Ryleigh Roberts
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Mark Clague
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Musicology and American Culture / Music
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Authors: Rye Roberts, Mark Clague
Abstract
The United States’ national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is possibly the most influential piece of American music created to date. Born out of immense pride and relief from one Francis Key Scott after witnessing the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, this song is not just a narrative of America’s ability to persevere in uncertain times, but it is a political statement and tool. Throughout the melody’s vast history, it has animated a range of lyrical commentaries, serving as a vehicle for political argument and celebration. Just as Key’s song was an alternate lyric written to the tune of “To Anacreon in Heaven,” America’s national anthem has in turn inspired hundreds of subsequent parodies sharing this trend of immense emotional and political messaging. Very little past research addresses the ways in which American society has expressed themselves through lyrical revisions of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” This ongoing project aims to change that by finding and cataloging some six hundred alternate anthem lyrics that were published for mass distribution, typically in U.S. newspapers. We aim to distribute these findings online through a searchable database that will address students in high school and collegiate American history classes. We hope to spark a national conversation about broad democratic participation and political expression by everyday people in song.
