“God Save the King”
After the Declaration of Independence, in July 1776, the tune [of “God Save the King”] continued in use to patriotic songs such as the following:
God save America; God save the President; God save George Washington; God save Great Washington; Hail godlike Washington; Fill, fill to Washington, Liberty’s valianat son, Let the toast pass!; Americans rejoice… ‘Tis Washington’s birthday; God save the rights of man; Now let rich music sound… The everlasting name of Bunker’s Hill; Come all ye sons of song; Hail thou auspicious day; Enthroned in weeds of state… And check great Albion’s pride; Fame, let they trumpet sound, Tell all the world around Columbia’s free; God save the United States–and so on, including a song for lodge meetings, Hail Masonry divine. Below is God save the Thriteen States (this last being ‘a song made by a Dutch lady at the Hague for the sailors of the five American vessels at Amsterdam, June, 1779′);
GOD save the Thirteen States
Long rule th’ United States !
God save our States !
Make us victorious;
Happy and glorious;
No tyrants over us;
God save our States!
Oft did America
Foresee, with sad, dismay,
Her slav’ry near.
Oft did her grievance state,
But Britain, falsely great,
Urging her desp’rate fate,
Turn’d a deaf ear.
Now the proud British foe
We’ve made, by vict’ries, know,
Our sacred right.
Witness at Bunker’s Hill,
Where godlike Warren fell,
Happy his blood to spill,
In gallant fight.
To our fam’d Washington,
Brave Stark at Bennington,
Glory is due.
Peace to Montgomery’s shade,
Who as he fought and bled,
Drew honors round his head,
Num’rous as true.
Look to Sar’toga’s plain,
Our captures on the main,
Moultrie’s defence.
Our catalogue is long,
Of heroes yet unsung,
Who noble feats have done
For independence.
The melting mother’s moans,
The aged father’s groans,
Have steel’d our arms.
Ye British Whigs beware !
Your chains near formed are,
In spite of Richmond’s care
To sound alarms.
Come join your hands to ours;
No royal blocks, no tow’rs;
God save us all !
Thus in our country’s cause,
And to support our laws;
Our swords shall never pause
At Freedom’s call.
We’ll fear no tyrant’s nod,
Nor stern oppression’s rod,
Till Time’s no more.
Thus Liberty, when driv’n
From Europe’s states, is giv’n
A safe retreat and hav’n,
On our free shore.
O, Lord! thy gifts in store,
We pray on Congress pour,
To guide our States.
May union bless our land,
While we, with heart and hand,
Our mutual rights defend,
God save our States !
God save the Thirteen States!
Long watch the prosp’rous fates
Over our States!
Make us victorious;
Happy and glorious;
No tyrants over us;
God save our States !
Another, written by a Dutch Gentleman at Amsterdam, July 4, 1779.
God bless the Thirteen States!
And save for e’er our fates
From tyranny!
This is the joyful day,
Whereas we glory may,
We saw the glitt’ring ray Of Liberty.
When we King George abjur’d,
We first all wrong endur’d
From Parliament,
It push’d with violence
In Stamp-act’s foul pretense,
But lost all influence On government.
Now are our only laws
Those God and nature have
Laid on mankind,
To those our chiefs adhere,
Our people these revere,
To those alone we have
All statesmen bind.
As of one family,
All of one mind must be,
We’ll ever sing;
We fought for Liberty;
Be Independency Not hereditary,
We want NO KING.
Providence Gazette and Country Journal. Providence, R.I.: Printed by John Carter, Jan. 1, 1780
A NEW SONG
I
God save America ~
Free from despotic sway ~
‘Till time shall cease ~
Hush’d be the Din of Arms, ~
And, to fierce War’s Alarms; ~
Follow, in all its Charms ~
Heaven born Peace.
II
God bless great Washington, ~
Fair Freedom’s chosen Son ~
Long to command. ~
May every Enemy, ~
Far from his Presence flee, ~
And be grim Tyranny ~
Bound by his Hand.
III
Thy Name Montgomery, ~
Still in each Heart shall be ~
Prais’d in each Breast. ~
Though on the fatal Plain ~
Thou wert untimely slain, ~
Yet shall thy virtues gain ~
Rescue from Death.
IV
Last in our Song shall be ~
Guardian of Liberty ~
Louis the King, ~
Terrible God of War ~
Plac’d in victorious car ~
Of France and of Navarre, ~
God save the King.
Providence Gazette and Country Journal. Providence, R.I.: Printed by John Carter, June 19, 1779