Our current national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" describes a nighttime battle with Britain. Its music was taken from a British song written by John Stafford Smith, "The Anacreontic Song", the theme song of a gentlemen's club in London.
"America the Beautiful" describes the natural beauty of the United States, along with the good nature of our citizens and people. This is a friendlier representation of our country. Also, its lyrics were originally written by Katharine Lee Bates, and set to music by Samuel A. Ward, both American.
Lyrics to "America the Beautiful":
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!