Free Republic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAYPN-1Yjt0&feature=fvw 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 rockets' 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? O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with...

June 14th is Flag Day in the US. When Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner he posed a question. Most of us never think much about that question but events at the dawn of the 21st century beg that we revisit it. What is your answer? Video link

Country music star LeAnn Rimes will help start a new tradition at the Kentucky Derby this year.Churchill Downs says Rimes will be the first national recording artist to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the historic racetrack in Louisville, Ky., as part of the Derby Day ceremonies.

A Lakeview Elementary parent is upset the audience of a school program on Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to stand for a song known as the black national anthem. Two teachers performed the song, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” — known to some as the “Black National Anthem” — as part of a 15-minute program during Black History Month. Russ Roberts, who has a first-grade daughter and fourth-grade son at Lakeview, said he was shocked when the audience was asked to stand for the song after it was identified as the “Black National Anthem.” He said he doesn’t object...

U.S. Soldiers in Iraq Sing the National Anthem in a Movie Theater-Truth! For those who are unaware, at a military theater, the National Anthem is played before every movie. From a Chaplain in Iraq: I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3,' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through The...

As we were leaving a restaurant this evening, I overheard some woman positively butchering the national anthem. It made me go home and search youtube for a rendition by the Cactus Cuties. Enjoy!

Disgusting anti-American comments from ungrateful, unappreciative millionaires who have reaped the benefits of living in this country enrage me. Especially infuriating are remarks from now rolling-in-it street thugs who became rich by having extraordinary athletic ability – like, for instance, being able to bounce a ball and dunk it through a hoop. These gutter punks who openly, defiantly, blatantly, and without a shred of humility, disrespect the very country that afforded them the opportunity to be this repulsive are a complete disgrace. Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard, a man whose judgment has come into question before, has once again shown...

In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote new words for a well-known drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven," to celebrate America's recent victory over the British. However, only in 1931, following a twenty-year effort during which more than forty bills and joint resolutions were introduced in Congress, was a law finally signed proclaiming "The Star Spangled Banner" to be the national anthem of the United States. The present copy, one of only five known to have been made by Key, is the earliest of four dating from the period 1840-1842 near the end of his life.Shown here is a copy of...

Oh, say can you see? It's the original Star Spangled Banner - ready to be unfurled again after a decade-long restoration project.It was a clear autumn morning on September 18, 1814, when Francis Scott Key caught sight of the "broad stripes and bright stars" flying over Fort McHenry in Maryland, inspiring him to write our national anthem. In preparation for the impending battle with British naval forces, Maj. George Armistead, the fort's commanding officer, had requested a flag "so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance." That it was: The flag was 30-by-42...

This is a video of the Cactus Cuties, Young ladies ranging in age from 8 to 13 singing The Star Spangled Banner. The performance was at the Texas Tech vs Texas basketball game January 20, 2008 in front of over 11,000 people. These young girls can REALLY sing!

Boos for American national anthem put British fans to shame Ron Lewis The crowd had been billed as one of Ricky Hatton’s biggest assets against Floyd Mayweather Jr, but it became his greatest liability when large sections of the overwhelmingly British crowd disgraced themselves by booing the national anthem of that the country that was hosting them. The crowd loudly joined in when Sir Tom Jones sang God Save The Queen. But when Tyrese, the R&B singer, stepped forward to sing The Star- Spangled Banner, the United States national anthem, he was almost drowned out. The singer gamely plugged...

7 year old Anthony Gargiula sings National Anthem at a Siena College Basketball game in Albany New York http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR2rvxSUr7w And yes, he does have a website: http://www.singeranthonyg.com/http://www.singeranthonyg.com/singeranthonygargiula/2007/01/anthony_sings_n.html

This is a follow-up of my post, A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

The FReeper Canteen Presents.... On Sept. 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry. Key was inspired to write a poem, which was later set to music. Even before "The Star-Spangled Banner" became our national anthem, it helped transform the garrison flag with the same name into a major national symbol of patriotism and identity. The flag has had a colorful history, from its origins in a government contract through its sojourn with several generations of a Baltimore family to its eventual...

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd 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!

After "Nuestro Himno," the Spanish-language version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was released last week, President George W. Bush said, "I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English, and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English." A new Gallup poll, conducted April 28-30, and released today, finds that nearly 7 in 10 Americans, 69%, say it is only appropriate to sing the national anthem in English, while 29% say it is appropriate for people to sing the...

The entertainers who collaborated on a Spanish version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" are doing no favors for the cause of immigration reform. Their recording - titled, with all the subtlety of a thumb in the eye, "Our Anthem" - reinforces the damaging stereotype that America's newcomers see this not as a nation indivisible, but as two societies separated by language and culture. The congressional nativists and all who are determined to deny a path to legitimacy for the country's 11 million illegal immigrants are going to have a field day with this ill-timed expression of ethnic pride. Already it has...

NEW YORK (AP) — Mexican pop diva Gloria Trevi, Puerto Rican reggaeton star Don Omar and other Latino artists have recorded a bilingual version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in a show of support for migrants in the United States. The Latino-oriented record label Urban Box Office (UBO) said Friday it will put the new Spanish-English version of the U.S. national anthem on the market Monday to coincide with the U.S. Senate's restarting debate on immigration legislation. "We decided to re-record 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to show our solidarity with the undocumented migrants," said UBO President Adam Kidron. "Today we are Americans...

...Given its circumscribed ceremonial function, and the general shortage of non-sports public gatherings these days, "The Star-Spangled Banner" doesn't get around the way it used to.... A recent Harris poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans don't even know the words..... The enthusiasm of new Americans for the national anthem only underscores the indifference and ignorance of the rest of us. This gap between what the anthem could be and what it is has prompted the National Association for Music Education, a teachers' group, to create The National Anthem Project to try to reinvigorate "The Star-Spangled Banner." There is, however,...

There’s probably no single piece of writing in this country that’s as controversial or as likely to lead to fist fights as the U.S. Constitution. It’s difficult to decide which portion of the document gets people riled up the most. At times, it almost seems to change on a daily basis. On Monday, it could be gun ownership, with morons like Michael Moore frothing at the mouth at the mere thought that a law-abiding citizen might own a weapon. You have to believe folks like Moore are planning to burgle your home the way they fret over the possibility you...

Imagine you are at a sporting event, community gathering or political rally where the national anthem is being performed and you notice that most of the people in attendance aren’t singing. Why not? Could it be those few obscure notes that most of us couldn’t reach on our best day? Nope! Chances are people aren’t singing because they don’t even know the words. A recent survey reveals that two-thirds of American adults don’t even know the words to the Star-Spangled Banner; the world’s most recognizable national anthem. Well, despite the fact that patriotism is no longer considered politically correct...

The Stars and Stripes began its history as the symbol of thirteen colonies who picked a fight over principles that endure today, to paraphrase the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal, and are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights like Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Some years later, Francis Scott Key immortalized what he called the “star spangled banner” as a symbol of perseverance and bravery. It didn’t take long for another nation to acknowledge the Stars and Stripes as the symbol of a free and independent nation. In February 1778, John Paul...

No, this isn’t about the Star-Spangled Banner, neither the flag nor the anthem. It’s about dawn itself. The promise of a new beginning. Civilization began, thousands of years before recorded history, when men discovered how to cultivate crops. That meant communities and social organization. It also meant the beginnings of astronomy, studying the movement of the sun. Early evidence of this includes the “solar observatories” built by the Incas in South America, by the Anasazi in North America, and most famously, by Druids and others at Stonehenge in Britain. All these identified the solar equinoxes, especially in the spring. Coupled...

MUMBAI: On a bright Sunday morning, as the Kala Ghoda Festival wound to a close, more than 200 Mumbaikars participating in the heritage Dockyard Walk re-established their connection with their city's mother industry, shipping, and came away with some fascinating nuggets of maritime and world history. The sparkling discovery for many was that the US national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, was written on board the HMS Minden, a ship constructed by the Wadias at the Duncan Dock in Bombay. On the night of September 13, 1814, an American lawyer, Francis Scott Key, who was captive on board the Minden,...

There was a time in America when the state of patriotism was such that the sponsors of sporting events could stop brawls by playing the National Anthem, upon hearing which the combatants would stop fighting and stand at attention. That technique was not tried in the Palace at Auburn Hills Friday night, for the simple reason that no one could imagine it would work in these days of unbridled irreverence. You can take the boyz out of the 'hood, but you can't take the 'hood out of the boyz, so to speak. And by the way, I don't mean only...

Looking at these signoff videos, and seeing how patriotism is fading, I think it'd be a good idea to bring the National Anthem back to TV. I know it's hard with 24-hour programming... ...but in Colombia, programming is briefly interrupted at 6:00 am and 6:00 pm to broadcast the National Anthem. Pay special attention to WKFT's, WCSC's, WECT's, WCCB's and WRAL's. Those are awesome renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner.

All Four StanzasBy Isaac Asimov I have a weakness--I am crazy, absolutely nuts, about our national anthem.The words are difficult and the tune is almost impossible, but frequently when I'm taking a shower I sing it with as much power and emotion as I can. It shakes me up every time.I was once asked to speak at a luncheon. Taking my life in my hands, I announced I was going to sing our national anthem--all four stanzas.This was greeted with loud groans. One man closed the door to the kitchen, where the noise of dishes and cutlery was loud...

The Star Spangled BannerWhat does it mean... The Star Spangled Banner, What does it do for you? It's been through a lot. Composed September 14th, 1814 By Francis Scott Key after going through extraordinary circumstances gave this nation a great gift. But it wasn't recognized as the national anthem until 1916 when it was so by President Woodrow Wilson by executive order,and then it was mostly played at military events.

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Exerpted from the article A Montreal crowd that has rarely been so noisy or so partisan did its raucous best to tip the balance in favour of the reeling Canadiens. They booed the U.S. anthem (presumably for reasons that had more to do with hockey than with the war in Iraq) they sang the Canadian anthem in a city where that tune has often been booed and they almost blew the roof off the Phone Booth when Kovalev cranked it up.

Did anyone else see that?! Just now on Fox News, Howard Dean was shown at one of his rallies singing his rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. He got many of the words wrong and didn't seem to know other parts of it.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - There's a lot of improvising going on at the Pan American Games. Just ask the United States fencing team. The Americans won gold in women's sabre and men's foil Saturday night, but when officials were ready to present the medals they realized there was a hitch: The venue couldn't play the U.S. national anthem. No problem. U.S. fencing captain Jeff Bukantz jumped into action. He called the American athletes, support staff, parents and fans from the stands to the floor to sing while the flags were raised for Sada Jacobson (women's sabre) and Dan...

The Story behind the National Anthem By an unknown speaker As heard on Jan Mickelson’s show on WHO Radio There was a lawyer once. His name was Francis Scott Key. He penned a song that I'm sure you're aware of. You've seen it; it's in most hymnals throughout our churches. It's called the National Anthem. It is our song as an American. We go, however, to a ballgame; we stand in our church services and we sing the words to that song and they float over our minds and our lips and we don't even realize what we're singing. Most...

For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretaryJune 14, 2003 President's Radio Address      Audio THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. June 14th is Flag Day, which commemorates the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress officially made the Stars and Stripes the symbol of America. The founders declared that the 13 stars gracing the original flag represented "a new constellation," just as America represented new hope and new light for mankind. Over the past 226 years, our flag has been a symbol of freedom wherever it flies. It inspires hope in people suffering under tyranny or terror. It welcomes immigrants from every land...

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood...

<p>Roseanne Barr scratched her way into the hall of anthem infamy.</p> <p>The scariest thing about singing the national anthem at a sports event is the change in the audience, says Huey Lewis.</p> <p>The Marin singer figures he and his band mates in the News have sung the song with an arrangement that is ``part Navy band, part doo-wop'' at least 20 times at big sports events, including baseball's All-Star Game and several opening days for the A's and Giants.</p>

Most Americans think they know the story of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The British bombarded Ft. McHenry, which defended Baltimore, for 25 hours on 13 September, 1814, through to the next morning. When dawn broke, Francis Scott Key, a local lawyer being held prisoner on a British ship, saw that flag still flying. He concluded that the Fort and the City had been spared, and was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." All that is true, but is not the half of the story. This was not merely a battle to subdue one fort and capture one city. This was a...

Don’t Ask Me To Sing 'The Star Spangled Banner' by Ron Holland This upcoming July 4th holiday weekend Sunday morning, like every Sunday when I’m in town, I’ll attend church. I generally enjoy the service, every Sunday of the year but not on July 4th weekends. This is the one Sunday when the congregation always sings the "Star Spangled Banner." I really want to sing it, just like I always want to sing at ballgames, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I always stand up, trying to look inconspicuous which one can get away with when there are...