"Hail to the Chief"
"Hail to the Chief" is a well-known American patriotic song that serves as the official anthem for the President of the United States. Its origins trace back to a 1810 poem by Sir Walter Scott, where it was sung by the clansmen of a fictional Scottish hero, Black Roderick, who defended his territory against British forces. The song gained popularity in America, particularly during the War of 1812, and was first associated with a U.S. president in 1815 during a celebration of George Washington’s birthday. It became firmly linked to presidential events after being played at gatherings attended by Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson in the late 1820s. Over time, several first ladies initiated the tradition of having the song played to announce their husbands' entrance. While it was officially designated as the president's anthem by the Department of Defense in 1954, the use of the song remains at the discretion of each president. The song is often introduced by a brief piece called "Ruffles and Flourishes," enhancing its ceremonial significance.
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"Hail to the Chief"
“Hail to the Chief” is an American patriotic song best known for being the official anthem of the President of the United States. It was originally written as part of a London stage play about a fictional Scottish clan chief, and gained popularity along with the play. After the song was played at an event attended by President Andrew Jackson in 1829, the tune became associated with the American presidency. Later, several first ladies requested it be played when their husbands entered the room. Although not every US President has used the song, it is commonly played to announce the presence of the president.
Background
Before it was associated with the President of the United States, the song “Hail to the Chief” originated in a story about fictional Scottish folk hero, Roderick Dhu. Dhu, also known as Black Roderick, was a character in an 1810 poem by Scottish poet and playwright Sir Walter Scott. The poem, “The Lady of the Lake,” was set in the sixteenth century Scottish highlands and told the story of Dhu’s battle to save his clan’s territory from British-led forces. The poem included a section where Black Roderick’s clansmen boisterously sing a song honoring their chief with the phrase “Hail to the Chief.”
The poem was immensely popular and quickly adapted for the stage. Most of the productions were musicals, including an adaptation that began a run at the New Theater in Philadelphia on January 1, 1812. The play featured a song written by James Sanderson for one of the British productions in London’s Surrey Theater. At the time, Sanderson was the theater’s orchestra conductor and was often tasked with writing songs for musical plays. The melody was based on a Gaelic tune, while the song’s original lyrics were based on the poem’s second section where the clansmen cheered their leader.
Historians believe both the play and the song were popular with American crowds in part because Black Roderick was defending his land from an invading British force. At the time the play was first performed, The United States was involved in the War of 1812 (1812-1815), its second war with Great Britain. As a result, Americans identified with Black Roderick’s struggle against the British and embraced both his story and his song. Sheet music for the song as it appeared in the play was very popular when it was first published in around 1812.
Overview
The availability of sheet music meant the song was often included in instrumental band concerts that were popular at the time. “Hail to the Chief” was first associated with an American President in 1815 when it was played in Boston at a celebration of both the end of the War of 1812 and a commemoration of George Washington’s birthday. The song appeared on the program for that event as “Wreaths for the Chieftain.”
“Hail to the Chief” continued to be played by various bands during the next several years. It became firmly associated with the American presidency after it was reportedly played in 1828 and 1829 by the Marine Band at events related to the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The events were attended President John Quincy Adams in 1828 and his successor President Andrew Jackson in 1829. Newspaper accounts from 1829 claimed that “Hail to the Chief” inspired the crowd to cheer for Jackson three times.
Three presidential terms later, Julia Gardiner Tyler, the wife of President John Tyler, requested that the Marine Band play the song at social functions when her husband entered the room. Sarah Childress Polk, the wife of President James K. Polk, also asked the Marine Band to play the song when her husband entered official events. She made this request to avoid the embarrassment of her husband’s arrival being ignored due to his unimposing stature. This had the desired effect of drawing attention to Polk’s arrival. For the duration of his term, Polk considered the song to be the official song of the presidency.
After Polk left office, “Hail to the Chief” continued to be played to announce the president’s arrival. However, the tradition was not appreciated by every president. Chester Arthur disliked the song so much that he requested noted band director John Philip Sousa write a replacement. Sousa’s “The Presidential Polonaise” was not as popular as “Hail to the Chief,” and faded from use after Arthur’s presidency ended in 1885.
In 1954, during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Department of Defense made the song the official anthem of the President of the United States. From that point on, the song was played at nearly all official functions involving the president. However, the decision as to whether the song is used or not is at the president’s discretion. President John Kennedy is said to have referred to it as his favorite song. In the late 1970s, however, President Jimmy Carter did not want the song played when he arrived at an official event.
At some point in the twentieth century, Latvian-born lyricist Albert Gamse wrote words to accompany the long-popular tune. The words are rarely used, but speak of the country saluting the president and pledging cooperation to the person they believe will work for the country’s well-being and make it stronger. When “Hail to the Chief” is played to announce the entrance of the president, it is nearly always preceded by four repetitions of a short musical piece performed on drums and trumpets and known as “Ruffles and Flourishes.”
Bibliography
Concha, Joe. “Carter Says He Regrets Doing Away With ‘Hail to the Chief’ During His Presidency.” The Hill, 14 Oct. 2018, thehill.com/homenews/media/411368-carter-says-he-regrets-doing-away-with-hail-to-the-chief-during-his-presidency. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Duddleston, Meridee. “The Story Behind the Presidential Anthem ‘Hail to the Chief.’” WRTI, 30 July 2017, www.wrti.org/post/story-behind-presidential-anthem-hail-chief. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Fettig, Jason K. “History of ‘Hail to the Chief.’” Marine Band, www.marineband.marines.mil/About/Library-and-Archives/Hail-to-the-Chief/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Gonyea, Don. “’Hail to the Chief’: Fanfare Sought by Some Presidents, Avoided by Others.” National Public Radio, 4 March 2017, www.npr.org/2017/03/04/518333087/hail-to-the-chief-fanfare-sought-by-some-presidents-avoided-by-others. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
“Hail to the Chief.” Library of Congress, 2002, www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000009/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Hauser, Christine. “’Hail to the Chief’: The Musical Strains of Presidential Power.” New York Times, 20 Jan. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/us/presidential-song-hail-to-the-chief.html. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Tucker, Abigail. “Why Do We Play ‘Hail to the Chief’ for the President?” Smithsonian Magazine, January 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-play-hail-to-chief-president-180961428/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
“The United States Marine Band: Hail to the Chief.” White House Historical Association, www.whitehousehistory.org/the-united-states-marine-band-hail-to-the-chief. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.