Many fans, friends and family of Jody Olsen attend her swearing-in at the Peace Corps Office
Of the chorus it is lines 3 and 4 that grip US : l. 3 And forever in peace may…
On March 30, 2018, Dr. Josephine (Jody) Olsen took the oath of office to become the 20thDirector of the Peace Corps. The oath was administered by Acting Director of Human Resource Management Tina Williams. Jody was accompanied by her daughter Kirsten Andersen. Olsen has previously served the agency in various capacities, including as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1966-1968.
You’re a Grand Old Flag
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“You’re a Grand Old Flag”
You’re A Grand Old Flag 1.jpg
Cover of 1906 sheet music for “You’re a Grand Old Flag”.
Song
Published 1906
Genre Patriotic, American march
Songwriter(s) George M. Cohan
MENU0:00
“You’re a Grand Old Flag”, as performed by a United States Army band.
“You’re a Grand Old Flag” is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the American flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in 1906 for George Washington, Jr., his stage musical.[1]
Contents
1 History
2 Lyrics
3 Media
4 See also
5 Notes
6 References
7 External links
History
The song was first publicly performed on February 6, the play’s opening night, at Herald Square Theater in New York City. “You’re a Grand Old Flag” quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of sheet music.[1] The title and first lyric comes from someone Cohan once met; the Library of Congress website notes:
The original lyric for this perennial George M. Cohan favorite came, as Cohan later explained, from an encounter he had with a Civil War veteran who fought at Gettysburg. The two men found themselves next to each other and Cohan noticed the vet held a carefully folded but ragged old flag. The man reportedly then turned to Cohan and said, “She’s a grand old rag.” Cohan thought it was a great line and originally named his tune “You’re a Grand Old Rag.” So many groups and individuals objected to calling the flag a “rag,” however, that he “gave ’em what they wanted” and switched words, renaming the song “You’re a Grand Old Flag”.[1]
— Library of Congress
In the play itself, the scene with the Civil War soldier was replicated. The soldier’s comment was the lead-in to this song. Thus the first version of the chorus began, “You’re a grand old rag / You’re a high-flying flag”. Despite Cohan’s efforts to pull that version, some artists such as Billy Murray had recorded it under its original title, “The Grand Old Rag”, in advance of the play’s opening, and copies under that title still circulate among collectors. Cohan’s second attempt at writing the chorus began, “You’re a grand old flag / Though you’re torn to a rag”. The final version, with its redundant rhyme, is as shown below.
Lyrics
Verse 1
There’s a feeling comes a-stealing,
And it sets my brain a-reeling,
When I’m list’ning to the music of a military band.
Any tune like “Yankee Doodle”
Simply sets me off my noodle,
It’s that patriotic something that no one can understand.
“Way down South, in the land of cotton,”[N 1]
Melody untiring,
Ain’t that inspiring?
Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll join the jubilee!
And that’s going some, for the Yankees, by gum![N 2]
Red, White and Blue, I am for you!
Honest, you’re a grand old flag!
Verse 2
I’m no cranky hanky panky,
I’m a dead square, honest Yankee,
And I’m mighty proud of that old flag that flies for Uncle Sam.
Though I don’t believe in raving
Ev’ry time I see it waving,
There’s a chill runs up my back that makes me glad I’m what I am.
Here’s a land with a million soldiers,
That’s if we should need ’em,
We’ll fight for freedom!
Hurrah! Hurrah! For ev’ry Yankee Tar,[N 3]
And old G.A.R., ev’ry stripe, ev’ry star.
Red, White and Blue, hats off to you!
Honest, you’re a grand old flag!
Chorus
You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high-flying flag,
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev’ry heart beats true
‘Neath the Red, White and Blue,[N 4]
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,[N 5]
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
I saw our flag in the swearing-in photo posted and felt a lot of hope again
Chorus
You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high-flying flag,
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev’ry heart beats true
‘Neath the Red, White and Blue,[N 4]
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,[N 5]
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
Of the chorus it is lines 3 and 4 that grip US :
l. 3 And forever in peace may you wave.
l. 4 You’re the emblem of the land I love ….