music that the Star-Spangled Banner was set to might have been taken from such, but that other song was never our national anthem.


10 posted on 09/14/2014 5:29:54 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: shove_it

A similar story ran in Politico. I think I see a pattern here. I wonder who will chime in next.


11 posted on 09/14/2014 5:29:55 PM PDT by mkmensinger
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To: Tennessee Nana

Pluckiness is a terrible word to use, but here he does say IN the Marine’s Hymn, so that is not wrong.


12 posted on 09/14/2014 5:30:07 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: shove_it
Smith: The Anachreotic Song"

This is the original version. You'll notice that the accidentals (sharps and flats) in the modern version do not exist, and neither do the dotted notes. It's still in 3/4 time, but it's not three straight beats to the bar. It's in minuet tempo: one-and-two-and-three-and... It's for tenor solo and TTBB male chorus.

It sounds like something that Handel might have written after one too many pots of ale.

13 posted on 09/14/2014 5:31:36 PM PDT by Publius ("Who is John Galt?" by Billthedrill and Publius now available at Amazon.)
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To: COBOL2Java

Search ‘bravery’or ‘heroic’, words we use today and see where ‘plucky’ ranks.


14 posted on 09/14/2014 5:31:58 PM PDT by shove_it (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen -- Dennis Prager)
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To: bayliving

I favor “America The Beautiful” - As for “God Bless America” I doubt it would survive any federal judge/court/school/you name it ....let alone any Atheist stand while it was sung. I like Ray Charles version of “America The Beautiful” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg


15 posted on 09/14/2014 5:33:50 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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To: shove_it

If we absolutely have to change the anthem to cut down on all the drinking and sex involved, I guess I could live with “God Bless The U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood.


16 posted on 09/14/2014 5:34:04 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Don't just stand there! Help fight political correctness!)
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To: bayliving

I have nothing against God Bless America, but it does not do homage to the men who fought and died for our nation. I think it’s very proper for our citizens to be reminded every time they sing this song, the price paid so they can live like they do.

God Bless America is a great song. The Liberals are desperate to change to that song. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Ted Turner has made it known it’s what he wants to do, and has for about ten to fifteen years.

Imagine that, the Left wanting God mentioned in our National Anthem, after they go into melt down at the pledge because it has God’s name in it.’

It seriously grates the Left to have military language in our anthem. They don’t think military action should ever be used. Of course that’s until their team gets in charge, and then it’s okay to start wars, execute them terribly, and lose as many men as they can.

No thanks. The Star Spangled Banner is excellent.


17 posted on 09/14/2014 5:34:50 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Obama and the Left are maggots feeding off the flesh of the United States.)
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To: shove_it

Lots of songs that are part of our historical culture had bawdy origins.

What I want to know, with the original song, what was happening when the singer was hitting those high notes. It sounds very personal.


18 posted on 09/14/2014 5:36:05 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: shove_it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l-n64NWHS4
Not a bad song
19 posted on 09/14/2014 5:36:46 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric Cartman voice* 'I love you, guys')
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To: shove_it
The pertinent section:

Most elementary school classes note that the music for "The Star-Spangled Banner" came from a British drinking song. But in his well-received book, historian Marc Ferris, author of “Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America's National Anthem” (Johns Hopkins University Press, August 2014) gives a more sophisticated reading.

“The words of ‘To Anacreon in Heaven,’ the song that Francis Scott Key borrowed for the melody of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' is a sly 1700’s paean to drinking and sex. Though understated, the line 'I’ll instruct you, like me to entwine; The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s vine' is unambiguous,” he wrote.

For the record, Venus is the goddess of love and Bacchus, the god of wine, and "entwine" is defined in any dictionary.

20 posted on 09/14/2014 5:37:58 PM PDT by lightman (O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, giving to Thy Church vict'ry o'er Her enemies.)
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