Whoever wrote that the third verse is confusing is right. I’ve spent the past 43 years teaching students how to analyze poetry. Here is my take on it.
Verse:

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, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The first three lines asks what has happened to the British army that boasted the war would take away our home and country. In line four the answer is found: our soil was polluted by their foul footsteps, but that pollution has been washed out by their blood. “Hireling and slave” in line five refers to the British troops: mercenaries (hirelings) and drafted or “impressed” poor men (though they weren’t actually slaves, they were forced to serve against their will after being essentially kidnapped). So lines five and six mean that the British troops were running for their lives and dying because they couldn’t find a place to hide. Lines seven and eight concludes the tale of what happened to our enemies by saying our nation’s flag still waves over our land and home.

There! That wasn’t so hard, was it? (Laughing). Beyond question, it’s not an easy verse to understand. I think it would be hard to sing with feeling. It’s almost like singing in a foreign language. However, if you think about it, you’ll see that the first verse is nearly as difficult. Most people who have it memorized would probably have a hard time explaining what is happening, to whom, and when.

I love our National Anthem, but I don’t consider Key a good poet or lyricist. I don’t mind working to figure out a piece of poetry, but good lyric poetry meant to be sung is usually more straightforward so the singers have a better idea of what they are singing about.

listening to imus a few yrs ago, he asked warner wolf's ( then program sportscaster ) opinion of cowboy's upcoming success. dallas was in doldrums then & not having much success. surprised at wolf's optimistic response, imus queried him further.
wolf then expanded & said 10 arrests, 6 convictions - haven't watched the nfl since.'

prediction: including 'black anthem' will only lead to further racial division. white viewers will turn off the nfl in disgust. white viewers outnumber blacks & have more buying power. that, coupled w/mommy-daddy concerns re concussion probability, american football will fall out of favor as viewer pastime. no viewership = sponsor flight. sponsor flight = diminished ad revenue. no ad revenue = less $ for player paychecks/fines/bail $/lawyer fees

the nfl will have been a major contributor & cause of its own demise.

IF rap/hip-hop/ganster rap were not supported by whites, it would have no audience either.

just my opinion based only on economics !

Systemic racism
 

On top of all this, now the Washington Redskins are now going to have to change their name, as FEDEX, who owns their stadium is putting lots of pressure and Nike has removed all of their team products and advertisers are being pressured to abandon them.

This will start a chain reaction that will force other teams to do the same, even if their names only SEEM racist like the Cleveland BROWNS, and for sure the Cleveland INDIANS. New England PATRIOTS would sound racist to SOME groups and if they protest enough they could get their way. Maybe just change ALL the teams to Numbers, like the Philadelphia 76 ers.

It will continue as long as we the people allow it to happen!

If we love our country and our history we are in trouble.

Why do POC feel that there is still a major issue with racism in this country? I present for you a facebook posting by an election officer in Mississippi. She likely will tell you she is not a racist and is perfectly capable of conducting an election without racial animus. She has not resigned.

Her explanation for her posting is just as bad.
"We've always in the past had whites really participating in registering to vote. So many people don't seem to be concerned about [voting]. This was an error on my part."

Will they be Singing ??h
 

So, they might be standing . they might be crying .. BUT will they be singing ?? Before Goodell announced it, how many blacks would have been able to answer the following questions: Is there a Black National Anthem ? What is the name of it ? Who is the author ? Can you sing the lyrics ?? It might be played as a spiritual in some Churches.. hmm there's another question .. what percentage of black FAMILIES attend church ?

oh by the way, The Star Spangled Banner is the National Anthem of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .. Do Blacks in other countries recognize this as their Anthem ?
One NATION UNDER GOD .. Happy Fourth of July

Pretty song, but by the time it ends (three minutes +), I'm afraid I'd be at the concession stand for another hot dog and beer. I wonder just how man of the athletes that now take a knee during the National Anthem even know the words to this song? And while we are destined to hear it before sporting events, and by repitition maybe even sing along to it, it should never be played before our National Anthem. We don't dip our flag to host countries during the Olympics, nor do we allow other flags to hoist higher than Old Glory.

The Star Spangled Banner was adopted by Congress in 1931 as the National Anthem.

How many Americans of any color know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, and I mean the first part which is played all the time. What are ramparts? How many people in the stands or on the field ever are seen singing during the playing of the anthem? No one has ever suggested the term Black National Anthem is meant to indicate that POC do not believe that the SSB is not our National Anthem. The term is used like Gator Nation is used for UF or Buckeye Nation for THE OSU. No one suggests that playing the alma mater of OSU or its fight song somehow means that people who are part of Buckeye Nation are not part of the USA.

The poem and song are not just sung in Black churches. It is No 519 in the United Methodist Hymnal. It has been used in Presbyterian white churches
And even in white churches in Nebraska


As to whatever you are suggesting by wondering how often Black families go to church.. Really? Are you suggesting that looking at church attendance somehow tells you something about being good or bad people? White people go to church but black families don't which explains our national problems... right? Please look up church attendance by race in the US and come back with the answer to your question.

National Anthem
 

Star Spangled Banner adopted as the National Anthem of the United States on March 3rd, 1931!!

One black professor had his own take on the "Black National Anthem". From a CNN article:

You are going to hear it before the first regular season game only. Once unless you watch several first games from different teams. As to your suggestion that it should never be played before the SSB, you have it wrong. Example when a National Hockey League game is played in the US, they play Oh Canada first and the SSB last. The SSB is the last event before the beginning of the game. That explains the old joke What are the last 2 words of the SSB? Play Ball.

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Wanna make a bet that it will stop at 'first game only"?
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Excellent and informed post :coolsmiley: