The Star-Spangled Banner
Listen to a narrator tell the story of Francis Scott Key and the Star-Spangled Banner.  After the song, there is a loon call.  Enjoy!
The Star-Spangled Banner   movies | interactive games | and other cool stuff
The Star-Spangled Banner
How do you like the Star-Spangled Banner anthem performed?
Do you like the traditional version? Do you prefer a variation? Do you enjoy both ways?
Do you like it sung? Do you like it played on an instrument? Do you appreciate both ways?
Use music terms in your analysis. Examples: solo, choir, jazzy, band, rests, forte, piano, etc.
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a blind Latino musician who first varied the Star-Spangled Banner in 1968.
He was the first person to vary the song in a public performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrY9RVfVkws
Jimi Hendrix
The next year in 1969, Jimi Hendrix was a rock and roll guitarist who used many electric guitar techniques in his solo of the Star-Spangled Banner. He made the sound of bombs bursting in air on his guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/Mwlymq0iTsw
Whitney Houston
Whitney sings our anthem beautifully here.
https://youtu.be/N_lCmBvYMRs
Chris Botte
Chris Botte's fine trumpet performance deeply moved people.
Some say it was one of the finest performances of the Star-Spangled Banner ever.
https://vimeo.com/111268851
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is a rock musician who plays electric guitar.
Here he plays the Star-Spangled Banner on a 12-string guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A3VA9huIp8
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is a country singer who sings the anthem here.
https://youtu.be/eUDJyoij5E4
Take 6
Take 6 is a group of six jazz singers that sing a capella (with no accompaniment). Here they sing the first part in unison and the last half in 6-part jazz harmony. This group has received more Grammy music nominations than any group in any style.
https://youtu.be/2qZe8aB7plU
Jake Shimabukuro
Here is a ukelele solo of the Star-Spangled Banner by a great ukelele player from Hawaii.
https://youtu.be/P5d80mqGQLE
United States Academy Choirs
The combined choirs of the armed forces sing the Star-Spangled Banner in a stunning choir performance.
https://youtu.be/9ETrr-XHBjE
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga sang our national anthem at the 2016 Super Bowl.
https://youtu.be/tyqkN3zezso
Jordan Shelton
Jordan Shelton won the Star-Spangled contest sponsored by the Smithsonian Museum and YouTube in April 2009.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/sing-the-national-anthem.aspx
United States Army Field Band and Chorus
A military band and chorus sings the Star-Spangled Banner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjR8L81yQk
Texas Children's Choir
Listen to this children's choir sing our anthem in harmony. They also sing it a capella (without accompaniment).
https://youtu.be/EfsConBdSUQ
Smoky Greenwell
Smoky Greenwell plays our anthem on a harmonica in New Orleans.
How do you like the Star-Spangled Banner anthem performed?
Do you like the traditional version? Do you prefer a variation? Do you enjoy both ways?
Do you like it sung? Do you like it played on an instrument? Do you appreciate both ways?
Use music terms in your analysis. Examples: solo, choir, jazzy, band, rests, forte, piano, etc.
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a blind Latino musician who first varied the Star-Spangled Banner in 1968.
He was the first person to vary the song in a public performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrY9RVfVkws
Jimi Hendrix
The next year in 1969, Jimi Hendrix was a rock and roll guitarist who used many electric guitar techniques in his solo of the Star-Spangled Banner. He made the sound of bombs bursting in air on his guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/Mwlymq0iTsw
Whitney Houston
Whitney sings our anthem beautifully here.
https://youtu.be/N_lCmBvYMRs
Chris Botte
Chris Botte's fine trumpet performance deeply moved people.
Some say it was one of the finest performances of the Star-Spangled Banner ever.
https://vimeo.com/111268851
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is a rock musician who plays electric guitar.
Here he plays the Star-Spangled Banner on a 12-string guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A3VA9huIp8
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is a country singer who sings the anthem here.
https://youtu.be/eUDJyoij5E4
Take 6
Take 6 is a group of six jazz singers that sing a capella (with no accompaniment). Here they sing the first part in unison and the last half in 6-part jazz harmony. This group has received more Grammy music nominations than any group in any style.
https://youtu.be/2qZe8aB7plU
Jake Shimabukuro
Here is a ukelele solo of the Star-Spangled Banner by a great ukelele player from Hawaii.
https://youtu.be/P5d80mqGQLE
United States Academy Choirs
The combined choirs of the armed forces sing the Star-Spangled Banner in a stunning choir performance.
https://youtu.be/9ETrr-XHBjE
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga sang our national anthem at the 2016 Super Bowl.
https://youtu.be/tyqkN3zezso
Jordan Shelton
Jordan Shelton won the Star-Spangled contest sponsored by the Smithsonian Museum and YouTube in April 2009.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/sing-the-national-anthem.aspx
United States Army Field Band and Chorus
A military band and chorus sings the Star-Spangled Banner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjR8L81yQk
Texas Children's Choir
Listen to this children's choir sing our anthem in harmony. They also sing it a capella (without accompaniment).
https://youtu.be/EfsConBdSUQ
Smoky Greenwell
Smoky Greenwell plays our anthem on a harmonica in New Orleans.