(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



The Bawdy British Origins of Our National Anthem [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-09

You may have heard that the tune for Francis Scott Key’s The Star Spangled Banner was actually from a British drinking song. Key’s lyrics were originally an 1814 poem entitled The Defense of Fort McHenry. Key’s brother-in-law, John Nicholson, later set the poem to the tune we now know as he realized the words fit an existing tune.

The tune, we start every athletic event with, was indeed a “drinking song,” of sorts. However, it was not sung by working class men in common British taverns.

The tune was originally The Anacreontic Song or To Anacreon In Heaven. It was written by British composer John Stafford Smith for a wealthy gentlemen’s club, The Anacreontic Society, which started their meetings with the song. Today we might call The Anacreontic Society a dinner and wine club. They would meet, have a lavish dinner, sing this song, and drink heavily.

The club was named after Anacreon, an ancient Greek poet known for his poems about drinking and, well . . . about sex. The lyrics of the song are a ribald appeal for Anacreon to be the club’s inspirer and patron. This request sets off a debate among the Gods, who after some consideration, eventually decide to allow it. In the spirit of the club’s muse the lyrics for the song are a bawdy celebration drinking congeniality.

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 wou’d 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. 2 The news through OLYMPUS immediately flew; When OLD THUNDER pretended to give himself Airs_ If these Mortals are suffer’d their Scheme to pursue, 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, “And there, with good Fellows, we’ll learn to intwine “The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine. 3 “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. 4 APOLLO rose up; and said, “Pr’ythee 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. 5 Next MOMUS got up, with his risible Phiz, And swore with APOLLO he’d cheerfull join_ “The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his, “But the Song, and the Catch, & the Laugh shall bemine “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 entwine “The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine. 6 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.

Yes folks, that’s the original version of America’s National Anthem. If you are wondering what it sounds like, you can definitely hear it.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/9/2302533/-The-Bawdy-British-Origins-of-Our-National-Anthem?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/