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Samuel Francis Smith

Samuel Francis Smith (October 21, 1808 – November 16, 1895) was an American Baptist minister, journalist, and author. He is best known for having written the lyrics to "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (sung to the tune of "God Save the King"), which he entitled "America".

Birth and Death Data: Born Boston (capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States), Died November 16, 1895 (Boston (capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1905 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-14569 10-in. 3/30/1928 America Victor Mixed Chorus Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-14569 10-in. 3/13/1914 America Victor Mixed Chorus Chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-19486 10-in. 4/16/1917 America Clarence Whitehill Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-19486 10-in. 7/20/1927 America Clarence Whitehill Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-19999 10-in. 6/11/1917 America Billy Sunday Chorus Mixed vocal chorus, with 2 pianos lyricist  
Victor B-20334 10-in. 7/12/1917 America Reinald Werrenrath Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-39542 10-in. 7/22/1927 America Julia Arthur Recitation, with pipe organ lyricist  
Victor BVE-49433 10-in. 6/21/1929 America Ralph Crane Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-068671 10-in. 12/17/1941 America (My country 'tis of thee) Lucy Monroe ; Charles O'Connell Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-071952 10-in. 2/20/1942 Star spangled banner Leonard W. Joy ; Victor Military Band Band lyricist  
Columbia 3099 10-in. between January and April 1905 America George Alexander Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19803 10-in. 3/12/1912 America Columbia Mixed Chorus Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 46730 10-in. 4/21/1916 America Columbia Mixed Double Quartette Mixed vocal double quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 49124 12-in. 2/13/1917 America Louis Graveure Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W148741 10-in. 6/20/1929 America (My country 'tis of thee) Columbia Band Band, with male vocal quartet lyricist  
Columbia W98331 12-in. 4/12/1927 America Columbia Male Chorus Male vocal chorus lyricist  
OKeh 418 10-in. approximately October 1918 America Peerless Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh S-71463 10-in. Apr. 1923 America Shannon Four Male vocal quartet, with band lyricist  
Brunswick 948 10-in. approximately mid-1917 My country, 'tis of thee Mixed vocal quartet (unidentified; Brunswick Records) Mixed vocal quartet lyricist  
Edison 3080 10-in. May 1914 or later America (My country 'tis of thee) Metropolitan Quartet Male vocal quartet lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Samuel Francis," accessed December 27, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104986.

Smith, Samuel Francis. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104986.

"Smith, Samuel Francis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 27 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104986

External Sources

Wikipedia: Samuel Francis Smith

IMSLP: Samuel Francis Smith

RISM: Samuel Francis Smith

IMDb: Samuel Francis Smith

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Smith, Samuel Francis, 1808-1895 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85173467

Wikidata: Samuel Francis Smith - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7411414

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/62479927

MusicBrainz: Samuel Francis Smith - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ad04343d-e108-4098-a680-e32f13da5dad

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/163989 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/163989

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