The Anacreontic Song

"The Anacreontic Song"
Song

"The Anacreontic Song", also known by its incipit "To Anacreon In Heaven", was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an 18th-century gentlemen's club of amateur musicians in London. Attributed to the composer John Stafford Smith, the tune was later used by several writers as a setting for their patriotic lyrics. These included two songs by Francis Scott Key, most famously his poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry". The latter combination became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner" and was adopted as the national anthem of the United States of America, in 1931.

Composition

The music is believed to have been composed by a member of the Society, John Stafford Smith from Gloucester, to lyrics written by the Society's president, Ralph Tomlinson. Smith is believed to have composed the music in the middle 1760s, while still a teenager. It was first published by The Vocal Magazine (London) in 1778.

These barristers, doctors, and other professional men named their club after the Greek court poet Anacreon (6th century BC), whose poems, called "anacreontics", were used to entertain patrons in Teos and Athens. His songs often celebrated women, wine, and entertainment ("wine, woman, and song").

The song, through its bawdy lyrics, gained popularity in London and elsewhere beyond the Anacreontic Society. New lyrics were also fashioned for it, including several patriotic titles in the United States. The most popular of these at the time was Robert Treat Paine Jr.'s Adams and Liberty (1798).

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

Francis Scott Key wrote "Defence of Fort McHenry" during the War of 1812, while detained on a British ship during the night of September 13, 1814, as the British forces bombarded the American fort. Key specifically wrote the lyrics with this familiar patriotic tune in mind, just as he had done with an earlier set of his lyrics, "When the Warrior Returns", in which he had made similar use of "star-spangled banner" imagery. Later retitled "The Star-Spangled Banner", Key's lyrics, set to Stafford Smith's music, became a well-known and recognized patriotic song throughout the United States, and was officially designated as the U.S. national anthem on March 3, 1931. The setting of new lyrics to an existing tune is called a contrafactum.

Lyrics

1

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee,

A few Sons of Harmony sent a petition

That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;

When this answer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian:

"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute, no longer be mute,

I'll lend you my name and inspire you to boot,

Refrain

And besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

2

The news through Olympus immediately flew;

When Old Thunder pretended to give himself airs.

"If these Mortals are suffered their scheme to pursue,

The devil a Goddess will stay above stairs.

Hark, already they cry, in transports of joy,

Away to the Sons of Anacreon we'll fly,

Refrain

And there with good fellows, we'll learn to intwine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' Vine."

3

"The Yellow-Haired God and his nine fusty Maids

From Helicon's banks will incontinent flee,

Idalia will boast but of tenantless shades,

And the bi-forked hill a mere desert will be.

My Thunder no fear on't, shall soon do its errand,

And dam'me I'll swing the Ringleaders I warrant.

Refrain

I'll trim the young dogs, for thus daring to twine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

4

Apollo rose up, and said, "Pry'thee ne'er quarrel,

Good King of the Gods, with My Vot'ries below:

Your Thunder is useless" — then showing his laurel,

Cry'd "Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!

Then over each head, my laurels I'll spread,

So my sons from your Crackers no mischief shall dread,

Refrain

Whilst, snug in their clubroom, they jovially twine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

5

Next Momus got up with his risible Phiz

And swore with Apollo he'd cheerfully join —

"The full tide of Harmony still shall be his,

But the Song, and the Catch, and the Laugh shall be mine.

Then, Jove, be not jealous of these honest fellows."

Cry'd Jove, "We relent, since the truth you now tell us;

Refrain

And swear by Old Styx, that they long shall intwine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

6

Ye Sons of Anacreon, then join hand in hand;

Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!

'Tis yours to support what's so happily plann'd;

You've the sanction of Gods, and the Fiat of Jove.

While thus we agree, our toast let it be:

"May our Club flourish happy, united, and free!

Refrain

And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine

The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

External links

Lyrics

• Driver, Kim, The Anacreontic song, Mulus Publishers Ltd, retrieved 2014-05-28
• Tomlinson, Ralph, To Anacreon in Heaven, Poem of the Week, #234, retrieved 2008-06-01
• Lossing, Benson J., ed. (1873), The American Historical Record, vol. II, Philadelphia: Samuel P. Town, Publisher, p. 129

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

• UVa Library: Exhibits: Lift Every Voice: Patriotic Odes

Media

• Link to .mp3 as sung by John Townley on The Top Hits Of 1776.
• Link to video as performed by the Georgia Tech Glee Club.

History

• Sonneck, Oscar (1914), The Star Spangled Banner, Library of Congress, retrieved 2013-03-26