"The Star-Spangled Banner"

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EricBess

Guest
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, through the periolous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there.
Oh say, does that star-spangles banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen thru 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 on 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!

Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that had 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!

- Francis Scott Key
 
C

Chaos Turtle

Guest
It's a damned good thing we didn't have to recite that every morning in school! :eek:
 
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EricBess

Guest
Um....I would have thought my point were clear to anyone living in the US. I realize that there are a lot of people who aren't, but I'll bet Gerode, for example (who does not live in the US), would pick up on my point anyway.

Do you people know what this song is? It is only the national anthem of the United States. No bid deal or anything :D

My point is, there has been a ton of stuff going on about "Under God" in the pledge, but the bottom line is that there are plenty of references to God in the establishment of The United States of America as a country.

And yes, the motto of the United States is indeed, as mentioned in the song, "In God we trust".

The reason I posted it is because most people are not even aware that there is more than one verse because that is typically all that is sung.
 
S

Spiderman

Administrator
Staff member
The reason I posted it is because most people are not even aware that there is more than one verse because that is typically all that is sung.
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Indeed, that's probably why there isn't a fuss over it.

That and that it's not required "singing" for the lower grades.

Although I bet it's only a matter of time before someone brings it up before public events (although since only the first verse is sung and no reference is made there, they probably can't go anywhere with it).
 
B

Baskil

Guest
Originally posted by EricBess
My point is, there has been a ton of stuff going on about "Under God" in the pledge, but the bottom line is that there are plenty of references to God in the establishment of The United States of America as a country.
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You do realize that the song was not recognized as the national anthem until 1931, right? And that the motto,"In God We Trust" wasn't added until 1863? And that our country was established many years prior?

EDIT: Relevent links -
http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/symbols/rcanthem.htm
 
TomB

TomB

Administrator
Staff member
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air
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I didn't realize they had weapons like this back in the 1700's. Where do these references come from?
 
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Svenmonkey

Guest
I don't think he was referring to fireworks. The warships that were attacking probably had those fat, stubby mortar cannons on them, and I don't think the mortar shells of the time exploded on impact (If they did, they'd probably explode in the cannon most of the time). They probably had a fuse, so on most shots they would actually explode in the air.
 
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Chaos Turtle

Guest
Forgive me for pursuing this off-topic tangent, but...

Actually it was 1814 when the Battle of Baltimore was fought and the "The Star Spangled Banner" was written (on-topic, sort-of: there's a verse missing, but whatever) and not the 1700's.

There were in fact both mortars and rockets used by that time. The British ships used the same type of rockets that India used on the British in the late 1700's. Mortars had been used on British ships since the late 1600's.
 
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