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Star Spangled Banner Lyrics | Francis Scott Key

Star Spangled Banner Lyrics

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bomb bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
‘Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

About “The Star-Spangled Banner”

“The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States, composed by Francis Scott Key in 1814. The lyrics were inspired by the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. As Key watched the battle unfold, he was moved by the sight of the American flag, known as the “Star-Spangled Banner,” still flying proudly over the fort after the attack.

The lyrics are set to the melody of an old British drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The anthem’s powerful imagery of resilience, freedom, and national pride has made it an enduring symbol of American identity. It officially became the national anthem in 1931.

In modern times, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is performed at public events, including sports games and national ceremonies, often evoking feelings of patriotism and unity. Its challenging vocal range makes it a remarkable song to perform, and it remains a staple in American culture, symbolizing the country’s enduring spirit and love of freedom.