h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The story behind the song that would become the National Anthem of the USA.

http://www.h2g2.com/A476291



~ US

I think it looks pretty good.

Do you know if we ever had any other offical anthems?

I recall seeing a movie about the Olympics. There was some confusion as to which piece of music was to be played when the American's won a medal, and they chose The Star Spangled Banner rather than what they were suppoed to play. Have you ever seen that or know anything about the truth of the incident?

Thanks!
No, I'd never heard that and after some checking, I couldn't find anything either.

Though I did find a neat nugget about both sides in the Civil War using the Star Spangled Banner. I also included a bit about Fort McHenry as it exists today with a link to the National Park Service site.

Anyone else with comments? Please??

This is a good entry. It's a bit dry and factual, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Thanks for the comments.

Anyone else?

I think it's all for the best that we don't sing all four verses... could you imagine trying to keep a kid still at a baseball game through the whole song? And imagine how our Olympic champions would behave on the podium... teary-eyed and emotional through verse one, clearing up through verse two, impatient through verse three, and scowling in annoyance through verse four. Meanwhile, the losers are looking up at the winner and his flag and thinking all kinds of unhappy thoughts about pompous Americans and their interminable anthem.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot... good article. Direct, to the point, and doesn't leave out anything of import that I noticed.

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