Posted on 07/04/2011 4:51:41 PM PDT by US Navy Vet
Oh, 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 thru 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. Oh, 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! Oh 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!
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!
Cousin Francis had a way with words.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just.
bump
A Tatooed Lady with an ugly short dress who doesn’t speak English well just opened this evenings celebration in Philly and said “perilous night instead of fight. The Mayor introduced her. I hope he gets some votes for embarrassing the City, but I wonder if he knows she screwed up.
Does anyone remember when some Latino group tried to hijack our national anthem and make it into their own? Disrespectful bastards.
Do you really think that will actually embarrass Philly?
I would think the high crime/murder rate, high unemployment, gangs, extreme drug problems, the huge population living on welfare and food stamps and crappy ghetto neighborhoods (projects) would bring much more shame than one mis-spoken word.
Enjoy, Patriots!
Please honor this soldier; watch until the end.
Just went to the Smithsonian last week.
It was inspirational to see THE flag that Key saw when he wrote the poem.
They have it under black lights to prevent bleaching.
One of my ancestors was the father of General John Stricker, one of the men who commissioned that very flag. That is as close as my family comes to "big time" history.
Mr. niteowl77
Also, ME playing The Stars and Stripes Forever. A fellow out of Malaysia e mailed me the music, telling me it was Vladimir Horowitz's transcription. It seemed good enough to learn anyway!
Yesterday in Church we sang all 4 Stanzas, on Stanza one the whole church belted it out, stanza 2 got REAL quite as most people were feverishly thumbing through the Hymnal to find the song all subsequent stanzas(3,4) where sang with GUSTO!!
What a huge coincidence. This niteowl’s 4th great-grandfather, (later to be Sir) Charles Napier, commanded one of the British warships bombarding Fort McHenry that night (the Euryalus). He also led a detachment of longboats that attempted a flanking attack on the fort, that ended in exchanging fire with cannon and rockets (as in “red glare”) from the boats.
My branch of the family became American in the 1870’s, but I still kinda smile whenever I hear that line of the Anthem.
I’m a “senior” citizen. Our third grade class, in a NYC, public school, learned the 4 stanzas, as well as other patriotic poems(”Oh, Captain” comes to mind) and The 23rd psalm. There was a flag and a picture of G. Washington in the classroom and we said the “Pledge of Allegiance” every morning. Again, public school, NYC,NY. Sadly, how times have changed
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