Memorial Day Should Mean More Than Just Racing
5/23/2014
PattyKay Lilley
I bid
you welcome gentle readers, to one of the most important tales you might ever
hear, and I mean that sincerely. Some of you know that I have been a stickler
for proper presentation of The Star Spangled Banner, our National Anthem, for
years on end. Perhaps that comes from being a child throughout the second World War and being raised in a time when patriotism
was the norm, not an anomaly. On Memorial Day weekend, the Anthem takes on an even
more special meaning, as we pause to honor our war dead... from any war...
those that made the supreme sacrifice so that our flag might always continue to
wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Yes,
Memorial Day weekend brings racing; many years it brings great and astounding
racing at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, but
even those two great racing venues pause to remember those that gave their
lives so that we are free to gather together for a race whenever we
choose. It has been said that a man does
not know freedom until he has tasted slavery. Be thankful you never had to pay
that price... someone else paid it for you.
Sunday
at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, we shall once again hear the dulcet tones of
Jim Nabors as he intones the theme song of the race, "Back Home Again, in
Indiana", as he has done for many years... either live or on tape. Alas
gentle readers, this shall be the last time we'll hear Jim do the theme song of
the Indianapolis 500. Jim, it's been great and you'll never know how very many
hearts you've touched over the years, both as Gomer Pyle and singing that
precious Indiana inspired song as no one else ever will again. All I can offer
is Thank You, from the bottom of my heart.
Nabors'
singing of that song, followed by the haunting sound of a single bugle blowing
"Taps" quite literally makes the hair on my arms stand up as I
shiver. It is such a stirring way to
announce that it is almost time for the race to begin.
And
then, most years, the good folks at Indianapolis go and ruin the mood in the
same manner we've become all too accustomed to in NASCAR. They go out and
secure the services of some "Widely Acclaimed Star" or "Singing
Sensation" to "perform" our National Anthem. The Star Spangled Banner (or is that The Star
Mangled Banner?) does not need to be performed! As the National Anthem of these
United States of America, it needs to be offered with the honor and dignity
that it deserves.
It is a
strong tune; not quite a march, but its tempo is quick. It is not a torch song,
and requires no caressing of the microphone or facial grimaces. It already has
words and it already has a melody. There is no need to change either. One other
thing it is not, is a vocal exercise. No
one cares what notes a singer can reach, if they are not part of the actual
tune... as written. (At least, they shouldn't) The key word here... all too
often entirely lacking... is R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
Now
then, can I sing it? You've never heard me croak or you wouldn't even ask. I
lip-sync even in a large crowd, and folks that know me, thank me for that. I
do, however, have a good ear for the music of others, and for years, I used
that along with my platform as a motorsports journalist to offer my opinion of
a myriad of good and bad renditions of the Anthem. Over the years, NASCAR fans
have been offered a wide variety of singers, and some of them have been quite
good. Last year, this piece recommended a singer I've loved to hear for many
years, but because I know that Jim Nabors won't be coming back next year, I checked
the records to see if he had ever done the Star Spangled Banner for a NASCAR
race.
Voila!
My efforts were rewarded when I found that he sang it at the inaugural
Brickyard 400 in 1994. Upon hearing and recalling Jim's offering, I knew he
would be my standard of excellence in this article this year. Please enjoy
hearing our National Anthem as it can sound when done right.
And now,
perhaps with Jim's powerful voice as a background, I'd like to share with you
all a story that was sent to me years ago by one of my readers, knowing of my
love for our flag and my campaign to gain proper respect for our National
Anthem. There used to be a link that allowed one to listen to the radio
presentation, but it has long since been erased from the archives of WHO radio
in Iowa. That's a pity, because it was done in a very gripping way by someone
that could really hold your attention as he spun the tale. It tells a story
that will chill you to the bone, but it teaches well why America is free, and
the price that was paid, from the beginning, so that she might remain that way.
Today, as we approach Memorial Day, 2014, may God bless all branches of our
Military, and may He hold evermore in His loving hands all those that have made
the supreme sacrifice for that most noble cause.
The Story Behind
The National Anthem
By an unknown speaker
As heard on Jan Mickelson's show on WHO Radio
There was a lawyer once. His name was Francis Scott Key. He penned a song that
I'm sure you're aware of. You've seen it; it's in most hymnals throughout our
churches. It's called the National Anthem. It is our song as an American.
We go, however, to a ballgame; we stand in our church services and we sing the
words to that song and they float over our minds and our lips and we don't even
realize what we're singing. Most of us have memorized it as a child. But we've
never really thought about what it means. Let me tell you a story.
Francis Scott Key was a lawyer in Baltimore. The colonies were engaged in
vicious conflict with the mother country, Britain. Because of this conflict
(and the protractiveness of it), they had accumulated
prisoners on both sides. The American colonies had prisoners and the British
had prisoners. And the American Government initiated a move. They went to the
British and said let us negotiate for the release of these prisoners. They
said, "We want to send a man out to discuss this with you." They were
holding the American prisoners in boats about a thousand yards offshore. And
they said, "We want to send a man by the name of Francis Scott Key. He
will come out and negotiate to see if we can make a mutual exchange."
On the appointed day, in a rowboat, he went out to this boat and he negotiated
with the British Officials. And they reached a conclusion that men could be
exchanged on a one-for-one basis.
Francis Scott Key, Jubilant with the fact that he'd been successful, went down
below in the boats and what he'd found was a cargo hold full of humanity. Men.
And he said, "Men, I've got news for you tonight, you're free!" He
said, "Tonight I have negotiated successfully your return to the
colonies." He said, "You'll be taken out of this boat, out of this
filth, out of your chains."
As he went back up on board to arrange for their passage to the shore, the
admiral came and he said, "We have a slight problem." He said,
"We will still honor our commitment to release these men, but it'll be
merely academic after tonight. It won't matter."
Francis Scott Key said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "Well Mr. Key, tonight, we have laid an ultimatum upon the
colonies. Your people will either capitulate and lay
down the colors of that flag that you think so much of, or -- you see that fort
right over there -- Fort Henry?" He said, "We're going to remove it
from the face of the earth."
[Key] said, "How are you going to do that?" [The admiral] said,
"If you will, scan the horizon of the sea." As [Key] looked, he could
see hundreds of little dots. And [The admiral] said, "That's the entire
British war fleet." He said, "All of the gun power; all of the
armament is being called upon to demolish that fort. [The fleet] will be here
within striking distance in a matter of about two and a half hours." He
said, "The war is over; these men would be free anyway."
[Key] said, "You can't shell that fort!" He said, "That's a
large fort." He said, "It's full of women and children." He
said, "It's predominantly not a military fort."
[The Admiral] said, "Don't worry about it. They said we've left them a
'way out'"
[Key] said, "What's that?"
[The Admiral] said, "Do you see that flag way up there on the
rampart?" He said, "We have told them that if they will lower that
flag, the shelling will stop immediately...and we'll know that they've
surrendered...and you'll now be under British rule."
Francis Scott Key went down below and told the men what was about to happen.
And they said, "How many ships?", and he said, "Hundreds."
The ships got closer. Francis Scott Key went back up on top and he said,
"Men, I'll shout down to you what's going on as
we watch."
As twilight began to fall and as the haze hung over the oceans as it does at
sunset, suddenly the British war fleet unleashed.
Bam!
He said, "The sounds were deafening." He said, "There were so
many guns; there were no reliefs." He said, "It was absolutely
impossible to talk or hear." He said, "Suddenly, the sky, although
dark, was suddenly lit." And he says from down below, all he could hear,
the men, the prisoners saying was, "Tell us where the flag is. What have
they done with the flag? Is the flag still flying over the rampart? Tell
us!"
One hour. Two hours. Three hours into the shelling. Every time the bomb would
explode and it would be close to the flag, they could see the flag in the
illuminated red glare of that bomb, and Francis Scott Key would report down to
the men below, "It's still up! It's not down!"
The admiral came, and he said, "Your people are insane." He said,
"What's the matter with them?" He said, "Don't they understand
this is an impossible situation?"
Francis Scott Key said he remembered what George Washington had said. He said,
"The thing that sets the American Christian apart from all other people in
the world is he will die on his feet before he'll live on his knees."
The Admiral said, "We have now instructed all of the guns to focus on the
rampart to take that flag down." He said, "We don't understand
something. Our reconnaissance tells us that that flag has been hit
directly...again...and again...and again, and yet it's still flying. We don't
understand that." "But", he said; "now we're about to bring
every gun, for the next three hours, to bear on that point."
Francis Scott Key said the barrage was unmerciful. All that he could hear...was the men down below...praying. The prayer: "God keep
that flag flying...where we last saw it."
Sunrise came. [Key] said there was a heavy mist hanging over the land, but the
rampart was tall enough...there stood the flag...completely nondescript...in
shreds. The flagpole itself was at a crazy angle. But the flag was still at the
top. Francis Scott Key (went aboard and) immediately went into Fort McHenry to
see what had happened. And what he'd found had happened was that that flagpole
and that flag had suffered repetitious direct hits...and when it had
fallen...that men, fathers...who knew what it meant for that flag to be on the
ground...although knowing that all of the British guns were trained on it,
walked over and held it up...humanly...until they died. Their bodies were
removed and others took their place. Francis Scott Key said what held that
flagpole in place at that unusual angle...were
patriots' bodies.
He penned the song:
"Oh say, can you see...by
the dawn's early light...what so proudly we hailed...at the twilight's last
gleaming...for the rocket's red glare...the bombs bursting in air...gave proof
through the night...that the flag was still there! Oh say, does that star spangled
banner yet (fly and) wave...for the land of the free...and the home of the
brave."
The debt was demanded. The price...it was paid.
Complete lyrics to The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs 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 on 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 wiped 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.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved 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!
The actual flag
flown over Fort McHenry.
30 by 42 feet and costing $405.90 ($5,440.21 in 2007).
The flag was made from 400 yards of wool bunting.
The 15 stars each measured two feet from point to point.
The Flag is currently housed in the National Museum of American History.
Well
gentle readers, that is the story, as I heard it told many years ago, and I
wanted you to read it just that way. It is a compelling, gripping and most
importantly, true story of how our National Anthem came to be. The gentleman on
the Jan Mickelson show presented it ever so much better than did Sister Rose
Margaret, my fourth grade teacher, but then, he probably didn't have some 45
nine-year olds to control while telling it. She handled that part well.
And now
it's time to present you with something I found last year on YouTube. This is a
fairly new compilation; at least, it wasn't there the year before. It gives no
credit or hint as to who the narrator might be, but I believe that after so
long a time, I have actually unearthed the version heard all those years ago.
The person compiling the video accompaniment has done a very commendable job. I
would urge you to view it twice. Once while watching his videos and once while
reading along with the words I've typed above. The video is a nice accompaniment,
but following the words alone, and hearing the voice of that narrator speak
them as you read them, gives truly a most gripping effect. My fondest hope is
that after reading... and hearing this story, you will pass it on to your
friends, and more importantly, your children. This isn't some video game or a fairy tale gentle readers. It's real; it's
fact, and it's heart-rending. If everyone knew the story that lies behind our
Anthem, I'm confident we would see more respect and love afforded to that oh so
difficult to sing piece of music.
I found
it disappointing that at the end of this wonderful presentation, the author
chose to feature Whitney Houston in closing. Personally, I would mute her and
put Jim Nabors in the background for a much better effect... but that's just
me. What's even more disappointing is that Indianapolis Motor Speedway has
contracted LeAnn Rimes to sing the Anthem this year. This scribe has heard Ms
Rimes sing, or yodel if you prefer, our National Anthem too many times already.
What a shame, when they have Jim Nabors right there! What an awesome good-bye
that would be, to have Jim conclude his singing career with the Star Spangled
Banner!
This
weekend, when they key up the Anthem, at Indy [LeAnn Rimes] and again at
Charlotte [Brantley Gilbert], remember what the words mean, why they were
written, and above all, hear that voice in your head, telling again the story
you read here, while some "Star" is busy disrespecting our Nation's
colors.
Time now
for our Classic Country Closeout, and as always, there is a Country Music Song
for any occasion. What could be more fitting, as we celebrate Memorial Day, or
Decoration Day as it was called when I was much younger... a day set aside to
honor our war dead, than to hear The Man in Black, Johnny Cash, tell the tale
of that "Ragged Old Flag?
And as a
bonus, just because I can, we'll close out with a song I've always loved. This
one was written by Bobby Bare and performed by several folks including Bobby,
but the duo that made it first and best was one of America's favorite singing
pairs. Please enjoy "God Bless America Again" by Loretta Lynn and
Conway Twitty.
Be well
gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~
PattyKay