Ragged Old Flag
Johnny Cash
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
I walked through a county courthouse square On a park bench an old man was sitting 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 Francis Scott Key Sat watching it writing say can you see And it got a bad rip in New Orleans With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams 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 one She got a big hole from a Bertha gun She turned blood red in World War Two She hung limp and low a time or two She was in Korea and Vietnam She went where she was sent by 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 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 We 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 that ragged old flag
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
10 facts about this song
Release Date"Ragged Old Flag" was released on June 5, 1974.
|
GenreThis Johnny Cash song represents the country and spoken word genres.
|
Album Information"Ragged Old Flag" is the title track from Johnny Cash's 47th album.
|
Song InspirationJohnny Cash was inspired to write this song during a time of national unrest, specifically marked by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War.
|
Song ThemeThe song prominently symbolizes American patriotism, national unity, and resilience during tough times.
|
Awards and RecognitionWhile it did not win any awards, "Ragged Old Flag" became a symbol of American patriotism and has been used in many patriotic celebrations since its release.
|
PerformanceThe song has been performed by Johnny Cash on various platforms, most notably on The Johnny Cash Show.
|
Lyric CompositionUnlike most songs, "Ragged Old Flag" is primarily spoken rather than sung. It tells the story of the American flag's journey through the country's history.
|
Notable ReferencesThe song was used in a 2017 Super Bowl commercial by Fox Sports, further promoting its patriotic appeal.
|
Chart Performance"Ragged Old Flag" peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1974.
|
Citation
Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Ragged Old Flag Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/14063013/Johnny+Cash/Ragged+Old+Flag>.
Discuss the Ragged Old Flag Lyrics with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In