My Country, 'Tis of Thee
Sheet music | |
Unofficial national anthem of the United States of America | |
| Also known as | "America" |
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| Lyrics | Samuel Francis Smith, 1831 |
| Music | Composer unknown; derived from “God Save the King” |
| Adopted | July 4, 1831 (de facto) |
| Relinquished | March 3, 1931 |
| Succeeded by | "The Star Spangled Banner" |
| Audio sample | |
Vocalists with concert band accompaniment, United States Air Force Heritage of America Band, 2002
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"My Country, 'Tis of Thee", also known as "America", is an American patriotic song whose lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith. The song served as one of the de facto national anthems of the United States (along with songs like "Hail, Columbia") before the adoption of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the official U.S. national anthem in 1931. The melody is adapted from the de facto national anthem of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King".