| Stars And Stripes Forever |
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"Stars and Stripes Forever" is a Patriotic American March widely considered to be the Magnum Opus of composer John Philip Sousa . By act of Congress , it is the National March of the United States Of America .1 HISTORY In his autobiography, '' Marching Along '', Sousa told how he composed it on Christmas Day 1896 . He had just learned of the recent death of David Blakely, then manager of the Sousa Band. Sousa was on a ferry in Europe at the time, and he composed the march in his head. He committed the notes to paper on arrival in America. Although he would conduct performances of it at virtually every concert until his death, only one recording, made in 1909 , is known to survive today. MUSIC ''Stars and Stripes Forever'' follows the standard American March form of I-A-A-B-B-C-Br-D-Br-D. A four Measure introduction is followed by the first Strain . The first strain is 16 bars and it is repeated before the 16 bar second strain. In performance, it is common for certain instruments to Tacet during the second strain the first time and to play when it is repeated. The Trio changes keys by adding a flat and leads to the breakstrain. The final strain contains the featured Piccolo Obbligato during the first playing while the Trumpet s and Trombone s tacet. The breakstrain is then repeated, and the last strain is played a second time with the trumpets added to the melody and trombones adding a prominent Counter-melody . Many bands adopt the Sousa Band practice of having one or three (never two) Piccolo players play the famous Obbligato in the first repeat of the last strain. LYRICS Sousa wrote lyrics to the piece, but they are not as familiar as the music itself. Many other sets of lyrics, patriotic and otherwise, have been written for the last strain. Two of the most widely known such sets begin with the words "Three cheers for the red white and blue..." and "Be kind to your web-footed friends...". Sousa's lyrics Let martial note in triumph float And liberty extend its mighty hand A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers, The banner of the Western land. The emblem of the brave and true Its folds protect no tyrant crew; The red and white and starry blue Is freedom's shield and hope. Other nations may deem their flags the best And cheer them with fervid elation But the flag of the North and South and West Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation. Hurrah for the flag of the free! May it wave as our standard forever, The gem of the land and the sea, The banner of the right. Let despots remember the day When our fathers with mighty endeavor Proclaimed as they marched to the fray That by their might and by their right It waves forever. Let eagle shriek from lofty peak The never-ending watchword of our land; Let summer breeze waft through the trees The echo of the chorus grand. Sing out for liberty and light, Sing out for freedom and the right. Sing out for Union and its might, O patriotic sons. Other nations may deem their flags the best And cheer them with fervid elation, But the flag of the North and South and West Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation. Hurrah for the flag of the free. May it wave as our standard forever The gem of the land and the sea, The banner of the right. Let despots remember the day When our fathers with mighty endeavor Proclaimed as they marched to the fray, That by their might and by their right It waves forever. Other lyrics
Be kind to your web-footed friends For a duck may be somebody's mother Be kind to your friends in the swamp Where the weather is very, very damp Now, you may think that this is the end... WELL, IT IS!
TRIVIA
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