The Star Spangled Banner
Music by John Stafford Smith
Words by Francis Scott Key
This version published 1917 by Oliver Ditson
Original publication 1814


[Verse 1]
Oh! say can you see
by the dawn's ear-ly light,
What so proud-ly we hail'd
at the twi-light's last gleam-ing?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
thro' the per-il-ous fight,
O'er the ram-parts we watch'd,
were so gal-lant-ly stream-ing?

And the rock-et's red glare,
the bombs burst-ing in air,
Gave proof thro' the night
that our flag was still there

Oh, say, does that star span-gled ban-er
yet wa-ve O'er the la-nd of the free,
and the home of the brave?

[Verse 2]
On the shore, dim-ly seen
thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haught-y host
in dread si-lence re-po-ses,

What is that which the breeze,
o'er the tow-er-ing steep,
As it fit-ful-ly blows,
half con-ceals, half dis-clos-es?

Now it catch-es the gleam
of the morn-ing's first beam,
In full glo-ry re-flect-ed
now shines on the stream;

'Tis the star spang-gled ban-ner,
Oh long may it wa-ve O'er the la-nd of the free,
and the home of the brave!

[Verse 3]
Oh! thus be it ev-er
when free men shall stand,
Be-tween their loved homes
and the war's des-o-la-tion;

Blest with vic-t'ry and peace,
may the heav'n res-cued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made
and pre-served us a na-tion!

Then con-quer we must,
when our cause it is just,
And this be our mot-to,
"In God is our trust!"

And the star span-gled ban-ner
in tri-umph shall wa-ve
O'er the la-nd of the free,
and the home of the brave!