Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Great British contributions to international culture

I hope that on this special day Britain’s efforts will not go unappreciated.
Had we not fearlessly bombarded Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbour – sorry, harbor – for 25 exhausting hours back in 1814, Francis Scott Key would not have had the time to complete his poem.
So let’s hear it now, to the tune of To Anacreon in Heaven:
‘O say can you see…’
Fabulous Fourth Ed.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you! I'll be making sawdust and noise in the garage.
It's odd , but the townships and municipalities in charge of the fireworks shoot them off at their convenience, not on 'the day'. The fireworks show for my town was last Saturday, July 2, and the towns north and south of me either didn't have any this year or didn't tell anyone about them . I don't understand how a cheesy town council of a backwater stagnant little town in Texas can decide when the Fourth of July is. AND put a huge toll on a once-free thoroughfare.
While I am an American, and show the proper respect to Key's words and the song, it always brings a smile to my face when I remember the original lyrics and locations of their singing. It's funny to think that the National Anthem was once a bar song;)

Tuscan Traveller said...

At least everyone knows it! We've heard 32 national anthems in the past couple of weeks - at least three times each - but I can only whistle three of them.

Anonymous said...

I THINK I know three- Rule Brittania, O Canada, and this one. I knew teh RUssian anthem when they were the CCCP, is it still teh same one? If so, that' makes four. Oh! And I think I know the French theme but I can't remember its name.

Anonymous said...

Happy 4th Ed - whenever YOU want to celebrate it!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Gillie!