Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Marines' Hymn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Marines' Hymn is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps. It is the oldest official song in the U.S. Armed Forces.[1] The song has an obscure origin—the words date from the 19th century, but no one knows the author. The music is from the Gendarmes' Duet from the opera Geneviève de Brabant by Jacques Offenbach, which had its début in Paris in 1859. The Marine Corps secured a copyright on the song on August 19, 1919, but it is now in the public domain.
The initial verse is "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli". The Montezuma phrase refers to the Battle of Chapultepec, which took place during the Mexican-American War. The Tripoli phrase refers to actions during the First Barbary War and the Battle of Derne.
The "Marines' Hymn" is typically sung at the position of "attention" as a gesture of respect.
Contents |
Problems listening to the file? See media help.
From the halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean,
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurl'd to every breeze
From the dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And have never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
The original lyrics in use from 1890 until 1919[2] that were sung in the movie "Halls of Montezuma" (1950):
- From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli,
- We fight our country's battles, on the land as on the sea.
- Admiration of the nation, we're the finest ever seen;
- And we glory in the title of United States Marines
.
Various people over the years wrote unofficial or semi-unofficial extra verses to commemorate later battles and actions, for example[1]:
- Again in nineteen forty-one, we sailed a north'ard course
- and found beneath the midnight sun, the Viking and the Norse.
- The Iceland girls were slim and fair, and fair the Iceland scenes,
- and the Army found in landing there, the United States Marines.
(In 1940, during WWII, British forces occupied Iceland to guard it from possible occupation by Nazi Germany. In 1941, responsibility for the occupation was transferred to the U.S. who garrisoned a brigade of Marines.)
The Marines' hymn has many variations, including The Pride of South Australia - the theme song of the Adelaide Crows Australian rules football side in the Australian Football League.
In 1942, the words "on the land as on the sea" were replaced with "in the air, on land and sea," in deference to the advent of air power to the world's military arsenals.
The third verse is also used as a "toast" during events important to the Corps such as the Marine Corps birthday, promotions, and retirements. Note the line "Here's health to you and to our Corps"
Earlier versions of 1989 computer game Captain Comic used the Marines' Hymn as the theme tune.
A 1950 movie, titled Halls of Montezuma is about a U.S. Marine patrol using cunning in questioning captured Japanese about a secret rocket base. It is an intense story of interpersonal relations and combines both racism and respect in the depiction of Japanese prisoners. The director is Lewis Milestone, and the all-star cast featured leading and soon-to-be leading actors, such as Richard Widmark in the lead role, supporting actors Jack Palance, Reginald Gardiner, Robert Wagner, Richard Boone, Karl Malden, Jack Webb, and Neville Brand.
In ending of the cartoon Super-Rabbit, Bugs Bunny is about to be beaten by the bad guy, Cottontail Smith, and his horse when he pops up and says, "This looks like a job for a real superman!!" He ducks into a nearby phone booth as they are about to pounce on him. The door flies open and they come to attention, saluting, as Bugs, dressed in a Marine Corps Class A uniform, marches out. He says, "Sorry fellas, but I can't play with you anymore. I got some important work to do." He then marches off to "Berlin, Tokyo and points East" singing the Marine Hymn.
- The Army Goes Rolling Along
- Anchors Aweigh
- Eternal Father, Strong to Save
- The U.S. Air Force
- Semper Paratus - official march of the U.S. Coast Guard
- ^ The Marines' Hymn. United States Marine Corps Band. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
- ^ http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmchist/lore63.txt
- Marines' Hymn, Customs and Traditions. History and Museum Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
- Marion F. Sturkey (2001). History of the Marines Hymn. Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines. Heritage Press International. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
- Marines' hymn, MP3 from the Marine Corps "President's Own" website.
- Marine Corps Theme performed as instrumental band march (.wav file)
- Marine Hymn Lyrics Information about the USMC hymn as well as other USMC history.
- London, Joshua E.Victory in Tripoli: How America's War with the Barbary Pirates Established the U.S. Navy and Shaped a Nation New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-471-44415-4