The Star-Spangled Banner is USA's national anthem.
I'm quite a fan of this song, as well as the Star-Spangled Banner. (i'm a US citizen since 2000 and lived on her soil since 1990.) I have listened to about 18 performances of this song by different singers, and my favorites are: Jimi Hendrix ◇ Marvin Gaye ◇ Tiffany Bennington.
I have yet to hear a performance that sing more than just the first stanza.
The lyrics:
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 rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Chorus Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er 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 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 Chorus 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er 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, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave Chorus And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er 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! Bles't with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath 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.” Chorus And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. |
The lyrics of this song says so much about the human animals. Look at the first stanza. When in war, confusion falls, and one way for the animals to tell about their future's prosperity is to look at the hilltop: “Who's banner is it flying?”.
Why hilltop? Because that's the highest ground where a flag would be most effective in its visual communication. Why flag? Because flag is the visual analog of dog piss; being the most effective in visually communicating territorial claims.
And, observe the lyrics, of blood and bombs and slaves. These are typical words appearing in national anthems. The screed and violence in the Star Spangled Anthem does not necessarily outshine others. Look at the lyrics of National Anthems of the Chinese, French, Russia…
See also: Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen), The Stereotypical American.
Here's the national anthem of China, The March of the Volunteers (义勇军进行曲)
起来！不愿做奴隶的人们！ 把我们的血肉, 筑成我们新的长城！ 中华民族到了最危险的时候, 每个人被迫着发出最后的吼声。 起来！起来！起来！ 我们万众一心, 冒着敌人的炮火, 前进！ 冒着敌人的炮火, 前进！ 前进！前进！进！ |
Arise! All who refuse to be slaves! Let our flesh and blood become our new Great Wall! As the Chinese nation faces its greatest peril, All forcefully expend their last cries. Arise! Arise! Arise! May our million hearts beat as one, Brave the enemy's fire, March on! Brave the enemy's fire, March on! March on! March on! On! |
Note the use of the words: slaves, flesh and blood, last cries.
The French's national anthem: La Marseillaise, one of the most bloody.
La Marseillaise Arise, children of the fatherland The day of glory has arrived! Against us, tyranny's Bloody banner is raised. (repeat) Do you hear in the fields The howling of these savage soldiers? They are coming into your midst To cut the throats of your sons, your wives! To arms, citizens! Form your battalions! Let us march, let us march! May tainted blood Water our fields! What does this horde of slaves, Traitors, and plotting kings want? For whom these vile chains These long-prepared irons? (repeat) Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage, What fury it must arouse! It is us they dare plan To return to the old slavery! To arms, citizens… What! These foreign cohorts! They would make laws in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes Would cut down our proud warriors! (repeat) Good Lord! By chained hands Our brow would yield under the yoke The vile despots would become The masters of our destinies! To arms, citizens… Tremble, tyrants and traitors The shame of all good men Tremble! Your parricidal schemes Will receive their just reward! (repeat) Against you, we are all soldiers If our young heroes fall, The earth will bear new ones, Ready to join the fight against you! To arms, citizens… Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Bear or hold back your blows! Spare these sad victims That they may regret taking up arms against us (repeat) But not these bloody despots These accomplices of Bouillé All these tigers who mercilessly Ripped out their mother's breast! To arms, citizens… Sacred patriotic love, Lead and support our avenging arms Liberty, cherished liberty, Fight back with your defenders! (repeat) Under our flags, let victory Hurry to your manly tone, So that your enemies, in their last breath, See your triumph and our glory! To arms, citizens… (Children's Verse) We shall enter the career When our elders will no longer be there There we shall find their dust And the mark of their virtues (repeat) Much less jealous of surviving them Than of sharing their coffins, We shall have the sublime pride Of avenging or following them! To arms, citizens…
Note the use of the words: bloody, howling, “To cut the throats of your sons, your wives!”, slaves, “Ripped out their mother's breast!”. The French are really that sexual.
The following is the old Russian national anthem, used before the disintegration of USSR. For detail, see National Anthem of Russia.
Music by Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov. Lyrics by Sergey Mikhalkov and G El-Registan.
Unbreakable Union of freeborn Republics, Great Russia has welded forever to stand. Created in struggle by will of the people, United and mighty, our Soviet land! Sing to the Motherland, home of the free, Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong. O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people, To Communism's triumph lead us on! Through tempests the sunrays of freedom have cheered us, Along the new path where great Lenin did lead. To a righteous cause he raised up the peoples, Inspired them to labor and valorous deed. [Or, the old way: Be true to the people, thus Stalin has reared us, Inspire us to labor and valorous deed!] Sing to the Motherland, home of the free, Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong. O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people, To Communism's triumph lead us on! In the vict'ry of Communism's deathless ideal, We see the future of our dear land. And to her fluttering scarlet banner, Selflessly true we always shall stand!
See also this artwork by Manara: Historical figures and milestones of Russia.