[High Praise! to Anonymiss of Nuking Politics]
Ever listen to a song you’ve heard a million times and actually HEAR the words for the first time?
When it happens to you, it’s not just a moment, it’s not just an experience, it’s a revelation.
And it’s very difficult to describe that not-just-an-experience to others, and when you try, you always feel like you’ve only captured half the experience, and your words feel sorry and inadequate.
But sometimes… sometimes… you find the right words.
I think Anonymiss did this time. Go read.
I have always believed that the official national anthem should be the fourth verse rather than the first verse. Germany does it this way with Deutschlandlied – only the third verse is official.
I am with you Tommy. The fourth verse by far the most meaningful, the most touching, dare I say the most sacred verse of the anthem.
I would like to provide the words to America the Beautiful for your edification: (the 2,3,4, verses are rarely sung but more meaningful than the first.
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!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine!
O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
“Katherine Lee Bates 1913”
The first verse of the Star Spangled Banner ends with a question:
“Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
That question is answered in the rarely sung fourth verse:
“Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
These sentiments, however true, seem oddly out of place in this age of political correctness.
i always find it strange that so many people have not heard the entire anthem. way back in the dark ages when i was in the 7th grade it was required that i memorize it in its entirety and recite it in class. english class. each and every one of us. flawlessly or do it again, as i recall.
“For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;
but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup,
with foaming wine, well mixed;
and he will pour a draught from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.
But I will rejoice for ever,
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.”
– Psalms 75:6-9
Bottoms up!