Today is Flag Day. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the flag of the United States.
As the flag is a representation of our country, it’s appropriate that our National Anthem is about our flag.
The Star Spangled Banner
Words by Francis Scott Key, Music by John Stafford Smith
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say does that star spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep.
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the Star-Spangled Banner! O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the Star-Spangled Banner, in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heaven-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!
My flag will be out at 8:00 AM, just like all the other days. Of course I’m on a three house street so it doesn’t get much notice. I notice her though.
It is also the 236th Army birthday. Hooah!
I think it’s also the anniversary of the 902nd MI Group in Ft. Meade, MD (if my “E-5 board” memory serves).
I went to the sort of school where we sang all the verses. So many think the Star Spangled Banner has one verse and it ends with “Play Ball!!”
It’s Flag Day, and that’s good, but let’s also not forget that today is the U.S. Army’s birthday. Every November, the Marines make a great big to-do over their birthday, and that’s great for them, whereas the Army usually low-keys it. But let’s not forget: if it wasn’t for the U.S. Army, we wouldn’t even HAVE a country!
Happy Birthday, Army! Hooaah!
My birthday wish is that America’s states will invest some more time and energy in producing state flags that are worthy of Old Glory’s realm. Of terrible flags there are many. Exemplia gratia, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, my own Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
But there will always be the simple and moving beauty of Old Glory – and the memory of all the sacrifices that have made the flag so powerful and so symbolic. That is good enough for me.
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On flag day, I say “nail the colors to the mast” — no quarter asked, none given.
And what could be better on Flag Day than That Ragged Old Flag by the Man in Black?
I hate to dump video links; however, I stumbled upon two gems while looking for the Ballad of Ira Hayes. Perhaps someone will enjoy them. In honor of the US Army, we have SSgt Barry Sadler singing “The Green Berets”, and in honor of the raising of the flag at Iwo, we have Cash singing Ira Hayes (superb video).
Moderated on Flag Day, Basil? Was it my mention of Iwo? Johnny Cash? Ira Hayes? The Green Berets?
Just kidding. I embedded 3 links. That prolly put me over the limit.
I have a hard time fitting the other verses to the melody. Maybe because I’ve never heard it sung all the way through.
Burmashave:
Yep, the links got ya. And, of course, since it doesn’t send me an email when there’s a moderation, I don’t know about it.
What’s really funny is when someone is moderated and leaves another comment about being moderated … and it gets moderated, too!
If you get moderated on one of my posts, jot off an email to me and I’ll release it.
A day or mourning for liberals. What you wanna bet POTUS or TOTUS FLOTUS are flag pin free today.
Don’t get me started in state flags. Georgia had a long running battle over the state flag resulting several rapid chages. I thoguth the one that resembled a Denny’s place mat was a real winner.
When will the libs be suggesting we replace this with something from Lil Wayne? …or have they already?
I have stood in Fort McHenry several times. Always get those little chinchillas running up my spine when I think about what happenned there. Arlington does the same for me too.
Thanks, Major, for the BD heads-up. My son is Army. I just text’d him a Happy Birthday (to you as well). I am one of those who must wait until November, although we are trying to have it celebrated bi-annually. Semper Fi.
I have a fantastic arrangement in my head (8 part men, a capella) for The Star Spangled Banner, all 4 verses, but for dramatic purposes it’ll need to have v.2 at the end. Makes an awesome finale, and I wonder that Mr. Key put it last. There’s fairly common precedent for having only vs.1 & 4 performed, so I don’t worry about the appropriateness of it; but people who think the final words are “play ball” will be mightily confused.
I vote that the fourth verse becomes the official national anthem.