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 perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, and the bombs in air
Gave us proof through the night that our flag was still there
And our flag marked with blood, with the blood of our hands
And our hands marked with death, with the blood of the man
And the man on the cross, and the cross on our hearts
Has it done nothing more, than to drive us apart?

And the rockets red glare and the bombs in the air
Gave us proof through the night that our flag was still there
And our flag marked with blood, with the blood of our hands
And our hands marked with death, with the blood of the man
And the man on the cross, and the cross on our hearts
Has it done nothing more, than to drive us apart?

Oh say, does that star
(Oh say, does that star)

Spangled banner yet wave
(Spangled banner yet wave)

O'er the land of the free
(O'er the land of the free)

And the home of the brave?
(And the home of the brave?)



Lyrics submitted by Way_AE, edited by xuledahi561


The Star Spangled Banner song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:I feel like his rendition of this song is a critique of how our so-called patriotism, fueled by our apparent religiosity, gives us the feeling of just cause to go ahead and ruin other people's lives, and ours in the process. Yet it begins with the first verse of the US National Anthem, which details the beauty and poignancy of the birth of this patriotism. Wow.
    Flag rootieon September 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Played at the Sasquatch Music Festival. 5/27/06
    youtube.com/…
    Played in San Francisco sometime in July 06.
    youtube.com/…
    Flag Reddiffson July 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Really good version of the song, best one I've ever heard.
    Flag life_is_sweeton October 28, 2006   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I think it's about his love for Jesus. "man on the cross"? Duh.
    Just kidding.
    Flag tommygon October 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is haunting. it's so beautiful.
    Flag starvingchildrenon August 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The line is actually "Has it done nothing more, then to drive us apart?"
    Flag proposalson April 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:You can legally download this song for free by going to archive.org and searching for "sufjan stevens." Download or stream the concert at "Lee's place in Toronto." This song is about 56 minutes and 20 seconds into the concert.

    What an amazing song. Probably the most powerful rendition of a patriotic song Jimi Hendrix's version of the same song at Woodstock. This might even be more powerful than that version. Well down, Sufjan.
    Flag jschles2on April 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:If anyones curious, this song has at least been played in concert. I dont know if it's on any CD anywhere.
    Flag Way_AEon December 07, 2005   Link

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