the star spangled banner full song lyrics

It was a rainy night, and so the fort was flying its 'storm flag,' a smaller version of the normal 15-star-15-stripe flag. Key was a temporary prisoner of war during the attack, his mission to secure an exchange of prisoners suspended while British ships poured round after round into the fort's defenses, on September 13, 1814. Poet Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics in 1814, after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Until 1818 the flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes.'The Star-Spangled Banner' is America's national anthem, so designated by Congress in 1931. The flag was so big that it could be seen in the last light before the night and the first light at dawn. The words DAWN and LIGHT may be understood literally or figuratively as optimism for the new nation. The morning after the battle of Baltimore (September 13, 1814, here referred to as perilous fight) Key saw the flag flying over Fort McHenry. AnalysisĪnd what about the meaning of the first verse? What is it all about? Let’s analyze some parts of the lyrics:ĭawn’s early light / at the twilight’s last gleaming Stream – to move freely in one direction especially in wind or water Rampart – a tall, thick stone or dirt wall that is built around a castle, town, etc., to protect it from attacks – usually plural Twilight /ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt/ – the light from the sky at the end of the day when night is just beginning Hail – to speak of or welcome with praise or enthusiasm There are some words that might not sound familiar to all of you. O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Vocabulary O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?Īnd the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight‘s last gleaming, O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, The parts that are highlighted, are explained in more detail. So, let’s have a look at the lyrics of the first verse and analyze it line by line. Verse / stanza /ˈstænzə/ – a group of lines in a poem National anthem /ˈænθəm/ – a song that praises a particular country and that is officially accepted as the country’s song To spangle – to decorate or cover sth with many small, shiny objects - usually used as (be) spangled The national anthem consists of four stanzas.

The star spangled banner full song lyrics