Proponents prefer 'America the Beautiful' for various reasons, saying it is easier to sing, more melodic, and more adaptable to new orchestrations while still remaining as easily recognizable as 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. Kennedy administration, there have been efforts to give 'America the Beautiful' legal status either as a national hymn or as a national anthem equal to, or in place of, ' The Star-Spangled Banner', but so far this has not succeeded. Īt various times in the more than one hundred years that have elapsed since the song was written, particularly during the John F. It is included in songbooks in many religious congregations in the United States. Bates was more fortunate, since the song's popularity was well established by the time of her death in 1929. Ward died in 1903, not knowing the national stature his music would attain. Ward's music combined with Bates's poem were first published together in 1910 and titled 'America the Beautiful'. He composed the tune for the old hymn 'O Mother Dear, Jerusalem', retitling the work 'Materna'. The tune came to him while he was on a ferryboat trip from Coney Island back to his home in New York City after a leisurely summer day and he immediately wrote it down. Just as Bates had been inspired to write her poem, Ward, too, was inspired. Ward, the organist and choir director at Grace Church, Newark, was generally considered the best music as early as 1910 and is still the popular tune today.

A hymn tune composed in 1882 by Samuel A. By 1900, at least 75 different melodies had been written. The first known melody written for the song was sent in by Silas Pratt when the poem was published in The Congregationalist. Problems playing these files? See media help.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies