《 The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗 》
1776年七月四日, 美國脫離 Kingdom of Great Britain 大不列顛王國, 宣佈獨立為 "The United States of America 亞美利堅合眾國", 當年仍没有正式的國歌出現, 官方場合所用的樂曲是1789年由 Philip Phile 作曲的「Hail, Columbia」, 在當年已被看待為國歌。
Hail, Columbia
這樂曲於 George Washington 佐治華盛頓1789年就任總統時曾演奏過, 亦稱為「The President's March」, 至1798年, 由 Joseph Hopkinson 撰上歌詞。今天仍會出現於官方場合, 衹是對 Vice President 副總統作致敬的歌曲。
Hail, Columbia
My Country, 'Tis of Thee
是1831年七月四日出現的愛國歌曲之一, 亦曾被視為國歌, 樂譜是取至英國的「God Save The Queen」。
My Country, 'Tis of Thee
The Stars and Stripes Forever 星條旗頌
由作曲家 John Philip Sousa 創作的軍隊樂曲, 亦是一首美國著名進行曲。1972年, 美國第三十七任總統尼克遜 Richard Nixon 訪問中國大陸, 當年中共解放軍樂團所演奏, 亦是同一樂曲作歡迎, 及後, 很多大陸民眾和媒界均誤以為這是美國國歌, 同時, 中共官方媒體的「新華社」亦稱這首「星條旗頌」為美國國歌, 這錯誤在國際媒界流傳甚久而成為笑柄。
The Stars and Stripes Forever 星條旗頌
1972年被中共大陸混淆的樂曲「The Stars and Stripes Forever 星條旗頌」, 至1987年, 根據美國國家法令 (The United States Code) 第188條, 正式制訂為美國軍隊的進行曲 National March。
"When The Warrior Returns"
"WHEN THE WARRIOR RETURNS" - First Stanza
When the warrior returns, from the battle afar,
To the home and the country he nobly defended,
O! warm be the welcome to gladden his ear,
And loud be the joy that his perils are ended:
In the full tide of song let his fame roll along,
To the feast-flowing board let us gratefully throng,
Where, mixed with the olive, the laurel shall wave,
And form a bright wreath for the brows of the brave.
1812年, 美、英两國因法國的海港付費, 和加拿大的邊界問題, 兩國軍隊在 Maryland 馬利蘭州 "Fort McHenry 麥亨利堡" 展開戰役; 1814年九月十三日的凌晨, Francis Scott Key 從窗外看到遠處該城堡, 有一面美國國旗在炮火硝煙中, 仍然迎風飄着, 腦海中湧現了美軍奮勇頑抗而深被感動, 當刻回想到以前曾經寫過一首詩「When The Warrior Returns」, 不經意在信紙的背面寫下另一首詩「Defence of Fort McHenry」。
第二天, 他把寫有詩作的信送給法官 Nicholson, 及後得到法官的讚賞並建議譜上樂曲, 於是取用了一首當時非常流行的歌曲「To Anacreon in Heaven」配上該詩篇, 並取歌名「The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗 」, 這首歌很快就傳遍全國, 並深受美國人民喜愛。
To the home and the country he nobly defended,
O! warm be the welcome to gladden his ear,
And loud be the joy that his perils are ended:
In the full tide of song let his fame roll along,
To the feast-flowing board let us gratefully throng,
Where, mixed with the olive, the laurel shall wave,
And form a bright wreath for the brows of the brave.
1812年, 美、英两國因法國的海港付費, 和加拿大的邊界問題, 兩國軍隊在 Maryland 馬利蘭州 "Fort McHenry 麥亨利堡" 展開戰役; 1814年九月十三日的凌晨, Francis Scott Key 從窗外看到遠處該城堡, 有一面美國國旗在炮火硝煙中, 仍然迎風飄着, 腦海中湧現了美軍奮勇頑抗而深被感動, 當刻回想到以前曾經寫過一首詩「When The Warrior Returns」, 不經意在信紙的背面寫下另一首詩「Defence of Fort McHenry」。
第二天, 他把寫有詩作的信送給法官 Nicholson, 及後得到法官的讚賞並建議譜上樂曲, 於是取用了一首當時非常流行的歌曲「To Anacreon in Heaven」配上該詩篇, 並取歌名「The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗 」, 這首歌很快就傳遍全國, 並深受美國人民喜愛。
To Anacreon In Heaven
STANZA 6:1
STANZA 6:1
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 wou'd 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,
And besides I'll instruct you like me, to intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."
A few Sons of Harmony sent a petition;
That he their Inspirer and Patron wou'd 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,
And besides I'll instruct you like me, to intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."
STANZA 6:6
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!
And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."
The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗
1889年, 第一次被官方確認為海軍專用的樂曲, 至1916年由第二十八任總統 Woodrow Wilson 確認為愛國歌曲。1931年, 國會通過决議案 (The United States Code) 第170條, 由第三十一任總統 Herbert Hoover 簽署, 才正式成為 The United States of America 美利堅合眾國國歌 National Anthem; 歌詞是出自律師、詩人 Francis Scott Key 的詩篇, 樂曲則取自一首十八世紀英國的歌曲, 是作曲家 John Stafford Smith 的作品, 亦是當地一個男仕飲酒暢談的社交團體 "Anacreontic Society" 的會歌「To Anacreon in Heaven」。(Anacreon 是六世紀希臘一位歌頌酒酢與愛情的詩人)
"The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗" 原作品有四段歌詞, 但實際上祇唱第一段, 其餘的歌詞, 尤其是第三段帶有反英情緒的詞句就不再被演譯。這首國歌, 雖然祇唱第一段, 在芸芸國家的國歌中, 被公認為最難唱得好的國歌之一, 甚至專業歌者亦難以演譯得完美, 除了歌詞之外、其音調轉變與音階之廣, 音域由低至高, 每每是歌者的考驗, 已故歌星 Whitney Houston 是被樂壇認為唱得絕佳的一位 !
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!
And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."
The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗
1889年, 第一次被官方確認為海軍專用的樂曲, 至1916年由第二十八任總統 Woodrow Wilson 確認為愛國歌曲。1931年, 國會通過决議案 (The United States Code) 第170條, 由第三十一任總統 Herbert Hoover 簽署, 才正式成為 The United States of America 美利堅合眾國國歌 National Anthem; 歌詞是出自律師、詩人 Francis Scott Key 的詩篇, 樂曲則取自一首十八世紀英國的歌曲, 是作曲家 John Stafford Smith 的作品, 亦是當地一個男仕飲酒暢談的社交團體 "Anacreontic Society" 的會歌「To Anacreon in Heaven」。(Anacreon 是六世紀希臘一位歌頌酒酢與愛情的詩人)
"The Star Spangled Banner 星條旗" 原作品有四段歌詞, 但實際上祇唱第一段, 其餘的歌詞, 尤其是第三段帶有反英情緒的詞句就不再被演譯。這首國歌, 雖然祇唱第一段, 在芸芸國家的國歌中, 被公認為最難唱得好的國歌之一, 甚至專業歌者亦難以演譯得完美, 除了歌詞之外、其音調轉變與音階之廣, 音域由低至高, 每每是歌者的考驗, 已故歌星 Whitney Houston 是被樂壇認為唱得絕佳的一位 !
《星條旗 THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER》
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!