For the United States, the national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner” has lyrics written by Francis Scott Key and is set to a tune composed by John Stafford Smith.
Lyrics and author
Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and amateur poet, wrote the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry” in 1814 after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812; these words became the lyrics of the anthem. The poem was quickly published and circulated with a note that it should be sung to a well‑known melody popular in both Britain and the early United States.
Music and composer
The melody used for “The Star-Spangled Banner” comes from “The Anacreontic Song” (also known as “To Anacreon in Heaven”), written in the late 18th century by English composer John Stafford Smith for a London gentlemen’s music club. This existing tune was later paired with Key’s poem and, over time, the combined song was adopted as the U.S. national anthem, formally recognized by Congress in 1931.
