Tuesday, April 17, 2012

AT THE HEART OF EVERY HUMAN BEING BEATS THE DRUM OF FREEDOM

One of my favorite songs is one that speaks of liberty, beauty, music and God as the sources and proclamation of our freedom.

The lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831. It is usually sung to the tune of the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen," but that does not diminish its deep meaning one bit.

Until 1931, when the "Star Spangled Banner" was officially adopted, it served as our defacto national anthem.

Every line of this song, perhaps every noun and verb, deserves to be understood in the depths of our being.

Indeed, if we don't start living its precepts again, we will lose all it stands for and all we have been as a nation.

1
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

2
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.

3
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

4
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King

18 comments:

Ducky's here said...

" This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
I saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me. "

--- Woodrow Wilson Guthrie

Ducky's here said...

Much better song.

Joe said...

Ducky: Nah. Good, but not better.

Joe said...

Ducky: You see, the issue is liberty and freedom, some things you hold in low regard.

Another good one is: "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free..."

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

I like "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America"

Anonymous said...

OORAH !!! Semper Fi !

Trekkie4Ever said...

I remember singing that in elementary.

Beautiful words.

Lisa said...

'You see, the issue is liberty and freedom, some things you hold in low regard"

good one Joe!

Ducky's here said...

Funy you bring up the greenwood song (utter junk IMO), I've always been curious.

"Where at least I know I'm free".

Odd construction (not that he has any writing skill). What does it mean?

How does he "know" he's free?

Well, at least Woody knew what we have here and didn't think "freedom" meant trashing it to guarantee corporate personhood and freedom.

Z said...

Ducky, not even 'good'...yuck.

And, "come on people...come on..."..Arlo's much (MUCH) better, anyhow.

And you don't know what that "at least I know I'm free" MEANS in America? Well, things have become muddled because of the leftists but I still thought y'all knew what it at least MEANT to most Americans.
People from all over the world have come here for that very statement..they knew they would be free, in the land Americans KNEW we were free.
Today, notsomuch, sadly.

Lone Ranger said...

All these lyrics mean nothing when liberals gain office and feel compelled to restrict our freedoms.

Joe said...

Z: That's the thing. Liberals don't know what freedom is or what liberty means. They are full-fledged controlists from the get-go. To them you are free to do what they tell you you can do.

Knuckledraggin said...

What Lone Ranger said...!!!!!

sue hanes said...

Joe - Thanks for posting these lyrics.

I've always loved this song - and I always will.

I think I like America the Beautiful better - though.

Especially when it is sung by Ray Charles.

Ducky's here said...

I think it's the martial tempo that attracts the fringe right to the song, Joe. Not so much the lyrics.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

Ducky,

If you think that is a martial tempo, that demonstrates you have no clue. The tune definitely isn't one to march to, even if the time signature is right. There is no uplifting, morale building, let's kill the enemy sound to it. Have you ever marched? Do you ever listen to martial, marching music - such as John Phillip Sousa stuff, or even some great bagpipe tunes!?!

You are so full of B.S. and liberal propaganda that you can't think intelligently on your own - you probably have cue cards to read.

The Debonair Dudes World said...

May God bless our efforts to help get America back on track.

Joe said...

Ducky: It's a hymn, you dingbat!

Do you even know what makes a song a hymn?

Obviously not.

sue hanes: Charles' arrangement is my all-time favorite for that song.

I Love that Mark Levin uses it to close his show each Friday, don't you?