Go to this site, scroll down to Star Spangled Banner and listen to the audio
http://www.whoradio.com/mickelson/banner.html
And what of that foe, that 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 power could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave.
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh, thus shall it be e'er, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.
Blessed with vict'ry and peace, let the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the power that made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, if our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is Our Trust."
And the Star Spangled Banner forever shall wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
... some say you're either a Commie or a Bircher if you know all four verses. I'm neither, I just really like the song!
Glorious Fourth, everybody!
This is a nice story, but rather false, and obviously so. The actual story is quite grand enough; there is no need to make stuff up.
you see that fort right over there -- Fort Henry?" The story was fascinating, but the mention of Fort Henry caused me to question the validity of the story. The Fort that the British were to demolish that night was Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland.
I don't know if the story is true or not; don't really care, either. What I DO care about is how The National Anthem is sung! Makes me furious to hear it sung "soul" style, like a luuuuv song (you know, the slow, sexy stuff), or any OTHER way that's "interpretative". Just give me a good Marine band to play/sing it and everyone else sit down and SHUT UP!