Unofficially from 1919, and officially since 1931, The Star Spangled Banner has been the national anthem of the United States. Prior to that time, My Country, 'Tis of Thee written by Samuel Francis Smith, sung to the tune of God Save the King was the official national anthem. It presents quite a different perspective on our national scene, particularly if you consider the minor changes I have made to this text, as follows.
My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty
that now I sing.
Land where my fathers died
(fathers you now deride,
and from each mountainside
dull freedom's ring)
My native country, thee,
land once noble and free,
Thy dream I share.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
Those who this spirit kill,
Let them beware.
Let Music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song.
Let concerned tongues awake;
Let all that dream partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our nation's goal, 'tis this,
setting aside hubris,
we strive to sing.
Once more may this land glow
and by proof, make it so ---
against each perceived foe
we pledge this thing.
My country, lost to view
What has become of you,
Can you stand tall?
Drop all your false pretense,
learn from experience
Make your ideals self-evident
to one and all.
10 JUN 2004
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