To Anacreon, on Samish Island

Yesterday we celebrated the Fourth of July on Samish Island with their annual parade. It was the first time the parade was held in its regular location in several years due to COVID, and there certainly was an air of celebration. We parked at the McDaniel’s cabin and had a short walk to perfect viewing spots right next to the Community Center.

I always love this parade. There is such a sense of community and anyone can participate. Folks decorate bicycles, boats, tractors, and just about anything else and take part. There is no political agenda, no military fetishism, just good fun.

The parade started with the playing of the Canadian National Anthem, as is common up here, followed by “The Star Spangled Banner.” It wouldn’t be the last time we heard our national anthem this day. Our neighbors invited us over for a fireworks blowout, and one of their young sons played a passable Jimi Hendrix version of “The Star Spangled Banner” on his electric guitar. I even banged out a version on my banjo a couple of times.

That got me to thinking about our national anthem and its origins. I’m firmly in the camp that thinks it’s a crappy national anthem. Sure, it’s rousing and I can get chills when it’s played in certain contexts. However, it’s nearly unsingable and the lyrics are archaic and far too militaristic. It also gives rise to flag worship. I would much prefer “America the Beautiful.”

As for the anthem itself, everyone knows the origin of the lyrics and the story of Francis Scott Key writing his poem after watching the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. If people know the lyrics at all, they only know the first verse. Here’s the entire poem, which was actually entitled “The Defense at Fort McHenry”…

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 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 discloses?
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!

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 refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight and 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 victory and peace, may the heav’n-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 in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

Francis Scott Key

“…Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave, From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave…” Really?? No wonder we sing just the first verse.

The poem was set to the melody of a British drinking song (ironically), but didn’t officially become the nation’s anthem until 1931. It’s kind of odd to think that during World War I we had no national anthem. But it’s that drinking song that has my interest. “To Anacreon in Heaven”, also known as “The Anacreontic Song” has an equally fascinating history. It became quite popular, and Francis Scott Key’s poem was hardly the first patriotic poem set to that tune.

Anacreon of Teos was a greek poet who lived in the 6th Century BCE. His poetry covered the usual topics of wine, women, and song. Here is a short poem translated by Guy Davenport:

I am perhaps in love
Again, perhaps not,
And crazy to boot.
No, not crazy.

Sounds like an interesting dude, perhaps even someone I’d meet at one of our flea market jam sessions. Apparently a group of 18th Century English gentlemen thought so, too. He was the inspiration for a club of amateur musicians who became known as the Anacreontic Society, founded by Jack Smith in 1766. First published in 1778, “The Anacreontic Song” became the society’s “constitutional song”, with lyrics composed by Ralph Tomlinson and music by John Stafford Smith.

Here are Smith’s lyrics, as found on Wikipedia…

To Anacreon in Heav’n, where he sat in full Glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,
That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;
When this answer arriv’d from the Jolly Old Grecian
“Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,”no longer be mute,”
I’ll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,”
And, besides I’ll instruct you, like me, to intwine”
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus‘s Vine.”

The news through Olympus immediately flew;
When Old Thunder pretended to give himself Airs.”
If these Mortals are suffer’d their Scheme to persue,”
The Devil a Goddess will stay above Stairs.”
Hark! already they cry,”In transports of Joy,”
Away to the Sons of Anacreon we’ll fly,^[28]“
And there, with good Fellows, we’ll learn to intwine”
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s Vine.

“The Yellow-Hair’d God and his nine fusty Maids,”
From Helicon‘s banks will incontinent flee
“Idalia will boast but of tenantless Shades,”
And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be
“My Thunder no fear on’t,”
Shall soon do it’s Errand,
“And dam’me! I’ll swinge the Ringleaders, I warrant.”
I’ll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine
“The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s Vine.”

Apollo rose up, and said, “Pry’thee ne’er quarrel,
“Good King of the Gods, with my Vot’ries below:”
Your Thunder is useless”—then shewing his Laurel,
Cry’d “Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!”
Then over each head “My Laurels I’ll spread;
“So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,”
Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they jovially twine
“The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s Vine.”

Next Momus got up with his risible Phiz,
And swore with Apollo he’d chearfully join—
“The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,
“But the Song, and the Catch, and the Laugh shall be mine.
“Then, Jove, be not jealous” Of these honest fellows.
“Cry’d Jove, “We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;
“And swear by Old Styx, that they long shall intwine
“The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s Vine.”

Ye Sons of Anacreon, then join Hand in Hand;
Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!’
Tis your’s to support what’s so happily plann’d;
You’ve the sanction of Gods, and the Fiat of Jove.
While thus we agree, Our Toast let it be.
May our Club flourish happy, united, and free!
And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s Vine.

Even then the song was considered too difficult for most singers. A soloist would sing the first part of the verse with the rest of the group coming in later. Here’s a typical recording from YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydAIdVKv84g

Despite it being difficult to sing, the melody became quite popular and other texts were set to the tune. The early 1800s was the golden age of patriotic poetry. There were lots of poems published with all sorts of obscure, names, references, imagery, and allusions. These poets also seemed compelled to write LOTS of verses. Many of these specified Anacreon as the melody, even before Key wrote his poem.

I found many more. There was an ode to the Erie Canal that specified Anacreon as the tune, as well as a setting for the wine industry. It’s hard to say whether Key’s poem and these others rose together, or if there was some imitation going on, trying to play off the popularity of The Star Spangled Banner. Certainly the latter was the case with this particular poem, a political song for William Henry Harrison.

Even Francis Scott Key himself wrote a poem to be song to Anacreon nine years prior to the Star Spangled Banner. “When the Warrior Returns” was published in 1805 in Boston. Here’s a rendering of that song with an introductory lecture.

These versions aside, there are plenty of parodies, some modern, and some quite old. There is an Abolitionists’ Anthem from 1844, as well as one lamenting the state of affairs as of 2004. The thing that sets these off as parodies is that they both begin with “O, Say, can you…”

Sadly, many people can’t even get Key’s lyrics right. Most just know it as a melody played before sporting events. As for me, even though I think other songs work much better as a national anthem, I still sing it aloud when played in public venues and do my best to hit all of those high notes.