Patriotic Music: The Marine Hymn

America is a tune. It must be sung together. ~Gerald Stanley Lee, Crowds

The Marine Hymn

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 Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From 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 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.

 

About This Music

The Marines Hymn is the oldest of the official songs of the Arms Services. Its Origin, However, is obscure. The Words date back to the 19th century, but the author remains unknown. The music comes form the opera "Genevieve de Brabant" which was written by Jacques Offenbah and first performed in Paris in 1859. The Marine Corps holds the copyright which is dated August 19, 1919

It is the oldest official song in the U.S. Armed Forces 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. The Tripoli phrase refers to actions during the First Barbary War and the Battle of Derne.