The Stars and Stripes Forever
John Philip Sousa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And liberty extend its mighty hand;
A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers,
The banner of the Western land.
The emblem of the brave and true.
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom's shield and home.
And cheer them with fervid elation
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.
Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever
The Stars and Stripes Forever is a patriotic song that honors the American flag, celebrating it as a symbol of freedom and liberty. The opening line, "Let martial note in triumph float," sets the tone for the entire song, which is triumphant and proud. The song speaks of the flag as an emblem of the brave and true, one that is different from other nations' flags, in that it protects no tyrannical crew. The song emphasizes that the flag is the symbol of freedom's nation. Other nations may have their flags, but the flag of the North and South and West is the flag of flags, the flag of freedom's nation.
The song also mentions the role of the American fathers in fighting for their right to be free. The lyrics state, "Let despots remember the day when our fathers with might and endeavor proclaimed as they marched to the fray, that by their might and by their right it waves forever." This line serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Americans to defend their liberty and the flag that serves as a symbol of their nation.
In summary, The Stars and Stripes Forever is a song that celebrates the American flag and the freedoms that it represents. The lyrics speak of the flag as a symbol of the brave and true, and the American fight for their right to be free.
Line by Line Meaning
Let martial note in triumph float
May the inspiring sound of victory be loudly heard
And liberty extend its mighty hand;
May freedom continue to thrive and expand its pull and power
A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers,
Amidst joyous applause, the flag is raised high for all to see
The banner of the Western land.
It proudly symbolizes the West and all its values
The emblem of the brave and true.
It is a symbol of courage and loyalty
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
It is not a flag for oppressors or dictators
The red and white and starry blue
It is composed of red, white, and blue celestial figures
Is freedom's shield and home.
It serves as a refuge and sanctuary of freedom
Other nations may deem their flags the best
It is possible for other countries to have worthy flags too
And cheer them with fervid elation
And celebrate them with passionate joy
But the flag of the North and South and West
Yet the flag of the united North, South, and West of America
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.
Is the supreme banner and epitome of a nation of free people
Hurrah for the flag of the free!
Hooray for the flag of a land of free individuals!
May it wave as our standard forever,
May it always wave as our constant and unchanged symbol
The gem of the land and the sea,
It represents the most precious and valuable of both land and sea
The banner of the right.
It stands for the most fundamentally righteous principles and ideals
Let despots remember the day
Let tyrants never forget this fateful day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
When our forefathers, with great effort and bravery
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
Declared as they headed into battle
That by their might and by their right
That it was justified and righteous to conquer and defend by force if necessary
It waves forever
The flag shall continue to wave on, undeterred and unbroken
Contributed by Sarah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ThePumpkin506
Don't you just love a perfectly in tune piccolo section
@alanijade4019
ThePumpkin506 right! so pleasing
@georgehiggins1320
are piccolos really hard to tune or something?
@alanijade4019
George Higgins yes!
@georgehiggins1320
I see.
@quas392
I am dead.
The piccolo section killed me.
it was that good.
@FlutistPride
Their brass actually gets quiet while sounding, their piccolos are in tune, and their trombonists can double tongue! What kind of sorcery is this?
@einarsharpe7637
Not sorcery but United States Marines!
@biggestounce
u.s marine magic baby.
@MichaelMMiddleton098
Ender-Chan Iโve played tuba for this....we had to triple-tongue. Yes, that is a thing. No I am not kidding.