Cover Song
The Star-Spangled Banner
Brian Kittrell — May 8, 2026
Tune composer John Stafford Smith also has his own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stafford_Smith. Officially adopted as the US national anthem March 3, 1931.
Original Recording
| Songwriters | Francis Scott Key (lyrics, 1814), John Stafford Smith (tune, "To Anacreon in Heaven," 1770s) |
|---|---|
| Original Release Date | September 14, 1814 (lyrics written); tune composed 1770s (commonly cited as 1773) |
| Release Type | traditional/public domain |
Genuinely public domain — no reclassification needed. Key wrote "Defence of Fort M'Henry" after the Battle of Baltimore (War of 1812); set to the existing tune of "The Anacreontic Song," composed by John Stafford Smith for London's Anacreontic Society. Officially adopted as the US national anthem March 3, 1931 (Hoover signed the resolution); Wilson had ordered it played at official occasions starting 1916, which was not the formal designation.
Spotify/Apple Music/YouTube listening links for this cover aren't published here yet — pending real per-song streaming URLs, not fabricated placeholders.