Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey.
ɪts lˈɪɹɪks wɜː ɹˈɪʔn̩ baɪ kˈæθɑːɹɹˌiːn lˈiː bˈeɪts ænd ɪts mjˈuːzɪk wʌz kəmpˈoʊzd baɪ tʃˈɜːtʃ ˈɔːɹɡɐnˌɪst ænd kwˈaɪɚmæstɚ sˈæmjuːl ˈeɪ. wˈɔːɹd æt ɡɹˈeɪs ᵻpˈɪskɑːpəl tʃˈɜːtʃ ɪn nˈuːɚk, nˈuː dʒˈɜːsi.