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The Flag, the Poet & the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner

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What starts out as a witty account of the origins of "The Star Spangled Banner" and the text to it, continues into repetitions and ends with endless reprints of Supreme Court decisions and congressional hearings. Points go to the author for reminding us of the half-forgotten war of 1812 and for giving us a good overview. Pity he could not stop in time.

Every American knows the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner," because every American watches sporting events. Some of us know the words, although we can't sing it unless we are singers of special talent, because of the reach of range of the notes (the "red glare" of the rockets makes most people's voices break). And every American who knows some history knows that Frances Scott Key, watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry from the shore of Baltimore Harbor, saw the Star-Spangled Banner flying over the fort, and wrote the poem bearing that name on the back of an envelope, and since then it has been our national anthem, sung before baseball games starting from the last century. All this history is pleasant, but it is not at all true.

Setting the record straight about our most famous flag and its anthem is the purpose of _The Flag, the Poet, & the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner_ (Dutton) by Irvin Molotsky, a fun look at an important part of American history. It is important history because of the emphasis we place on our sacred flag, and it is important to see how we often get that history wrong. It shows how in the War of 1812, the British looked invincible advancing onto Baltimore after burning Washington (which they did in retaliation for the Americans unjustifiably burning Toronto). Frances Scott Key, a lawyer, was commissioned by President Madison to negotiate freedom for a captured American, and thus was on a British ship when the bombardment of Fort McHenry took place. He did not see the huge Star-Spangled Banner under bombardment; a smaller, less valuable one was flying in the rain, but the big one was raised the next morning. He wrote his poem, "The Defence of Fort McHenry," not the title by which we know it, and someone discovered it could be sung to "Anacreon in Heaven," a jolly English drinking song. It was popular, but it was not adopted as the National Anthem until 1931, and the choice was controversial. Critics said that the music ought to be of a more modest range so everyone could sing it, and that it should not be derived from a British tune, much less a drinking song since America was under prohibition. Most objections were about the martial lyrics, which would give "to millions of children who sing it the notion that the only real patriotism is warlike activity." This and its unsingablility are objections that continue to be brought up, when "America the Beautiful" or "God Bless America" are proposed as replacements, but the anthem is secure.

Molotsky's book is largely a happy miscellany of flag and anthem lore. It spends a chapter on the proposed constitutional amendment to prevent flag burning (General Colin Powell: "I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. The flag will still be flying proudly long after they have slunk away."). The original flag is now undergoing an $18 million restoration and preservation, in a laboratory that visitors to the Smithsonian can peer into. There are plenty of enjoyable details here, but the flag and anthem form an important facet of American history and public thought, and Molotsky has done a fine job of making the historic ideas accessible in a patriotic little volume.

Just to preface the review: I was sitting in a restaurant reading this book when the waitress asked me what I was reading. I explained the book, and she said who was on the cover. I said it was a picture of Francis Scott Key. She said, "Oh, the man they named the Florida Keys after."

For those Americans who don't know their history, particularly the often untold truths of the War of 1812 and the contentiousness over our national anthem, this book is a perfect place to start. It's short, informational and at times very humorous. Molotsky brings the reader history and current debate on topics such as flag burning and how to preserve that wonderful flag that flew over Fort McHenry.

I learned some new things in this book, and if the response from the waitress is any indication, this country is in need of a few more history lessons. This a short read but the value cannot be underscored.

As an author of a novel in its initial release that addresses, among other themes, the essence of what makes an American an American, I genuinely enjoyed Irvin Molotsky's THE FLAG, THE POET, & THE SONG. Mr. Molotsky, a semi-retired newspaperman, spins a wonderful tale about the history of our national anthem. This book is light. It is a popular history. It is amusing, yet it is most enlightening. Mr. Molotsky presents a history of the War of 1812, which led directly to Francis Scott Key's composing of the poem that became the song. He discusses the American invasion of Canada (yes, we did invade Canada) and the burning of Toronto (then York) that led to the British infamous torching of Washington (I bet that was in your history books). He also paints a portrait of Francis Scott Key (a distant relative of F. Scott Fitzgerald whose masterpiece THE GREAT GATSBY was briefly called UNDER THE RED, WHITE, & BLUE--which I used for the title of this review) who reluctantly joined the militia during the war. Mr. Molotsky additionally explains the compostion of the poem, its linkage to a British drinking song, and its evolution into the national anthem with the final two words "Play Ball!" THE FLAG, THE POET, & THE SONG is a informative book. It is well-written. I recommend it highly.

This book began as a newspaper article on the conservation of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key during September 13-14, 1814. Chapter 1 tells how it is song before every baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer game in the United States. The television networks use that time for commercials. The wide range of the anthem is difficult for the average person. Robert Merrill advocates playing it more briskly, as a march (p.11). The huge flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814 was made by Mary Young Pickersgill. Major Armistead wanted a flag so large the enemy could see it from a distance. The flag over Fort McHenry had 15 stars and 15 stripes, the standard from 1794 to 1818 (p.77). It was 30 feet high and 42 feet long, and weighed 80 pounds.

Chapter 3 explains "The Second War of Independence". One item was the impressment of British subjects. These seamen worked for higher wages aboard American ships. Many were called deserters but they had been abducted by impressment gangs. The Embargo was tried and failed. The British practice of seizing crewmen from ships provoked a declaration of war in June 1812. There were other causes (pp.39-42). The canceling of the British Orders in Council came after the war was declared. America became an ally of Napoleon. The British rejected the American right of citizenship to British subjects (Chapter 4). General William Hull, the governor of Michigan Territory, surrendered Detroit (pp.47-48). The attack on Canada ended in a retreat. The attack on York (Toronto) and its burning led to the burning of Washington in retaliation (p.50). After the defeat of Napoleon the British now concentrated on the United States, raiding Maryland and Virginia, Washington DC was lightly guarded as it was not much of a military target (p.54). The enemy of the British was the August heat (dehydration).

Baltimore in 1814 was the third largest city, a center of shipping, commerce, industry, and shipbuilding. The British approached by sea. Dr. William Beanes was arrested by the British (p.71). Richard West, a patient, got lawyer Francis Scott Key to free Beanes; he was accompanied by Colonel John S. Skinner, an exchanged prisoner of war. This flag did not fly over Fort McHenry during the British bombardment because of the rain; a smaller storm flag was used (p.90). At dawn the much larger flag was run up the flagpole. Key's poem was printed by his brother-in-law Judge Joseph H. Nicholson, the second-in-command at Fort McHenry; it quickly caught popular favor (p.93). Ferdinand Durang, a musician, adapted the words to the old tune "Anacreon in Heaven". It quickly gained a national reputation throughout the country. The next week Key changed its name to "The Star-Spangled Banner". Francis Scott Key was an important person in his day, but his only moment of fame was his poem (p.97).

The remaining chapters cover other topics. Chapter 7 tells about the Treaty of Ghent which ended the war. It was a victory for America because it united the nation (p.131). Britain never again interfered with American shipping. The pause of commerce with Europe made industry flourish in America. The flag did not enjoy its status until the Civil War (p.134). Chapter 8 has the history of the flag and the song. During the Civil War Fort McHenry was a prison; one prisoner was the grandson of Francis Scott Key (p.147). Chapter 9 gives the history of the National Anthem. It was adopted by the Army and Navy in the 1890s. The song was used in Puccini's 'Madame Butterfly' in 1904. It became official in March 3, 1931 (p.151). It supplanted the older song "Yankee Doodle" (more easily sung by the people).

The information presented in Mr. Molotsky's book would boil down to a good Smithsonian or National Geographic article, but feels padded out at 240 pages. In fact, the book had its origins as a NY Times article on the restoration of the flag that flew at Ft McHenry.

The author repeatedly goes over the same ground, labors certain points while skimming over other seemingly crucial information, quotes lengthy excerpts, and goes off on tangents that seem to have nothing to do with the central premise.

Still, I learned a thing or two about a glossed-over chapter in American history. It may whet your appetite for more in depth coverage of the subject.