Did You Know?

The United States of America have a lot of things in common with England but this one thing you may not realize.

The American patriotic song, “My Country Tis of Thee”, has the exact same melody as the national anthem of the United Kingdom, “God Save Our Gracious Queen”.

According to History.com, “Britain’s anthem is one of the world’s most famous—and often copied—national songs, yet its origins remain cloaked in mystery. The lyrics and melody first appeared in magazines and music anthologies around 1745, when they were often performed to show support for King George II during the final Jacobite uprising, but the song’s true author is unknown. Possible candidates include organist and musician John Bull, baroque composer Henry Purcell and the dramatist Henry Carey.

“God Save the Queen”—altered to “God Save the King” whenever a man sits on the throne—later became a popular motif among composers such as Beethoven, Handel and Brahms, and by the early 19th century it was viewed as the unofficial national anthem of the monarchy. The song also inspired numerous imitators. Lichtenstein’s national anthem lifted the melody note for note, as did the American patriotic song “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.”

So, there we have it.  We certainly have a lot in common with the UK and it is fun to celebrate that fact.  Tomorrow is the day celebrating the fact that the US gained their independence but, nonetheless, it is fun to celebrate the fact that we are still related, in small ways, to the UK.