Worth your time to listen to:

[RTFM]

http://www.viddler.com/explore/CrazyTed/videos/2/135.607/


The Star Spangled Banner as you have never heard it.

[Dakotaranger]

I don't have the words

[Teresa Heilevang]

I love that audio clip...and everytime I hear I get chill ( truth bumps)

[Solus]

Is there a way to get a copy of that clip?

I have been aware of what the anthem meant and the circumstances under which it was written but would love to have a copy as reminder.

[tombogan03884]

Very well told but wrong in several major points.
1) It wasn't the revolution, it was the War of 1812. What he repeatedly refers to as "colonies" were STATES of The United States of America.
2) It was not "Fort Henry", it's Fort McHenry.
3) There were not "hundreds of ships", as far as England was concerned the "Second American War" was simply one more campaign in the war against Napoleon which was occupying the majority of the British fleet around the world.
4) The British had no idea of ending the war at Baltimore, they were simply looking for a landing beach to land troops who would march on (and Burn) Washington D.C. in revenge for the Americans burning of York (Toronto) in Canada.
I quit listening after that.  ;(

[Sponsor]

[Rastus]

We do need to maintain our internal truth meters.   

Very well told but wrong in several major points.
1) It wasn't the revolution, it was the War of 1812. What he repeatedly refers to as "colonies" were STATES of The United States of America.
2) It was not "Fort Henry", it's Fort McHenry.
3) There were not "hundreds of ships", as far as England was concerned the "Second American War" was simply one more campaign in the war against Napoleon which was occupying the majority of the British fleet around the world.
4) The British had no idea of ending the war at Baltimore, they were simply looking for a landing beach to land troops who would march on (and Burn) Washington D.C. in revenge for the Americans burning of York (Toronto) in Canada.
I quit listening after that.  ;(

[alfsauve]

Very well told but wrong in several major points.

I didn't want to ruin the moment either, but I also noticed a number facts that seemed to be stretched.   Including the whole scene about the prisoners.  I thought the negotiator, Colonel Skinner, was there only to secure the release of one man, Dr. Beanes.  They had dinner with the ship's officers and Dr. Beans was released.  In addition, while they may have used a row boat to go from ship to ship most accounts I read say they had sailed from Baltimore in a sloop and that Key, Skinner and Beanes sat out the bombardment aboard their ship not the British flagship.

The words of our national anthem are powerful enough without embellishment of the story.  The words are especially applicable if one reads them while watching the pictures of the aftermath of 9/11.

[tombogan03884]

 Francis Scott Key's son, Philip Barton Key, served as District Attorney of Washington DC until 1859 when he was shot and killed for having an affair with the wife of future Union General Daniel E. Sickles. Sickles defense was the first ever use of the "Temporary insanity" defense in America. His defense team, made up of several leading politicians of the day , including future Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, was successful. He went on to gain fame as the General who got his Corps (including at least 1 NH regt.) smashed at the Peach orchard at Gettysburg, where he also lost a leg to a Confederate cannon ball.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Sickles

[fightingquaker13]

Very well told but wrong in several major points.
1) It wasn't the revolution, it was the War of 1812. What he repeatedly refers to as "colonies" were STATES of The United States of America.
2) It was not "Fort Henry", it's Fort McHenry.
3) There were not "hundreds of ships", as far as England was concerned the "Second American War" was simply one more campaign in the war against Napoleon which was occupying the majority of the British fleet around the world.
4) The British had no idea of ending the war at Baltimore, they were simply looking for a landing beach to land troops who would march on (and Burn) Washington D.C. in revenge for the Americans burning of York (Toronto) in Canada.
I quit listening after that.  ;(

Amen Brother, but when has truth ever mattered to the religious right ( The YOUTUBE poster is from Virginia Beach, home of Pat Robertson, and the demise of the first, and most noble McCain campaign, precisely because he went after these "agents of intolerance" John McCain version 1.0 RIP). The huckster Carmen, who ?sings? along to his amen chorus is ignorant of the history he seeks to venerate. Largely because it doesn't suit his political agenda. George Washington never said "American Christians would rather  die on their feet than live on their  knees." The quote is from Emiliano Zapata from the Mexican revolution (a socialist by the way). But hey, who cares, this just proves we're a Christian nation right? Maybe I'm just a bitter Libertarian, who wonders what happened to the GOP, but, I got my answer. Emotion above intellect. Lies over truth, and you're either with us or against us. History is whatever is convienant, the rest is disloyalty. Just say amen, and its all ok. Yeah sure, you betch'a.
fightingquaker13

[alfsauve]

TODAY IN HISTORY

1931 The Star Spangled Banner officially becomes the national anthem of the United States