The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #9502   Message #4146008
Posted By: Joe_F
30-Jun-22 - 06:44 PM
Thread Name: Discussion: America the Beautiful
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: America the Beautiful
As has been pointed out by others in this thread, the range of "The Star-Spangled Banner" makes it impossible for a crowd to sing it -- unless, indeed, they sing it in harmony and have all learned the parts, which would be hard to achieve.

As to its being a war song, at least it is a *defensive* war song (like "Die Wacht am Rhein"!). Nothing wrong with standing between our loved homes and the war's desolation. We did well to avoid the bombastic, imperialistic "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean".

It would be hard to find a patriotic song that does not mention God. As has been noticed, the present anthem gets around to it, at some length, in the fourth stanza.