I WALKED THROUGH
A COUNTY
COURTHOUSE SQUARE
ON A PARK BENCH
AN OLD MAN
WAS SITTIN' 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
HANGIN' 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
POWDERBURNED
THE NIGHT THAT
FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
SAT WATCHIN' IT
WRITIN' SAY CAN YOU SEE
AND IT GOT A BAD RIP
IN NEW ORLEANS
WITH PACKINGHAM
AND JACKSON
TUGGIN' AT ITS SEAMS
AND IT ALMOST FELL
AT THE ALAMO
BESIDE THE TEXAS FLAG
BUT
SHE WAVED ON THOUGH
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 ONE
SHE GOT A BIG HOLE
FROM A BERTHA GUN
SHE TURNED BLOOD RED
IN WORLD WAR TWO
SHE HUNG LIMP
AND LOW
A TIME OR TWO
SHE WAS IN KOREA
VIETNAM
SHE WENT WHERE SHE
WAS SENT
BY HER UNCLE SAM
SHE WAVED
FROM OUR SHIPS
UPON THE BRINY FOAM
AND NOW THEY'VE
ABOUT QUIT WAVIN' 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 GETTIN'
THREADBARE AND SHE'S
WEARIN' 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 MORNIN'
WE 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