Sometimes the best things have already been written or recorded. Sometimes in this hectic world we live in where it is Red vs. Blue and right vs. left we forget important things. Things like pride in our country. Patriotism. Love of country. That is why I submit for your reading and listening pleasure the 1974 Johnny Cash recording of a marvelous piece of spoken prose, Ragged Old Flag.
“I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sittin’ there.
I said, “Your old courthouse is kinda run down.”
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town.”
I said, “Your old flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that’s a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.”
He said, “Have a seat,” and I sat down.
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is.” He said, “I don’t like to brag,
But we’re kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when
Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night that Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writin’ Say Can You See.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seems.
“And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.
“On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II.
She’s hung limp and low a time or two.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.
“She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land here she’s been abused –
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused.
“And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she’s getting threadbare and she’s wearing thin,
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in.
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.
“So we raise her up every morning, take her
down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold
her up right.
On second thought, I DO like to brag,
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of the Ragged Old Flag.”
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Matt
I believe that future generations should have the same opportunities that myself, and those that came before me, had. My parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted to do. I don’t want to have to tell my daughter, “You can do whatever the government tells you to do.” We are at a crossroads in this country; are we going to be free, or are we going to be slaves to the nanny state. I choose freedom.
It’s been a long time since I have heard or thought about this piece by Johnny Cash. Thanks for reminding me of what our flag stands for. It also reminded me of some of the things Jerry Clower used to say about our country and what it stands for. Thanks again for sharing.
This really reminds me of how our popular culture used to actually celebrate our freedoms and heritage. Now, it’s a cesspool of Cultural Marxism. It’s nice to see these links to how we have been, and how we can be again.
Your post is a nice antidote to the picture I saw earlier in the week where Obama’s face replaced the stripes. Like Johnny Cash and John Wayne, it is hard to find real icons who know that patriotism is more than a progressive’s punch line. Our flag is more than some novelty, and if hearing the Star Spangled Banner while looking at our flag doesn’t get you choked up – you may have a defect.
Thank you all for your comments. I think we should have a Patriotic Songlist for the site.
we forget important things. Things like pride in our country. ..so true my friend!:)
I remember this old song Don. Great words. Many have forgotten the pride in being American, but many have not and herein lies the rub. Unfortunately many hate our past, while many others love the greatest that has been America. I’m afraid Don there is little middle ground on this.