Hail, Columbia was written for George Washington's inauguration, and was used as the national anthem for most of the 19th Century—longer than The Star Spangled Banner has been the official national anthem. Hail, Columbia is now used as the entrance march for the Vice President, much as Hail to the Chief is used for the President.
Sheet music cover for Hail, Columbia, 1861
Columbia was an early poetic name for America, and popularly appeared in multitudes of political cartoons as the feminine personification of the country, though she has been rarely seen since the 1920’s. The root of the word, Columbia, is Latin for peace, or dove. The columbine flower got its name from the arrangement of its petals, which look like flying doves.
Ironically, these tunes that hail the peaceful Columbia, are war songs. And The Star Spangled Banner is the most offensive of the three. At least Hail, Columbia calls America a "happy land,” and glorifies peace, safety, and freedom.
My Country ‘Tis of Thee was widely regarded as the national anthem throughout the late 1800's. It was written to the tune of another British song, the national anthem of Great Britain, God Save the King. The lyrics for My Country ‘Tis of Thee were written by Samuel Frances Smith, in 1831, when he was a 22-year-old seminary student. And it is filled with love for country, inspiration from nature, liberty and freedom—and there are no ramparts or glaring red rockets to disturb the peace.
America the Beautiful has been a well-loved, albeit, unofficial, anthem for our country, and there’s nary an airborne bomb bursting in the entire song. ABCNEWS correspondent and author of America the Beautiful: The Stirring True Story Behind Our Nation’s Favorite Song, Lynn Sherr, says the song is, “simple, I think it’s emotional, and I think it talks about a country a land, and its people—not just about a flag, not just about a battle. It doesn’t talk about conquest, it talks about the possibilities of this nation.”
Katharine Lee Bates statue memorial; Falmouth, Mass.
That poem was written by Katherine Lee Bates, 33, as she traveled from Massachusetts to Colorado for a summer teaching job in 1895, and was set to music later. Her train chugged through the Kansas wheat fields on the Fourth of July, inspiring her words.
However, if I were to think outside the box—which is generally, the place in which I am most comfortable thinking, anyway—I would choose Philadelphia Freedom as my national anthem, that eye-zapping whippoorwill of freedom, notwithstanding. The song’s happy and upbeat celebration of freedom and all the things that make America good is inspiring and refreshing. It’s got flag wavin’, it’s got light shinin’, it’s got the good ol’ family home. And anyone can sing it. Hell, you can even dance to it.
Philadelphia Freedom, I love you, yes I do!
It’s a celebratory song illuminated by the shining light of freedom, and wouldn’t that be a welcome focus for this country? As a new national anthem, it would be music to my ears.
It’s unlikely that any Congress would replace our combative national anthem with a pop music tune sung by a flaming Brit. Still, it’s my first choice, and I’m stickin’ to it.
P.S. – And God bless America, and EVERYBODY ELSE! (No exceptions.)
Elton John. Wikipedia Commons. Image by Dantadd.
LYRICS:
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM by Bernie Taupin
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