Talk:The Star-Spangled Banner

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Wow. No discussion... Trying to find the version of the Star Spangled Banner, and I do not belive that the one listed here is the correct version. I am altering it based off of several different links. FemVoice 00:59, 8 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I don't have any problem with you making some alterations, but you might want list some of different links you are using here for reference.--BirgitteSB 01:07, 8 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:KeysSSB.jpg shows that Line 'As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?' actually read 'As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?' Change text to match orginal document and from research on Google's Book search also shows that it should be 'half' and not 'now' in several books (See [1], [2], [3]) FemVoice 03:33, 8 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand[edit]

Looking at changing 'Oh!' to 'O'. FemVoice 00:26, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

  • These show O instead of Oh! As the first word of the last stanza
    • Bristow, M.J. “National Anthems of the World”. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 1997, ISBN 0-304-34925-9 p. 553
    • Shaw, Martin "National Anthems of the World". Arco Publishing Company, Inc. New York, 1976, ISBN 0-668-03849-7 p.431
    • Berlin, Irving "God Bless America & Other Songs for a Better Nation". Hal Leonard Corporation, ISBN 0-634-04004-9 p.86
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.205, p.207
    • Numerous, "The Encyclopedia Americana International Edition", Danbury, Conn. : Grolier , c1992, ISBN 0-7172-0123-6 p.610
    • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:KeysSSB.jpg
The edition I'm referencing, from Google Books (this source) has "O!" instead of "Oh!"—Zhaladshar (Talk) 00:45, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]


  • These show Oh! instead of O As the first word of the last stanza
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.208
    • Mc Genevan, William A. "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2005." World Almanac. ISBN 0-88687-939-6 (hardcover). ISBN 0-88687-938-8 (paperback). p.576

Discussion[edit]

* From the The Encyclopedia Americana International Edition, it says Key made a fair copy of his poem and the next day he called at the home of Judge and Mrs. J.H. Nicholson, relatives of his wife, and showed them this copy. A fairly well established account is that Mrs. Nicholson at once took the poem to a printer and had handbills made, under the title "The Defense of Fort McHenry", and later in September the poem was printed in Baltimore newspapers. Mrs. Nicholson kept Key's fair copy of the poem until her death in 1847, and it subsequently came to be help by the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore. This version has 'O' instead of 'Oh!'. FemVoice 01:43, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]
* From that time, it was common to use 'O' as in the dictionary.com "Used to express surprise or strong emotion: “'O' how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches” (Henry David Thoreau). FemVoice 01:43, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]
* The first line of the orginal lyrics posted to The Star-Spangled Banner shows 'O' instead of 'Oh'. FemVoice 01:43, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]


And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,[edit]

Looking at changing 'bombs' to 'bomb'. FemVoice 01:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]


  • These show 'bombs' instead of 'bomb' in the 5th line of the first stanza
    • Bristow, M.J. “National Anthems of the World”. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 1997, ISBN 0-304-34925-9 p. 553
    • Shaw, Martin "National Anthems of the World". Arco Publishing Company, Inc. New York, 1976, ISBN 0-668-03849-7 p.431
    • Berlin, Irving "God Bless America & Other Songs for a Better Nation". Hal Leonard Corporation, ISBN 0-634-04004-9 p.86
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.205, p.207
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.208
    • Mc Genevan, William A. "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2005." World Almanac. ISBN 0-88687-939-6 (hardcover). ISBN 0-88687-938-8 (paperback). p.576

Discussion[edit]

After looking at this one, it may indeed be that the original text said 'bomb, but every other source from that time on shows 'bombs' and I do not feel comfortable changing it against the common usage from that time forward to the present. I am therefore leaving this alone. FemVoice 02:10, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation![edit]

Looking at changing 'homes' to 'home'. FemVoice 03:19, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]


  • These show 'homes' instead of 'home' in the 2nd line of the fourth stanza
    • Berlin, Irving "God Bless America & Other Songs for a Better Nation". Hal Leonard Corporation, ISBN 0-634-04004-9 p.86
    • Shaw, Martin "National Anthems of the World". Arco Publishing Company, Inc. New York, 1976, ISBN 0-668-03849-7 p.431
    • Bristow, M.J. “National Anthems of the World”. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 1997, ISBN 0-304-34925-9 p. 553
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.208

Discussion[edit]

Home vs Homes. Homes is the only occurrence in the whole document. Home is used 5 out of 6 times. The original writing has home. Looking at many versions it seems to be a toss up of which to use, home or homes. FemVoice 04:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Where the choice of bomb and bombs was clear, this one seems to lean in favor for home and homes seems to be something that was added. Changing 'homes' to 'home'.FemVoice 05:00, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:[edit]

Looking at changing 'on' to 'in'. FemVoice 05:37, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

  • These show 'in' instead of 'on' in the 6th line of the second stanza


  • These show 'on' instead of 'in' in the 6th line of the second stanza
    • Shaw, Martin "National Anthems of the World". Arco Publishing Company, Inc. New York, 1976, ISBN 0-668-03849-7 p.431
    • Bristow, M.J. “National Anthems of the World”. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 1997, ISBN 0-304-34925-9 p. 553
    • Lawrence, Vera Brodsky "Music for Patriots, Politicians, and Presidents: Harmonies and Discords of the First Hundred Years", Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc. 1975, ISBN 0-02-569390-5 p.208
    • Numerous, "The World Book Encyclopedia 2006." World Book. 2006, ISBN 0-7166-0106-0 p.853

Discussion[edit]

This seems to be either and neither make any sense. Not changing.

audio on wikisource[edit]

Do we need Image:Lauren.Star.Spangeled.Banner.ogg on Wikisource; can/should it be moved to commons? John Vandenberg 01:40, 8 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

There was multiple versions, so I linked the eponymous category. Cygnis insignis (talk) 14:25, 23 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

source of this version[edit]

There is some excellent discussion above regarding sources and their variants of the text, a versions page would be ideal. I just trancluded part of the current source to Defence of Fort McHenry and think transcluding it here is misleading; being the original source is not a trump, I'd be surprised if there was not an 'official' version. Cygnis insignis (talk) 15:45, 23 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:The_Star-Spangled_Banner&oldid=6590223"