You're a Grand Old Flag: Difference between revisions

"You're a Grand Old Flag"
"You're a Grand Old Flag"
	Cover of 1906 sheet music
Song
Published	1906
Genre	Patriotic, American march
Songwriter(s)	George M. Cohan
	; Paul V. Yoder's arrangement of "You're a Grand Old Flag"'s chorus, as performed by a United States Army band.

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"You're a Grand Old Flag" is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in 1906 for his stage musical George Washington, Jr.^[1]

History

The song was first publicly performed on February 6, the play's opening night, at Herald Square Theater in New York City. "You're a Grand Old Flag" quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of sheet music.^[1] The title and first lyric comes from someone Cohan once met; the Library of Congress website notes. "You're a Grand Old Flag" would go on to become one of the most popular U.S. marching-band pieces of all time.

The original lyric for this perennial George M. Cohan favorite came, as Cohan later explained, from an encounter he had with a Civil War veteran who fought at Gettysburg. The two men found themselves next to each other and Cohan noticed the vet held a carefully folded but ragged old flag. The man reportedly then turned to Cohan and said, "She's a grand old rag." Cohan thought it was a great line and originally named his tune "You're a Grand Old Rag." So many groups and individuals objected to calling the flag a "rag," however, that he "gave 'em what they wanted" and switched words, renaming the song "You're a Grand Old Flag".^[1]

In the play itself, the scene with the Civil War soldier was replicated. The soldier's comment was the lead-in to this song. Thus, the first version of the chorus began, "You're a grand old rag / You're a high-flying flag". Despite Cohan's efforts to pull that version, some artists such as Billy Murray had recorded it under its original title, "The Grand Old Rag", in advance of the play's opening, and copies under that title still circulate among collectors. Cohan's second attempt at writing the chorus began, "You're a grand old flag / Though you're torn to a rag". The final version, with its redundant rhyme, is as shown below.

Today, many different arrangements of the song exist. In particular, Paul V. Yoder's 1954 arrangement of "You're a Grand Old Flag" is a version commonly used today by the U.S. military in its performances of the song.^[2]^[3]

Uses

The song is often performed by marching bands on Flag Day, as the holiday is intended to celebrate the flag of the United States.

Lyrics

Instrumental chorus

U.S. Air Force Band, 1997

1906 recording

Billy Murray

Instrumental chorus

U.S. Marine Corps band performing Paul Yoder's arrangement's chorus during a flag-raising ceremony at MCB Camp Pendleton in February 2012

Problems playing these files? See media help.

Verse 1
There's a feeling comes a-stealing,
And it sets my brain a-reeling,
When I'm list'ning to the music of a military band.
Any tune like "Yankee Doodle"
Simply sets me off my noodle,
It's that patriotic something that no one can understand.

"Way down South, in the land of cotton,"^{[N 1]}
Melody untiring,
Ain't that inspiring?

Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll join the jubilee!^{[N 2]}
And that's going some, for the Yankees, by gum!^{[N 3]}
Red, White and Blue, I am for you!
Honest, you're a grand old flag!

Verse 2
I'm no cranky hanky panky,
I'm a dead square, honest Yankee,
And I'm mighty proud of that old flag that flies for Uncle Sam.
Though I don't believe in raving
Ev'ry time I see it waving,
There's a chill runs up my back that makes me glad I'm what I am.

Here's a land with a million soldiers,
That's if we should need 'em,
We'll fight for freedom!

Hurrah! Hurrah! For ev'ry Yankee Tar,^{[N 4]}
And old G.A.R., ev'ry stripe, ev'ry star.
Red, White and Blue, hats off to you!
Honest, you're a grand old flag!

Chorus
You're a grand old flag,
You're a high-flying flag,
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.^{[N 5]}
Ev'ry heart beats true
'Neath the Red, White and Blue,^{[N 6]}
Where there's never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,^{[N 7]}
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

^ Reference to "Dixie".
^ Reference to "Marching Through Georgia."
^ Line taken directly from the previous year's Cohan hit, "The Yankee Doodle Boy".
^ Old fashioned slang for a sailor, a.k.a. "Jack Tar". See tar.
^ Reference to "The Star-Spangled Banner."
^ Or "Under Red, White and Blue".
^ Reference to "Auld Lang Syne".

Other uses

The song has been modified for use as the fight song of the Melbourne Football Club^[4] who play in the Australian Football League, as well as by lower league clubs West Perth Football Club in the WAFL, Sturt Football Club and Norwood Football Club in the SANFL, North Hobart Football Club in the TSL, Port Melbourne Football Club and the Casey Demons in the VFL as well as the Mansfield Eagles in the Goulburn Valley Football League. A modified version of the song was also used by the Yippies in 1968 for their nomination of Pigasus.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "You're a grand old flag [Song Collection]". Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 Oct 2009.
^ "You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder)". YouTube. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.
^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "George M. Cohan, You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder)". YouTube. 3 April 2014.
^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "The official Melbourne Football Club theme song". YouTube. 19 March 2018.
^ From 1968: "Official Statement of the Youth International Party". YouTube.

External links

[4] Reference to "Dixie".

[5] Reference to "Marching Through Georgia."

[6] Line taken directly from the previous year's Cohan hit, "The Yankee Doodle Boy".

[7] Old fashioned slang for a sailor, a.k.a. "Jack Tar". See tar.

[8] Reference to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

[9] Or "Under Red, White and Blue".

[10] Reference to "Auld Lang Syne".

[LOC-1] "You're a grand old flag [Song Collection]". Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 Oct 2009.

[2] "You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder)". YouTube. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.

[3] Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "George M. Cohan, You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder)". YouTube. 3 April 2014.

[11] Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "The official Melbourne Football Club theme song". YouTube. 19 March 2018.

[12] From 1968: "Official Statement of the Youth International Party". YouTube.

[1]

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[3]

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[N 2]

[N 3]

[N 4]

[N 5]

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[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Song composed by George M. Cohan}}
-[[Image:You're a Grand Old Flag.png|200px|thumb|right| ]]
+{{more citations needed|date=July 2018}}
-"'''You're a Grand Old Flag'''" is a [[List of patriotic songs|patriotic song]] of the [[United States]]. The song, a spirited [[March (music)|march]] written by [[George M. Cohan]], is a tribute to the [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]].  In additon to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in [[1906]] for ''George Washington, Jr.'', his [[Musical theater|stage musical]].
+{{Infobox song
+| name       = You're a Grand Old Flag
+| cover      = You're A Grand Old Flag (sheet music cover).jpg{{!}}border
+| alt        =
+| caption    = Cover of 1906 sheet music
+| type       =
+| artist     =
+| album      =
+| EP         =
+| written    =
+| published  = {{Start date|1906}}
+| released   =
+| format     =
+| recorded   =
+| studio     =
+| venue      =
+| genre      = Patriotic, [[American march]]
+| length     =
+| label      =
+| writer     = [[George M. Cohan]]
+| composer   =
+| lyricist   =
+| producer   =
+| prev_title =
+| prev_year  =
+| title      =
+| next_title =
+| next_year  =
+| misc       = {{center|[[File:You're A Grand Old Flag U.S. Army Band.ogg]]}}<br />[[Paul V. Yoder]]'s arrangement of "[[:File:You're A Grand Old Flag U.S. Army Band.ogg|You're a Grand Old Flag]]"'s chorus, as performed by a United States Army band.
+}}
+"'''You're a Grand Old Flag'''" is an [[American patriotic march]]. The song, a spirited [[March (music)|march]] written by [[George M. Cohan]], is a tribute to the [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]]. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in 1906 for his [[Musical theater|stage musical]] ''George Washington, Jr.''<ref name=LOC />
+==History==
-The song was first publicly performed on [[February 6]], the play's opening night, at Herald Square Theater in [[New York City]]. "You're a Grand Old Flag" quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of [[sheet music]]. The title and first lyric comes from someone Cohan once met; the [[Library of Congress]] website notes:
+The song was first publicly performed on February 6, the play's opening night, at [[Herald Square Theater]] in [[New York City]]. "You're a Grand Old Flag" quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of [[sheet music]].<ref name=LOC /> The title and first lyric comes from someone Cohan once met; the [[Library of Congress]] website notes. "You're a Grand Old Flag" would go on to become one of the most popular U.S. marching-band pieces of all time.
+<!-- Please do not fix quotation-mark punctuation in the following DIRECT QUOTE. -- Paine Ellsworth -->
-:''The original lyric for this perennial George M. Cohan favorite came, as Cohan later explained, from an encounter he had with a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] veteran who fought at [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]]. The two men found themselves next to each other and Cohan noticed the vet held a carefully folded but ragged old flag. The man reportedly then turned to Cohan and said, "She's a grand old rag." Cohan thought it was a great line and originally named his tune "You're a Grand Old Rag." So many groups and individuals objected to calling the flag a "rag," however, that he "gave 'em what they wanted" and switched words, renaming the song "You're a Grand Old Flag."''
+{{quote|The original lyric for this perennial George M. Cohan favorite came, as Cohan later explained, from an encounter he had with a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] veteran who fought at [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]]. The two men found themselves next to each other and Cohan noticed the vet held a carefully folded but ragged old flag. The man reportedly then turned to Cohan and said, "She's a grand old rag." Cohan thought it was a great line and originally named his tune "You're a Grand Old Rag." So many groups and individuals objected to calling the flag a "rag," however, that he "gave 'em what they wanted" and switched words, renaming the song "You're a Grand Old Flag".<ref name=LOC>{{cite web |title = You're a grand old flag [Song Collection<nowiki>]</nowiki> |url = http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000026/default.html |publisher = Library of Congress |location = Washington, D.C. |access-date = 19 Oct 2009}}</ref>}}
-In the play itself, the scene with the Civil War soldier was replicated.  The soldier's comment was the lead-in to this song.  Thus the first version of the chorus began, "You're a grand old rag / You're a high-flying flag".  Despite Cohan's efforts to pull that version, some artists such as [[Billy Murray (singer)|Billy Murray]] recorded it under its original title, "The Grand Old Rag".  Cohan's second attempt at writing the chorus began, "You're a grand old flag / Though you're torn to a rag".  The final version, with its redundant rhyme, is as shown below.
+In the play itself, the scene with the Civil War soldier was replicated. The soldier's comment was the lead-in to this song. Thus, the first version of the chorus began, "You're a grand old rag / You're a high-flying flag". Despite Cohan's efforts to pull that version, some artists such as [[Billy Murray (singer)|Billy Murray]] had recorded it under its original title, "The Grand Old Rag", in advance of the play's opening, and copies under that title still circulate among collectors. Cohan's second attempt at writing the chorus began, "You're a grand old flag / Though you're torn to a rag". The final version, with its redundant rhyme, is as shown below.
+Today, many different arrangements of the song exist. In particular, [[Paul V. Yoder]]'s 1954 arrangement of "You're a Grand Old Flag" is a version commonly used today by the U.S. military in its performances of the song.<ref>{{cite web| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/FiHHmTN-Rhc | archive-date = 2021-12-05| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiHHmTN-Rhc%20| title = You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder) | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 18 February 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/-xpKWCe44Bo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200809033446/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xpKWCe44Bo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xpKWCe44Bo| title = George M. Cohan, You're a Grand Old Flag (arr. P. Yoder) | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 3 April 2014 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
-The song was a major set piece in Cohan's 1942 film biography, ''[[Yankee Doodle Dandy]]''.
+==Uses==
-In [[Australia]], the tune of the song formed the basis of the club song of the [[Melbourne Football Club]].
+The song is often performed by marching bands on [[Flag Day (United States)|Flag Day]], as the holiday is intended to celebrate the [[flag of the United States]].
 ==Lyrics==
+{{Listen|type=music
+|filename=USAFB - You’re a Grand Old Flag.ogg
+|title=Instrumental chorus
+|description=[[United States Air Force Band|U.S. Air Force Band]], 1997
+|filename2=Billy Murray - You're a Grand Old Flag.ogg
+|title2=1906 recording
+|description2=[[Billy Murray (singer)|Billy Murray]]
+|filename3=You're a Grand Old Flag, MCB Camp Pendleton, February 2012.oga
+|title3=Instrumental chorus
+|description3=U.S. Marine Corps band performing Paul Yoder's arrangement's chorus during a flag-raising ceremony at [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|MCB Camp Pendleton]] in February 2012}}
+<poem lang="fr" style="float:left;">'''Verse 1'''
+There's a feeling comes a-stealing,
+And it sets my brain a-reeling,
+When I'm list'ning to the music of a military band.
+Any tune like "[[Yankee Doodle]]"
+Simply sets me off my noodle,
+It's that patriotic something that no one can understand.
+"Way down South, in the land of cotton,"{{refn|Reference to "[[Dixie (song)|Dixie]]".|group=N}}
-'''Verse 1'''
+Melody untiring,
+Ain't that inspiring?
+Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll join the jubilee!{{refn|Reference to "[[Marching Through Georgia]]."|group=N}}
-:There's a feeling comes a-stealing,
+And that's going some, for the Yankees, by gum!{{refn|Line taken directly from the previous year's Cohan hit, "[[The Yankee Doodle Boy]]".|group=N}}
-:And it sets my brain a-reeling,
+Red, White and Blue, I am for you!
-:When I'm listening to the music of a military band.
+Honest, you're a grand old flag!</poem>
-:Any tune like "[[Yankee Doodle]]"
+<poem style="margin-left:1em; float:left;">'''Verse 2'''
-:Simply sets me off my [[Noodle|noodle]],
+I'm no cranky hanky panky,
-:It's that patriotic something that no one can understand.
+I'm a dead square, honest [[Yankee]],
+And I'm mighty proud of that old flag that flies for [[Uncle Sam]].
+Though I don't believe in raving
+Ev'ry time I see it waving,
+There's a chill runs up my back that makes me glad I'm what I am.
+Here's a land with a million soldiers,
-:"[[Dixie (song)|Way down south, in the land of cotton]],"
+That's if we should need 'em,
-:Melody untiring,
+We'll fight for freedom!
-:Ain't that inspiring?
+Hurrah! Hurrah! For ev'ry Yankee Tar,{{refn|Old fashioned slang for a sailor, a.k.a. "Jack Tar". See [[wikt:tar|tar]].|group=N}}
-:[[Marching Through Georgia|Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll join the jubilee!]]
+And old [[Grand Army of the Republic|G.A.R.]], ev'ry stripe, ev'ry star.
-:[[The Yankee Doodle Boy|And that's going some, for the Yankees, by gum]]! <sup>1</sup>
-:Red, white and blue, I am for you!
+Red, White and Blue, hats off to you!
-:Honest, you're a grand old flag!
+Honest, you're a grand old flag!</poem>{{clear|left}}
+<poem>'''Chorus'''
+You're a grand old flag,
+You're a high-flying flag,
+And forever in peace may you wave.
+You're the emblem of the land I love,
+The home of the free and the brave.{{refn|Reference to "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]."|group=N}}
+Ev'ry heart beats true
+'Neath the Red, White and Blue,{{refn|Or "''Under'' Red, White and Blue".|group=N}}
+Where there's never a boast or brag.
+But should auld acquaintance be forgot,{{refn|Reference to "[[Auld Lang Syne]]".|group=N}}
+Keep your eye on the grand old flag.</poem>
+{{Reflist|group=N|colwidth=27em}}
+==See also==
-'''Verse 2'''
+{{Portal|Music|United States}}
+* "[[The Stars and Stripes Forever]]"
+*[[Flag anthem]]
+==Other uses==
-:I'm no cranky hanky panky,
+The song has been modified for use as the fight song of the [[Melbourne Football Club]]<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/88oGQY2BrK8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200611001918/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88oGQY2BrK8 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88oGQY2BrK8| title = The official Melbourne Football Club theme song | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 19 March 2018 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> who play in the [[Australian Football League]], as well as by lower league clubs [[West Perth Football Club]] in the [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]], [[Sturt Football Club]] and [[Norwood Football Club]] in the [[SANFL]], [[North Hobart Football Club]] in the [[Tasmanian Football League|TSL]], [[Port Melbourne Football Club]] and the [[Casey Demons]] in the [[Victorian Football League|VFL]] as well as the Mansfield Eagles in the Goulburn Valley Football League. A modified version of the song was also used by the Yippies in 1968 for their nomination of [[Pigasus (politics)|Pigasus]].<ref>From 1968{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://youtube.com/watch?Cz52P1MqhX8| title = Official Statement of the Youth International Party | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
-:I'm a dead square, honest [[Yankee]],
-:And I'm mighty proud of that old flag
-:That flies for [[Uncle Sam]].
-:Though I don't believe in raving
-:Ev'ry time I see it waving,
-:There's a chill runs up my back that makes me glad I'm what I am.
+==References==
-:Here's a land with a million soldiers,
+{{Reflist}}
-:That's if we should need 'em,
-:We'll fight for freedom!
-:Hurrah! Hurrah! For every Yankee [[tar]]<sup>2</sup>
-:And old [[Grand Army of the Republic|G.A.R.]]
-:Ev'ry stripe, ev'ry star.
-:Red, white and blue,
-:Hats off to you
-:Honest, you're a grand old flag!
-'''Chorus'''
-:You're a grand old flag,
-:You're a high flying flag
-:And forever in peace may you wave.
-:You're the emblem of
-:The land I love.
-:[[The Star-Spangled Banner|The home of the free and the brave]].
-:Ev'ry heart beats true
-:'neath the Red, White and Blue,<sup>3</sup>
-:Where there's never a boast or brag.
-:But [[Auld Lang Syne|should auld acquaintance be forgot]],
-:Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
-==Footnote==
-:<sup>1</sup> Line taken directly from the previous year's Cohan hit, ''[[The Yankee Doodle Boy]]''
-:<sup>2</sup> Old fashioned slang for a sailor, a.k.a. "Jack Tar"
-:<sup>3</sup> Or "under" Red, White and Blue
 ==External links==
+{{Commons category|You're a Grand Old Flag}}
+* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010512/default.html 1906 sheet music] from the [[Library of Congress]]
+* [https://archive.org/download/BillyMurray_part4/BillyMurray-TheGrandOldRag.mp3 Billy Murray solo recording (as "The Grand Old Rag")]
+* [https://archive.org/download/AmericanQuartetwithBillyMurray_part2/AmericanQuartetwithBillyMurray-YoureaGrandOldFlag.mp3 Billy Murray and the American Quartet (as "You're a Grand Old Flag")]
+{{List of official United States national symbols}}{{Billy Murray|state=autocollapse}}
-*[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010512/default.html 1906 sheet music] &mdash; provided by the Library of Congress
+{{Authority control}}
-{{American songs}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:You're A Grand Old Flag}}
-[[Category:Patriotic songs]]
+[[Category:1906 songs]]
+[[Category:American patriotic songs]]
+[[Category:Billy Murray (singer) songs]]
+[[Category:Songs written by George M. Cohan]]
+[[Category:History of New York City]]
+[[Category:Songs from musicals]]
+[[Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings]]
+[[Category:Concert band pieces]]

v t e National symbols of the United States
Symbols	Flag Great Seal Bald eagle Uncle Sam Columbia Phrygian cap General Grant (tree) American Creed Pledge of Allegiance Rose Oak Bison
Landmarks	Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) Liberty Bell Mount Rushmore National Mall West Potomac Park
Mottos	In God We Trust E pluribus unum Novus ordo seclorum Annuit cœptis
Songs	"The Star-Spangled Banner" "Dixie" "America the Beautiful" "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" "The Stars and Stripes Forever" "Hail to the Chief" "Hail, Columbia" "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)" "God Bless America" "Lift Every Voice and Sing" "The Army Goes Rolling Along" "Anchors Aweigh" "Marines' Hymn" "Semper Fidelis" "The Air Force Song" "Semper Paratus" "Semper Supra" "National Emblem March" "The Washington Post March" "Battle Hymn of the Republic" "Yankee Doodle" "You're a Grand Old Flag" "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" "This Land Is Your Land" "Battle Cry of Freedom"