Patriotic Songs: The Liberty Bell Song

John Phillip Sousa composed a song for his unfinished operetta The Devil’s Deputy before financing for the show fell through.

          A short time later, Sousa an his band manager, George Hinton, attended the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. They attended a spectacle of “America” in which a backdrop of the Liberty Bell was lowered. Hinton suggestion to Sousa the title “Liberty Bell” for his untitled march.

          While on the trip, Sousa received a letter from his wife telling him about their son marching in a parade in honor of the Liberty Bell.

          Sousa titled the march “The Liberty Bell Song” and sold it to the John Church Company for publication. The new march was an immediate success and played as part of an exhibit at the Liberty Bell Center.

John Philip Sousa

          The United States Marine Band has played the Liberty Bell March at the presidential inaugurations of the last four of our American Presidents: Bill Clinton {1993}; George W. Bush {2005}; Barack Obama {2009 & 2013} and Donald Trump {2017}..

          The Canadian Forces Public Affairs Branch also used the song as their official march for a while.

          The President’s Own  {premier band of the U.S. Marine Corp} uses the bell from the WWII Liberty ship, SS John Philip Sousa, at select performances of the march. The bell is housed at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C.

2 comments

  • Becky

    Diana, I found your blog while wanting to hear the traditional version of “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”. I found it here sung beautifully by William Shea. Thank-you. I inherited a very basic organ from my mom with a copy of this melody in a stack of hymnals. I’m learning to play the organ and thought hearing it would help me play it better. ( A musical voice is not one of the gifts God gave me. LOL) My mom is still with us, thank you Lord, and hopefully I’ll to play this tune for her. Anyway, your site is very nice and I’ll be back in the future. Thank-you. Keep up the great work!

    • So glad you found my blog and enjoyed it. How wonderful to have an organ to play. You are blessed to still have your Mom. Cherish the moments you have together. So great to hear from you!

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