[DallasMike]

What are ramparts and why were we watchin' em?

I think the words are, "Oar the ramparts, we watched." I don't know what people were doing with oars on the ramparts, but it must have been a sight to behold if someone wrote a song about it.

[concerned about politics]

"Oar the ramparts, we watched." Ramparts.....A small "castile like" wall they peeked over while fighting. It shielded them.

[nothingnew]

I think the words are, "Oar the ramparts, we watched."

It's "o're"...as in "over" the ramparts we watched....

FMCDH

[MarkL]

Oar the ramparts, we watched

It's "Over the ramparts, we watched," which refers to the shelling of Ft. McHenry (I think... It's been a while). Francis Scott Key was a prisoner on a British ship that was participating in the attack, which lasted all night, but "by dawn's early light," the flag was still there!

The fort still stood, after an all night barage.

Mark

[Collier]

Hey Dallas, It's not Oar.......O'er. Contraction for Over. Over the ramparts we watched.

[Let's Roll]

It's "O'er the ramparts we watched..."

O'er is poetic form of "Over". (ramparts would mean the walls of a fort in this case) Or did you know that and you were having some fun with us?

[NYpeanut]

Now, that's just plain silly.