Mark Clague

During the Bicentennial I had a book of songs from the time of the American Revolution. It included Anacreon in Heaven. I knew from this book that our national anthem used the melody of this old British club song. And of course, I knew the story of Francis Scott Key watching the British attack on Baltimore and how he looked to see if the American flag was still flying over the fort come morning.

Perhaps you grew up singing the anthem before sporting events. Or listened to Jimmy Hendrix’s iconic performance at Woodstock. Detroiters of a certain age might recall the 1968 World Series when Jose Feliciano gave the anthem a new sound, accompanied only by guitar. To one generation, Kaepernick’s taking a knee during the anthem stirs emotions; to others, it inspires patriotism and recalls the sacrifice entailed in keeping a democracy alive.

“Anthems are not made,” Clague writes. “They become, through an unpredictable process of community construction.” In O Say Can You Hear?, he presents the story of The Star Spangled Banner through a multitude of lenses: history, musical heritage, interpretation, and its political and social use, illustrating how this song prevailed to become our national anthem.

As a historian, Clague brings drama to the opening history of Key and the War of 1812. As a musicologist, Clague brings an interesting depth of insight into the music and its performances. It’s a fascinating story.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through Edelweiss. My review is fair and unbiased.… (plus d'informations)