“Gentlemen,” said the rebels, “if we’d had your songs, we’d have licked you out of your boots!”Īlongside the anthem’s historical significance, Mr Clague explores its musicology. At the Court House in Appomattox, a quartet of Union soldiers serenaded former Confederate officers as the peace was signed. During the civil war the Confederates twisted the lyrics: “O say does that Rag-Strangled Banner still wave/O’er the land of the thief and the home of the slave?” Later the proper version helped reconcile the foes. More than 30 other songs set to the same tune were written about the War of 1812 alone. Translate the anthem into another language, sing it poorly or adapt it to a new musical tradition and someone will howl.Īll the same, “The Star-Spangled Banner” has also been remarkably pliable. Almost any deviation from custom can cause a stir. Kneeling or raising a fist, as African-American athletes have done to protest against racism, makes a political statement. Removing your hat for it signals respect. Unlike a flag, he writes, a song must be performed, so it is “not a static icon but a patriotic act”. Information about 'The Star-Spangled Banner' considering musical key, time signature, tuning and bpm.Mr Clague, a music professor at the University of Michigan, has produced a thoughtful and elegant history of America’s national anthem. O'er the ( C)land of the ( C7)free ( F)and the ( C)home of ( G)the ( C)brave? ( G7)O ( C)say ( Dm)does ( C)that ( F)star-spangled ( Dm)banner yet ( C)wave( G) Gave ( C)proof through the ( G)night that our flag ( Am)was ( D7)still ( G)there. O'er the ( C)ramparts we ( G)watched, were so ( C)gallantly streaming?Īnd the ( C)rocket's red glare, the bombs ( G)bursting in air, Whose broad ( C)stripes and ( G)bright ( Am)stars ( E)through the ( Am)peril( D7)ous ( G)fight, What so ( C)proudly we ( G)hailed at the ( C)twilight's last gleaming? The Star-Spangled Banner chords in the key of C( G7)O say ( C)can ( G)you ( Am)see, ( E)by the ( Am)dawn's ear( D7)ly ( G)light, The version is otherwise arranged in the more guitar-friendly key of G. The 8th bar with the first ending should be played the first time before the reprise, when skipped the second time.Ĭapo can be used on first fret, which emulates the original key Ab (A flat). Notice the two endings of the first section, indicated with numbers 1 and 2. 'The Star-Spangled Banner' tablature notation for guitar. Your browser does not support the audio element.

Listen to the star spangled banner song