"The Star-Spangled Banner (The Times They Are A-Changin')," Kevin Cryderman

This is a folk version of the American national anthem performed and arranged by Canadian (but US permanent resident) singer-songwriter Kevin Cryderman. While the music here is very different than the standard anthem tune of John Stafford Smith's "Anacreontic Song," the lyric is still Francis Scott Key's poem "The Defense of Fort McHenry" which, set to Smith's tune, officially become the USA national anthem by Woodrow Wilson's executive order in 1916 and then by congressional order in 1931 under Herbert Hoover.

Rather than the standard tune, Cryderman's melody loosely evokes (rather than copies directly) Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin.'" The inspiration for this version of the anthem emerged in a sudden flash of defamiliarization when Cryderman re-read the full lyrics to the anthem in Summer of 2008 in the context of Obama's inspiring campaign that pointed to the open question of America. When using the conventional tune and tempo, singers usually only do the first verse of the original lyrics. Cryderman found the full version of Francis Scott Key's lyrics not only very interesting, poignant and beautiful but, with a few subtle changes, resonant with 1960s folk songs in the vein of Bob Dylan and Don McLean. Thus, the song was born (again).




THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER (THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN')

Eb tuning, regular

Oh, [G] say can you [D] see, by the [Em] dawn's early [C] light,
What so [G] proudly we [D] hailed at the [C] twilight's last [D] gleaming?
Whose [G] broad stripes and [D] bright stars, through the [Em] perilous [C] fight,
O'er the [G] ramparts we [D] watched, were so [C] gallantly [D] streaming?
And the [Em] rockets' red [C] glare, the bombs [G] bursting in [D] air,
Gave [Em] proof through the [C] night that our [G] flag was still [D] there.
O [Em] say, does that [C] star-spangled [G] banner yet [D] wave
O'er the [Em] land of the [C] free and the [G] home [D] of the [G] brave? [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2]

On the [G] shore, dimly [D] seen through the [Em] mists of the [C] deep,
Where the [G] foe's haughty [D] host in dread [C] silence re- [D] poses,
What is [G] that which the [D] breeze, o'er the [Em] towering [C] steep,
As it [G] fitfully [D] blows, now [C] conceals, now dis- [D] closes?
Now it [Em] catches the [C] gleam of the [G] morning's first [D] beam,
In full [Em] glory re- [C] flected now [G] shines on the [D] stream:
'Tis the [Em] star-spangled [C] banner! O [G] long may it [D] wave
O'er the [Em] land of the [C] free and the [G] home [D] of the [G] brave?

Harmonica solo over [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2]
and then [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2] X3

And [G] where is that [D] band who so [Em] vauntingly [C] swore
That the [G] havoc of [D] war and the [C] battle's con- [D] fusion
A [G] home and a [D] country should [Em] leave us no [C] more?
Has their [G] blood wiped [D] out their foul [C] footstep's pol- [D] lution?
No [Em] refuge could [C] save the [G] hireling and [D] slave
From the [Em] terror of [C] flight, or the [G] gloom of the [D] grave:
And the [Em] star-spangled [C] banner in [G] triumph doth [D] wave
O'er the [Em] land of the [C] free and the [G] home [D] of the [G] brave? [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2]

Oh! [G] Thus be it [D] ever, when [Em] freemen shall [C] stand
Be- [G] tween their loved [D] homes and the [C] war's deso- [D] lation!
Is it [G] victory and [D] peace in this [Em] heaven-rescued [C] land?
Do they [G] praise the [D] Power that [C] destroys [D] nations?
Oh [Em] conquer we [C] must? Is [G] our cause [D] just?
Do [Em] we need a [C] motto: "In [G] God is our [D] trust"?
Will the [Em] star-spangled [C] banner for- [G] ever shall [D] wave?
O'er the [Em] land of the [C] free and the [G] home [D] of the [G] brave? [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [G] [C9] [D] [Dsus4, D, Dsus2] with repeat of the last two lines and then ritardando D riff and end on [G]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• singer-songwriter
• folk
• U.S.A.
• anthem
• Barack_Obama
• president
• Bob_Dylan

[kcryderm]

Thanks for you thoughts. I was trying to pay a respectful tribute to the wonderful words of the full lyrics of the anthem and the American capacity for change, which don't necessarily have to go with the particular music they have been paired with.

[SublimeAmiga]

This is great! wow! I really like this a lot. It is very RESPECTFUL indeed!

And that AL11142 needs to just shutup.. I think he was really rude to you.

[HeavensRaptor]

Shouldn't be so negative against a National Anthem. After all, if heart went into the song/music it will always be true.

[greyjohnstone]

Although I like this rendition, I'm none to crazy about the lyrical change there at the end.

Just my personal opinion on the issue.

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust;"

Are the original lyrics. Sort of changes the message of the original when you alter them.

Again, though, I liked the musical reworking.

[americandanny]

It's silly for anyone to say that it is disrespectful to rearrange the Star-Spangled Banner. Its original melody was adopted from a British drinking song which could be called 'disrespectful' in itself...

[BluebirdsOver]

This is absolutely amazing! I wouldn't normally think a juxtaposition of something like the National Anthem and "The Times They Are A'Changin" would work, but in this case, you've done an incredible job. And I love the meaning behind the blend of both songs. :D

[PUOj]

He broke the violin, in the end XD

[disradiance]

Wow. Cool. How unexpected from the song from the start of Watchmen.

[epic1032123]

kickass song.....anyone who can sing and write this is an american to me 5/5

[SublimeAmiga]

no what is disrespectful is you

[GotHockey007]

this can be broght to a really deep meaning good job