Star Spangled Banner
The opening line of our beloved “Star Spangled Banner” is “Oh, say can you see by the Don Zurrley light?” Who is Don Zurrley, anyway?
———- from Dan Satterberg of Neosho, MO
Don Zurrley was a cousin of Richard Stanz. You may recall Rich; he was the founder of our republic commemorated in the Pledge of Allegiance: “…and to the republic for Richard Stanz.” Messrs. Zurrley and Stanz were the actual authors of the Declaration of Independence. Being Canadian, they sold their work to Thomas Jefferson, who was himself said to be a Jamaican. One of Jefferson’s many inventions, besides electricity, was the reggae beat, which he named after one of his farmhand/associates, Reggie. The Star Spangled Banner was actually the first reggae tune, but that’s another story.
Don Zurrley was a cousin of Richard Stanz. You may recall Rich; he was the founder of our republic commemorated in the Pledge of Allegiance: “…and to the republic for Richard Stanz.” Messrs. Zurrley and Stanz were the actual authors of the Declaration of Independence. Being Canadian, they sold their work to Thomas Jefferson, who was himself said to be a Jamaican. One of Jefferson’s many inventions, besides electricity, was the reggae beat, which he named after one of his farmhand/associates, Reggie. The Star Spangled Banner was actually the first reggae tune, but that’s another story. 