Blog Assignment #1: “The Star-Spangled Banner”

The Star-Spangled Banner is more than an iconic piece of American history. It is a musical piece that combines a unique melody, lyrics, and harmony to result in a song both patriotic and inspiring. The core of the song is the melody. While not complex, it does make several leaps throughout the piece, especially when the song reaches its emotional climax. When combined with the harmony, the song takes on a heroic, victorious tone -it makes a listener think about a winning side of a battle. When the lyrics are introduced, that initial feeling is confirmed; the lyrics tell of the joy at seeing the flag still flying after a night of bombardment. Since I grew up with The Star-Spangled Banner as my national anthem, it first makes me think about what it took to found this nation. I feel pride when I listen to this song, and at the end, hope for the future. The lyrics of the song serve as a reminder for how this country came into being; once they end, there is nowhere to go now but forward as a people.