美国国歌《星条旗永不落》,美国乐途国际旅游微信公众号文章

美国国歌《星条旗永不落》（"the star-spangled banner"曾译《星条旗》歌）诞生在巴尔底摩。据传说，巴尔的摩市东南的麦克亨利堡，曾在第二次英美战争期间作为前哨阵地抗击英军。它建在一个小半岛上，是个平面成五角星状的要塞，扼进港要道。１８１４年，英国舰队直扑麦克亨利堡，昼夜连续猛轰此堡。当时，有一位名叫弗朗西斯·斯科特·基的美国律师乘船到英舰交涉释放被扣留的美国平民。他目击了英军炮轰麦克亨利堡的经过，忧心如焚。次日早晨，当他透过战场上的硝烟看到星条旗仍在要塞上空猎猎飘扬时感慨万分，于是激情满怀地写下了《星条旗永不落》这首诗。诗歌很快不胫而走，后被配上曲谱后流传全国。１９３１年，美国国会正式将《星条旗永不落》定为国歌 。如今，巴尔的摩市的麦克亨利堡已被辟为国家纪念地和历史圣地。１９８５年１１月７日，巴尔的摩市与中国福建省厦门市结为友好城市。

《星条旗永不落》的曲子是“进行曲之王”苏萨著名的代表作，创作于１８９７年（另一说１８９６年），管乐合奏曲。这首进行曲充分发挥铜管乐队的表现功能，以磅礴的气势和热烈的情绪歌颂自己的国家和军队，颇有鼓动力。

《星条旗永不落》歌词中文大意是：

啊！在晨曦初现时，你可看见
是什么让我们如此骄傲？
在黎明的最后一道曙光中欢呼，
是谁的旗帜在激战中始终高扬！
烈火熊熊，炮声隆隆，
我们看到要塞上那面英勇的旗帜
在黑暗过后依然耸立！
啊！你说那星条旗是否会静止，
在自由的土地上飘舞，
在勇者的家园上飞扬？

英文原文如下：
oh, say, can you see, by thedawn's early light,
what so proudly we hail'd atthe twilight's last gleaming?
whose broad stripes and brightstars, thro' the perilous fight,
o'er the ramparts we watch'd,were so gallantly streaming?
and the rockets' red glare, thebombs bursting in air,
gave proof thro' the night thatour flag was still there.
o say, does that star-spangledbanner yet wave
o'er the land of the free andthe home of the brave?
on the shore dimly seen thro'the mists of the deep,
where the foe's haughty host indread silence reposes,
what is that which the breeze,o'er the towering steep,
as it fitfully blows, halfconceals, half discloses?
now it catches the gleam of themorning's first beam,
in full glory reflected, nowshines on the stream:
't is the star spangled banner:o, long may it wave
o'er the land of the free andthe home of the brave!
and where is that band who sovauntingly swore
that the havoc of war and thebattle's confusion
a home and a country shouldleave us no more?
their blood has wash'd outtheir foul footsteps' pollution.
no refuge could save thehireling and slave
from the terror of flight orthe gloom of the grave:
and the star-spangled banner intriumph doth wave
o'er the land of the free andthe home of the brave.
o, thus be it ever when freemenshall stand,
between their lov'd homes andthe war's desolation;
blest with vict'ry and peace,may the heav'n-rescued land
praise the pow'r that hath madeand preserv'd us as a nation!
then conquer we must, when ourcause is just,
and this be our motto: "ingod is our trust"
and the star-spangled banner intriumph shall wave
o'er the land of the free andthe home of the brave!