Star Spangled Banner sounds Russian when played in a minor key

Bill Bailey, performing at the London Palladium, entertained the audience by playing major-key songs in a minor key, and vice versa. "Now some of the great national anthems are written in the major key," he said. "In fact most national anthems are in the major key — celebratory, uplifting. I like to experiment with them and play them in a different key and the one I'm thinking of is the Star Spangled Banner — the American national anthem, which i think — appropriately now — should be played in the minor key it. It takes on a totally different dynamic. Actually, it sounds a bit Russian."