The US national anthem is "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Like every country, the United States of America has its own National Anthem.

The name of the US anthem is "The Star-Spangled Banner", which literally means ("The Star Spangled Banner".

History of the US anthem

The national anthem of the United States appeared in 1931, until that time there was no officially recognized national anthem in the country.

Until 1931, the song "Hail, Columbia" was very often used as the national anthem. This song was written back in 1789 by Phillip File specifically for the occasion of the inauguration of the first President of the United States, George Washington.

Already later, in 1798, poems were written to the music by Joseph Hopkins.

Although the song "Long Live Colombia" did not become the official anthem of the United States, it is still a very popular patriotic song in the country.

The lyrics to the official national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" were written in 1814 by Francis Scott.

The history of writing the song "The Star-Spangled Banner" began on September 3, 1814, when Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skinner sailed from Baltimore to negotiate with the British. At this time, there was a military conflict between the two countries, known in history as the "Second War for the Independence of the United States." The main goal of these negotiations was to reach an agreement on the mutual exchange of prisoners.

At first, the British did not compromise, but Key and Skinner showed the British commanders letters from wounded British soldiers captured by the Americans, in which they spoke very favorably of the conditions of their detention and thanked for the medical care.

As a result, an agreement was reached. Despite the end of the negotiations, the American truce continued to stay aboard the British flagship Tonnant ("Thunderer"), as they heard about the British plans to attack Baltimore.

From the Thunderbolt, Francis Key watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, which was defending Baltimore. He saw a large American flag flying over the fort during the shelling and storm winds. Inspired by what he saw, Francis Key composes a poem called "The Defense of Fort McHenry" and writes it down on the back of a letter in his pocket.

After Francis Key returned home, his relative Judge Joseph Nicholson noticed that the poem written by Francis fits well with the music of Anacreon's Hymn. The new patriotic song quickly became popular in the US.

As for the music for the US National Anthem, it was written in 1766 by the English musicologist John Stafford Smith.

The melody was written as a humorous anthem of the Anacreon Society, a London gentlemen's club of amateur musicians, whose meetings were usually devoted to "wit, harmony and the god of wine."

Later, it became very common as a drinking song, namely as a "sobriety test".

The fact is that the melody of the "Hymn of Anacreon" is quite complex, and if a gentleman could sing at least one stanza without errors, it was believed that he could well continue drinking.

"Anacreon's Hymn" was very popular both in Britain and America. Very soon after the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" were written, patriotic Americans began to sing them to the tune of the "Anacreontic Song."

Since 1889, "The Star Spangled Banner" has been the official song of the US Navy, since 1916 - the anthem of the President of the United States. On March 3, 1931, the thirty-first President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, signed a resolution of the US Congress, which recognized the "Star Spangled Banner" as the official anthem of the United States.

Playing the US anthem

There are certain rules that must be followed when the US anthem is played.

So during the performance of the US National Anthem, those present must take off their hats and put their right hand on their hearts, the military must stand still.

The US anthem is played twice daily, at six and seventeen o'clock, at all US military installations. Very often, the US anthem is played before the start of sports competitions, gatherings and other social events.

US Anthem Lyrics

The original text of the US national anthem:

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in the air,

O say does that star spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep.

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half reveals?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

US national anthem

US national anthem lyrics

The Star Spangled Banner ("The Star Spangled Banner")- US national anthem.

The text of the US national anthem was taken from a poem by Francis Scott Key. The Defense of Fort McHenry, which was written in 1814.

Words: Francis Scott Key, 1814
Music: John Stafford Smith, 1780

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn "s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O "er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets" red glare, the bombs bursting in the air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O "er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe "s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o "er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now reveals?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning "s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
"Tis the Star-Spangled Banner! O long may it wave
O "er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the Star-Spangled Banner forever shall wave
O "er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Translation of the US anthem

Tell me, do you see him now .. in the rays of dawn,
How proudly did he once fly in the last glow of sunset?
Among the fiery streaks, blinding stars, in the deadly battle of darkness and light
Above the fortress among us, where did he show the valor of a soldier?

Amid the flames of rockets, bombs that tore the air to shreds,
He stood, he proved through the night to everyone: he - our flag - is there.
Tell what? Does the star-fire banner still fly above us,
Land of freedom, courage? Tell?

On the shores, so dimly visible through miles of misty depths,
Hostile arrogance rests, there the boss, frightened, quieted down in silence,
What comes to us with the breeze, on the plains, on the firmly rebellious peaks,
Impetuously, then not hiding the rage, then, hiding the pressure, it rustles about tenderness.

And he, catching the rays, glides behind the sun with dust
And, reflecting glory on us, it soars, it is alive with a stream.
Shine, our starlight, let your wings fly
Serve the land of freedom, courage.

Let it be so! Let always free people stand
Between their loving homes and the devastation of wars!
Glory, victory and peace, earth saved by heaven!
Glory to the power that created and preserved us as a nation.

So win, don't delay. In memory of duty
Fathers. Our motto: "In God is our faith" -
And a star banner! May your waves roll forever
Land of freedom, courage, live!

You could hear the US anthem at sports competitions, in American films about bulletproof superhero soldiers who destroyed America's enemies. But few people know what exactly it is sung about. Let's take a look at the history and lyrics of the US anthem and its origins.

In the United States, the expression "A national hymn", inherent in the Russian-speaking population, is practically not used - the State (national) anthem, most of all Native Americans call their anthem as The Star Spangled Banner(Banner strewn with stars) or A national anthem (national solemn song).

The words of the US national anthem are part of the poem "The Defense of Fort McHenry", which was composed in 1814 by the amateur poet Francis Scott Key, who was not considered a professional poet in his time. Francis was better known as a professional lawyer.

The US anthem was inspired by the Battle of McHenry's Fortress in Baltimore, which he witnessed. In 1812, during the War with England (1812-1815), English ships bombarded the American port, the battle did not subside all night and the American anthem became a reflection of the events during the war with England.

Prior to the recognition of this song as the anthem of the United States, the song "Hail, Columbia" ("Long Live Columbia"), which is also called the Presidential March, was used.

The anthem has four verses, but only the first of them has become widely known. Not even all Americans know the other three verses.

Let's take the first verse line by line.

US National Anthem lyrics in English

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in the air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say does that star spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep.
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half reveals?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the Star-Spangled Banner! O long may it wave

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refugee could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the Star-Spangled Banner, in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must when our cause it is just
And this be our motto: "In God is our Trust."
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Translation of the US anthem into Russian

Oh tell me can you see in the first rays of the sun
What, in the middle of the battle, did we read at the evening lightning?
In blue with a scattering of stars, our striped flag
Red-white fire from the barricades will again appear.
At night, a flash of rockets threw light at him -
This was our proud answer to vile enemies.
So tell me, will he live forever
Where is the land of the brave, where is the land of the free?

There, in the foggy silence, on a foreign shore,
Where our arrogant enemy rests from attacks,
What is above the fort, like us, is also visible to him -
Will it sway in the wind and disappear again?
Golden sunrise gives it shine
In full glory, a fresh breeze will unfold it.
This is our star flag! And he will always

And where is the gang of killers that boastfully swore
Like a flame of war, the spirit of the fallen is confusion,
They will make us a disunited crowd again -
They gave blood for their crimes.
There is no shelter for you, troops of hired slaves,
Decay awaits your grave, - everything will be on business.
Only our starry flag will never die
Where the home of the brave is, where the country is free.

Oh, so be it henceforth - where the rebellious stands
Between the devastation of war and his stepfather's house.
The earth glorifies God and gives praise
The power that made us and keeps us a people.
On the right side, who is not afraid of fate,
In battles, it will be our motto "Faithful to God."
The star flag over the country will fly for now
There are still brave men in whom freedom is alive.

Initially, this song, due to its connection with the subject, was used by the US Navy (since 1889). And only some time later, on March 3, 1931, it was declared by a resolution of the US Congress, the US National Anthem.

For more than a hundred years, Americans have believed that the music of their national anthem is folk music. But, at one fine moment, in 1980, the secret was revealed and it was established that this popular tune belongs to the British composer John Stafford Smith (1750-1836).

In the United States of America until 1931 there was no official national anthem. His role was played behind the scenes by a song called "Long live Colombia" (translated into English - " Hail, Columbia"). The music for this song, better known as "The President's March", was written for the inauguration of George Washington - the very first President of the United States - in 1789 by composer Philip File. And only nine years later, Joseph Hopkinson composed poems known to every American. To this day, "Long Live Colombia" is a popular patriotic song in the United States.

The US national anthem, whose name in Russian means "The Star-Spangled Banner", was composed by Francis S. Key. Then he was thirty-five years old, he had a law degree, and writing songs was his hobby.

In September 1814, Key and the publisher John Skinner set sail for negotiations with England to negotiate an exchange of prisoners of war. Even then, the American government was looking for non-trivial solutions by choosing proxies, demonstrating all the embellishments of democracy and equality. At that time, there was a military conflict between the United States and Great Britain.

At first, the negotiations did not bring the desired result. But the American truce resorted to a psychological trick, showing his opponents letters where the wounded soldiers positively described their stay in captivity, emphasizing the good conditions of detention, and expressed gratitude for the medical assistance provided. An agreement has been reached. After that, the diplomats decided to stay on board the British flagship, and not return to Baltimore, which, according to intelligence, the British were to attack.

Francis Key oversaw the bombardment of the Mark Henry, a fort that protected Baltimore Bay. The attack was impressive and large-scale. The parliamentarian saw the US star flag fluttering in the wind during the shelling. This made a lasting impression, and on a wave of emotions, Key composed a poem dedicated to the defense of the fort. In English, the work is called "In Defense of Fort McHenry".

The music, under which the US anthem is played, was released in 1776, thanks to the efforts of the English singer, organist and musicologist John S. Smith. Then in London there was a gentleman's club, where there were amateur musicians. The community was called the Anacreon Society, to which the future usa anthem was originally dedicated. At first, the song was humorous. It was used as a sobriety test. If during the feast a gentleman could sing at least one stanza, then he can still continue the libation on an equal basis with everyone else.

On the territory of England and the United States, the "Hymn of Anacreon" had quite impressive popularity. After Key's words were combined with Smith's music, it was the resulting composition that captured the hearts of the American people.

In 1931, Herbert Hoover, the then president of America, issues a resolution, thanks to which the United States has an official national anthem.

You can also listen to the national anthem online:

US Anthem Lyrics

Translation of the US anthem

Execution

United States law stipulates that during the performance of the anthem, all listeners must stand up, remove their hats, if any, and place their hand on the heart area. Soldiers are required to stand at attention.

On American military installations, the national anthem is played daily at six in the morning, seventeen in the afternoon. This emphasizes patriotism and is intended to remind that service to the country is above all. US national anthem, it is customary to perform during sports competitions, social events and at significant events in educational institutions.

Popularization of the US anthem

Polls are often conducted in the States to find out the opinion of the people on a particular issue. One of them showed that 60% of the country's population do not remember the words of the anthem. This is the worst result ever. Therefore, the National Association for Music Education decided to release a program whose goal is to popularize the US anthem. The campaign was supported by the Arts Foundation, institutes, the National Museum, the Ministry of Defense and other important organizations. Still, the project was supported by many congressmen and governors. Sponsored events to promote the American anthem investors from large corporations. Now, the US national anthem is one of the most popular. His translation was carried out into many world dialects.

One of the most important events of the project is held on September 14th. It was on this day that Francis Key composed his famous poem. This date marks the holiday dedicated to the American anthem.