photo #1334271

Ragged Old Flagby Johnny Cash, 1974I walked through a county courthouse squareOn a park bench, an old man was sitting thereI said "Your old court house is kind of run down"He said "Naw, it'll do for our little town"I said "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit"And that's a ragged old flag you got hanging on itHe 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 kind of proud ofThat Ragged Old FlagYou see, we got a little hole in that flag thereWhen Washington took it across the DelawareAnd It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching itWriting Say Can You SeeIt got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & JacksonTugging at its seamsAnd It almost fell at the AlamoBeside the Texas flagBut she waved on thoughShe got cut with a sword at ChancellorsvilleAnd she got cut again at Shiloh HillThere was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and BraggAnd the south wind blew hard onThat Ragged Old FlagOn Flanders Field in World War IShe got a big hole from a Bertha GunShe turned blood red in World War IIShe hung limp, and low, a time or twoShe was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sentBy her Uncle SamShe waved from our ships upon the briny foamAnd now they've about quit waving back here at homeIn her own good land here She's been abusedShe's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refusedAnd the government for which she standsHas been scandalized throughout out the landAnd she's getting thread bare, and she's wearing thinBut she's in good shape, for the shape she's inBecause she's been through the fire beforeAnd I believe she can take a whole lot more"So we raise her up every morningAnd we bring her down slow every nightWe don't let her touch the groundAnd we fold her up rightOn second thoughtI do like to bragBecause I'm mighty proud ofThat Ragged Old Flag