Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key Lyrics
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Oh say can you see
by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hail'd
At the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare
the bombs bursting 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?
Verse 2:
On the shore dimly seen
Through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host
In the 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!
Verse 3:
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 not leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out
Their foul footstep's 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.
Verse 4:
Oh, thus be it ever
When freemen shall stand
Between their loved home
And the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace
May the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the power that hath made
And preserv'd 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.
The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States of America. It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships in Chesapeake Bay. The song describes the resilience of the American flag during the attack, and its continued presence representing the triumph and unity of the nation.
The first verse of the song begins by asking the question, "Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light?" which sets the scene for the rest of the lyrics. The second line continues the imagery of the sun rising and introduces the topic of the flag, which is described as "proudly" being waved. The third and fourth lines describe the flag as having broad stripes and bright stars that were watched over the ramparts during the fight. The rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air reveal the flag's continued presence throughout the conflict. The final lines repeat the question from the beginning, asking if the flag still waves over the "land of the free and the home of the brave."
The second verse adds more detail to the story, describing the flag in the context of the battle. The "foe's haughty host" refers to the British troops, and the "gleam of the morning's first beam" reflects the sunlight on the flag as the battle is ending. The third verse is more reflective, focusing on those who have sacrificed their lives for the nation in the past. The final verse ends with a call to continue striving for freedom and praising God for the past and future victories.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh say can you see
by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hail'd
At the twilight's last gleaming
Can you see the flag in the early morning light, and remember the pride and honor we felt when we saw it at dusk?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming?
The flag with its stripes and stars, that we watched fly bravely over the fort walls during a dangerous fight?
And the rockets' red glare
the bombs bursting air,
Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.
The sight of rockets and bombs during the night proved the flag was still flying and standing for our freedom.
Oh say does that
star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave?
Is our flag still flying high over 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 the dread silence reposes,
The enemy camp, hidden in the misty morning, resting in silent haughtiness on the distant shore?
What is that which the breeze,
O'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows,
Half conceals, half discloses?
What is that symbol barely glimpsed on the tall flagpole, that the wind is uncovering and hiding by turns?
‘Tis the star-spangled banner,
oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave!
It is the same flag of stars and stripes that continues to wave proudly over 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
Where are the soldiers who proudly vowed to conquer war and confusion while defending our freedom?
A home and a country
Should not leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out
Their foul footstep's pollution.
Did they give their lives in vain, fighting for their home, their country, and our freedom or does their sacrifice make us the land of the free?
No refuge could save
The hireling and slave
From the terror of flight
Or the gloom of the grave
Neither hired soldiers nor slaves could escape the terror of war or the finality of death.
And the star spangled banner
in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave.
The flag, still bravely waving in victory, signifies 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!
May freedom-loving people always stand strong in defense of their homeland, even in the face of war's destruction.
Blest with vict'ry and peace
May the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the power that hath made
And preserv'd us a nation!
May the land, saved by divine intervention, be blessed with victory and peace, and may its people thank the power that made them and preserves them as a nation.
Then conquer we must,
When our cause, it is just,
And this be our motto
“In God is our Trust”
We must fight and win when our cause is just, and always trust in God to protect us.
And the star-spangled banner
In triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave.
The flag, waving in triumph, reminds us that we are the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Lyrics © Histoire et Chansons, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Francis Scott Key
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind