[MandoMan]

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.

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Here is the third verse by the way, which is never sung.

It does have the word slave in it but it doesn't appear to me to be talking about African slaves specifically.



Will we be banning the Bible next because of the references to slaves?

I think that what some are missing here is that the US Flag was the flag of the north in the Civil War. It's the symbol of those who fought to end slavery.

I don't know how you can fight to get rid of the Stars and Bars and also the Star Spangled Banner?

[stadry]

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 !

[noslices1]

Originally Posted by anothersteve

I agree and I'm tired of this pandering under the pretense of systemic racism.

Steve

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.

[billethkid]

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

[Bay Kid]

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

[blueash]

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."

[valuemkt]

Originally Posted by Caruso9

No doubt in my mind, when they play that song, they will be standing and maybe even crying. (Phonies). Then once the National Anthem is played, all will take a knee. I am waiting to see if they will remove the National Anthem.

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

[maggie1]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

Written by the poet James Weldon Johnson and the composer John J. Johnson in 1900. It’s a hymn, but you can march to it or waltz to it, depending on how you accentuate it. Just in case you wondered what it sounds like and what the words are, here it is.

YouTube

So, when you are at the game, will you stand and salute or will you take a knee?

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.

[BlackhawksFan]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

.
.
.
My bad. I always thought that "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States.

National anthem
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A national anthem (also state anthem, national hymn, national song, etc.) is generally a patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style.

It appears I slept through this in Civics class....>>>

NOW.... (talk about divisive IMO)>

From USA Today (article linked below)

NFL will play Black national anthem 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' before each Week 1 game


Starting with the nationally televised regular-season opener between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 10, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem, will be performed before every Week 1 kickoff, before "The Star-Spangled Banner," according to a person familiar with ongoing discussions.

NFL plans Black national anthem 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' in Week 1

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

[blueash]

Originally Posted by valuemkt

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

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.

[charlesesampson]

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

[Heyitsrick]

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

Originally Posted by Professor Timothy Askew

To sing the 'black national anthem' suggests that black people are separatist and want to have their own nation. This means that everything Martin Luther King Jr. believed about being one nation gets thrown out the window.

...

Who has the right to decide for all black people what racial symbol they should have? Identity should be developed by the individual himself, not a group of people who think they know what is best for you.

...

We need to consider eliminating this alternative label of 'black national anthem' in order to promote unity. I know people will probably think that I'm a sellout, but I think it is important that African-Americans nationally understand that we should be moving towards racial cohesiveness.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by maggie1

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.

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.

[DeanFL]

Originally Posted by blueash

You are going to hear it before the first regular season game only. Once unless you watch several first games from different teams.

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.
.
Wanna make a bet that it will stop at 'first game only"?
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.
.

[TexaninVA]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

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.

Excellent and informed post