O Say Can You See? Celebrating 200 years of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

Fox News.com ^ | September 13, 2014 | Jane Hampton Cook

[Kaslin]

“O say can you see . . . ?” is the famous question Francis Scott Key asked 200 years ago when he wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner,” our national anthem.

What comes to mind when you hear those lyrics? How do they stir your patriotic soul? Key wanted you to see what he saw, hear what he heard and feel what he felt. O say, can you?

We can remember that the British military burned the White House and U.S. Capitol on Aug. 24, 1814. British Rear Admiral George Cockburn, who set Washington ablaze, believed there wasn’t a “place on the seaboard which can hold out any length of time.” How wrong he was.

[cyclotic]

I work about a mile from where “in defence of Ft. McHenry” was written. It there wasn’t a building in the way, I could see the fort.

[DoughtyOne]

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?

[exit82]

With all the illegal immigration, the first line will be changed to “Jose, can you see?”

Even Stevie Wonder could have seen that one coming.....

[Iron Munro]

Sadly, we have gone from “O Say Can You See?” to “Jose, cain jou see?”

[jocon307]

I’m actually watching the PBS special on this. OK so far.

[SkyDancer]

And it takes twenty minutes to sing the last stanza .... not counting the screeching and wailing in the first part.

[stars & stripes forever]

STAR SPANGLED BANNER
Francis Scott Key - 1814

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!

[Sherman Logan]

American military performance was wildly uneven in the War of 1812. The Army, anyway. The Navy did fine throughout.

[LeoWindhorse]

Madison Rising’s version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8C7i9kdEf8

this one makes me want to lock and load

[Veggie Todd]

Well, now that hispanics are moving into the majority, it’s “Jose, can you see.”

[Kaslin]

BTTT

[Kaslin]

Thanks for posting the entire song

[Whenifhow]

Yes, thanks for posting the 4 verses of our national anthem.

Interview with the author of the book called “the Star Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America’s National Anthem”
4:14 Minutes (Description under the video)

America Celebrates 200 Years of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FANmSSoieMs

[DoughtyOne]

In a way, it’s a song you have to battle to sing. I like that. It’s a lot easier than standing and fighting like the good men the song commemorates for all time.

Our nation is represented with the words that put others on notice, that we’ll stand and fight to the last man for this nation.

Wouldn’t trade it for any other song.

[SkyDancer]

I always thought “America The Beautiful” better describes our country.

[stars & stripes forever]

Thank you for the short summary of the history of the Star Spangled Banner.

It seems appropriate to re-post the inspired 4th stanza that declares “In GOD we trust!”

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!

[Stepan12]

People don't realize there are four stanzas to The Star Spangled Banner -- not one. These people clapped prematurely at my humble rendition of our National Anthem because they didn't know about the three other stanzas: The Star Spangled Banner (the defense of Ft. McHenry).

[Agamemnon]

The Star Spangled Banner was penned by Francis Scott Key 200 years ago today!

A scan of the first magazine printing of the Star Spangled Banner as it appeared in the Analectic Magazine in November, 1814

“He watched the flag at the fort through the whole day with an anxiety that can be better felt than described, ….”

A scan of the Centennial program celebration, Sept 6 -14, 1914

A felt banner from the Centennial celebration, Sept 6 -14, 1914

A lapel button from the Centennial celebration, Sept 6 -14, 1914, that I happen to be wearing today!

We have a lot to be thankful for.

Let’s all celebrate!

FReegards!

[Whenifhow]

2:13 Minutes - 2010
MARINE STUNS A TEA PARTY WITH THE FOURTH VERSE OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0fQd858cRc

See this thread:

On its 200th anniversary, five myths about ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3203975/posts