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April 24, 2005
Useless Factoid of the Day #8: O say can you see, what a great irony?
When I came to the U.S., I was struck by how the culture seemed liberal and uptight all at once, particularly about alcohol and sexuality. You would hear of binge drinking in fraternities. Yet, the drinking age (21 in most states) is higher than in every other industrialized nation, and, moreover, is enforced religiously at bars and at colleges. Formerly taboo topics such as homosexuality have become fashionable in media and culture. Yet, in New York, late in the evening, you would hear on Fox 5 News, "It's 10pm. Do you know where your children are?" (Compare this to several European countries, where it isn't uncommon to find hardcore pornography being played on public access channels starting at 10pm)
Americans are very proud of their system of government (which, for its time, was a singular accomplishment) and by extension, their national symbols. Yet, a country founded apparently by freethinkers also featured conservative Puritan laws about alcohol and sex that hold sway in some states even today.
Consider my amusement then, when I saw this piece on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/07/04/national.anthem/, I was beside myself with mirth.
That's right... The Star Spangled Banner was set to the tune of an English drinking song!
Here's the first stanza original drinking song, for those who care:
To Anacreon in Heaven, where he fat in full glee,
A few fons of Harmony fent a petition,
That He their Infpirer and Patron would be;
When this anfwer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
"no longer be mute,
"I'll lend you my Name and infpire you to boot,
"And, befides, I'll infruct you like me to entwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.
See the rest at To Anacreon in Heaven
I think the U.S. national anthem would have been a lot more fun if it had been set to the tune of The Engineers' Drinking Song.
Posted by Vishy at April 24, 2005 01:05 AM