Hail Columbia

“Hail Columbia”is considered to be the first truly American patriotic song because it is the first one with both music and lyrics written by Americans. For many decades, the song was considered to be the country’s unofficial national anthem, until that honor was formally given to “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the early twentieth century. In modern times, “Hail Columbia” is relatively unknown, even though it is used to announce the arrival of the vice president of the United States at official functions.

Background

Patriotic songs are those that inspire a feeling of loyalty and pride in a person’s home country. They are often used in times of war and national crisis to arouse passions and support for the country. Many have a military theme based on their use to encourage people to support a war effort. A number of America’s earliest patriotic songs also have a religious undertone because they were written at a time when religion was seen as an indispensable part of American life.

America’s first patriotic songs were written during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). In nearly all cases, these songs featured new words written to the tune of British songs. Some were tunes sung by soldiers while marching, while others were tavern songs sung in pubs. For example, the tune to America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was originally a British tavern song, while the tune to “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” is the same one used for the British national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”

“Columbia” was the mythical goddess of liberty used to represent the United States in its earliest days, somewhat like Uncle Sam does in modern times. The name is derived from that of of explorer Christopher Columbus, who was revered at the time for having “discovered” the Americas. The American colonists were familiar with the concept of “Britannia,” a goddess-like figure who represented the national spirit of Great Britain. Once America gained its independence, its citizens developed “Columbia” as a figurehead for their new country.

Columbia was portrayed as a war-like goddess. She was sometimes paired with a twin female figure named Liberty, though Columbia was seen as more fully embodying the American spirit. She appeared in political cartoons as representing America in international matters; Columbia was also often used to represent Americans’ opposition to unpopular political decisions or policies. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) both Union and Confederate soldiers claimed solidarity with Columbia and sang variations of “Hail Columbia,” indicating that despite their differences, they still saw themselves as Americans.

Overview

“Hail Columbia” was the first patriotic song written by an American after the United States was officially founded. The tune is credited to Philip Phile, a German soldier who came to the United States to fight in the Revolutionary War. Phile remained in the United States and became an American after the war. He was an accomplished violin player and led the Old American Company orchestra in New York. The song Phile wrote was called “The President’s March” and was first played in Trenton, New Jersey, on April 21, 1789. The song was performed at a ceremony honoring soon-to-be President George Washington as he travelled to New York City for his inauguration.

By 1793, “The President’s March” had been published and began appearing in multiple instructional books used to teach new musicians. It was initially an instrumental song without words. The words were added nine years after the song was first written and are credited to lawyer, writer, and musician Joseph Hopkinson. Hopkinson’s father Francis Hopkinson was a composer, but is better known for being a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress that signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

As a result, the Hopkinson family was friends with a number of the country’s early patriots and members of the societal elite. In 1798, the younger Hopkinson received a request by British-born actor Gilbert Fox to adapt “The President’s March” for a show he was trying to develop for a New York theater company. Fox wanted to include the song in the show but thought it would go over better if it was sung and not just played. When the songwriters that worked with the theater were unable to come up with suitable lyrics, Fox turned to Hopkinson for help.

Hopkinson wrote the lyrics and renamed it “Hail Columbia” after a line in the song. When the show opened with the new version of the song, it was an immediate hit with the audience. Reports from the time claimed that as many as twelve encores of the song were requested by some audiences. Other reports claimed people were singing along with the chorus by the time the evening was over.

The song became very popular across the country. It is believed to have been played frequently at the White House at official events during the tenures of several early presidents. For many years, it was treated as America’s national anthem. People stood and removed their hats when the song played, just as they did for other national anthems. “Hail Columbia” was also played to welcome famous Americans upon their visits other countries. Through the 1890s, “Hail Columbia” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” vied for the role of America’s national anthem. The issue was officially settled by a 1931 congressional act that made “The Star-Spangled Banner” the official anthem of the United States.

In modern times, “Hail Columbia” is considered to be the official song of the US vice president. In addition to being played at White House functions, it is often played when the vice president enters an event, much as “Hail to the Chief” is played for the president. Like “Hail to the Chief,” “Hail Columbia” is often preceded by several repeats of a short musical piece called “Ruffles and Flourishes.”

Bibliography

Berg, Ellen. “Hail Columbia.” New York Times,2 July 2011, opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/hail-columbia/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

Gray, Myron. “A Partisan National Song: The Politics of ‘Hail Columbia’ Reconsidered.” Music and Politics, University of Michigan, Summer 2017, quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mp/9460447.0011.201/--partisan-national-song-the-politics-of-hail-columbia?rgn=main;view=fulltext. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

“Hail Columbia.” Library of Congress, 2002, www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000008/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

Estrella, Espie. “Hail Columbia: A Brief History of ‘The President’s March’.” ThoughtCo., 17 Mar. 2017, www.thoughtco.com/america-the-beautiful-2456280. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

“Hail Columbia: Together with a Favorite Song, Celebrating the Naval Prowess of America at the Commencement of the Revolution.” Isaiah Thomas Broadside Ballads Project,www.americanantiquarian.org/thomasballads/items/show/128. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

“Hail Columbia.” Song of America, 2019, songofamerica.net/song/hail-columbia/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

“The History Behind the Vice President’s Song, ‘Hail Columbia!’” Essential Pittsburgh WESA FM,15 Feb. 2016, www.wesa.fm/post/history-behind-vice-presidents-song-hail-columbia. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

McCarthy, Jack. “Hail, Columbia.” The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2016, philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/hail-columbia/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.