Brass, Reeds, and Percussion: July 4 and July 8, 2026

The United States did not have an official national anthem until 1931 when President Herbert Hoover signed a law to make the “Star Spangled Banner” the national anthem. Before that day, the United States had five primary patriotic airs:

1. “Star Spangled Banner”
2. “Columbia, Gem of the Ocean”
3. “Hail, Columbia”
4. “Yankee Doodle”
5. “My Country Tis of Thee,” also known as “America”

By the way, the melody of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” is the same melody used for the “God Save the King” in Great Britain. For this edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion you will hear these big-five national airs as well as the official national march: “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

• Star Spangled Banner
  Composer:  Francis Scott Key (lyrics, 1779-1843) & John Stafford Smith (music, 1750-1836)
  Performer:  U.S. Navy Band & Sea Chanters
  Album:  Patriotic Pride
• Stars and Stripes Forever
  Composer:  John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
  Performer:  U.S. Marine Band
  Album:  Patriotic Pride
• Yankee Doodle
  Composer:  Unknown
  Performer:  Frederick Fennell and Eastman Wind Ensemble
  Album:  The Spirit of ’76
• Yankee Doodle
  Composer:  Morton Gould (1913-1996), transcribed by Philip Lang
  Performer:  U.S. Marine Band
  Album:  Morton Gould: An American Salute
• Columbia, Gem of the Ocean
  Composer:  Thomas a’Becket (1808-1890)
  Performer:  U.S. Navy Band, Great Lakes
  Album:  Patriotic Music to Inspire and Uplift
• Hail Columbia
  Composer:  Philip Phile (circa 1734-1793)
  Performer:  U.S. Navy Band, Great Lakes
  Album:  Patriotic Music to Inspire and Uplift
• God of Our Fathers
  Composer:  George Warren (1828-1902), arranged by Thomas Knox
  Performer:  U.S. Marine Band
  Album:  Patriotic Pride
• America the Beautiful
  Composer:  Samuel Ward (music, 1847-1903), arranged by Carmen Dragon (1914-1984)
  Performer:  U.S. Coast Guard Band
  Album:  Patriotic Pride
• National Emblem
  Composer:  E. E. Bagley (1857-1922)
  Performer:  U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band
  Album:  Early Light
• God Bless America
  Composer:  Irving Berlin (1881-1989)
  Performer:  U.S. Army Band & Chorus
  Album:  Patriotic Pride
• Liberty Bell
  Composer:  John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
  Performer:  U.S. Army Field Band
  Album:  Patriotic Music to Inspire and Uplift
• Let Freedom Ring
  Composer:  Barry Manilow (1943- )
  Performer:  U.S. Army Field Band
  Album:  Call to Duty
• Hail to the Spirit of Liberty
  Composer:  John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
  Performer:  Hail to the Chief: Songs of the Presidents
  Album:  Hail to the Chief
• Battle Hymn of the Republic
  Composer:  William Steffe (music, 1830-1890) & Julia Ward Howe (words, 1819-1910), arranged by James Hosay (1959- )
  Performer:  U.S. Army Band & Chorus
  Album:  Hero for Today
• Duty, Honor, Country
  Composer:  Gen. Doulas McArthur (words, 1880-1964) & Harold Walters (music, 1918-1984)
  Performer:  U.S. Army Band & Chorus
  Album:  Hero for Today
• America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)
  Composer:  Attributed to John Bull (circa 1562-1628)
  Performer:  Gramercy Brass
  Album:  American Anthems
  Also see.