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Ragged Old Flag

by Johnny Cash (1974)


    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 seems.

    "And it almost fell at the Alamo
    Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
    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 hung limp and low by the time it was through.
    She was in Korea and Vietnam.
    She was sent where she was 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 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 that Ragged Old Flag."




Ragged Old Flag


    I walked through a county courthouse square
    On a park bench an old man was sitting there
    I said, "Your courthouse is kinda run down"
    He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town"
    I said, "Your flag pole 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 in 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 watchin' it writing 'Say Can You See'
    And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
    With Packinham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams
    And it almost fell at the Alamo
    Beside the Texas flag but she waved on through

    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 hung limp and low by the time it was through
    She was in Korea and Vietnam

    She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam
    Native Americans, brown, yellow and white
    All shed red blood for the Stars and Stripes
    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
    Has been scandalized throughout the land
    And she's getting threadbare and waring 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 fold her up tight
    On second thought I do like to brag
    'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."





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