You're A Grand Old Flag was a tribute to the country's flag and a popular American march written for Cohan's musical in 1906, George Washington, Jr.. It was popularized again during World War II in the film, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). We feature it in American Patriotic Songs.
"You're a Grand Old Flag" sheet music, 1906
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.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'Neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
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!
And that's going some, for the Yankees, by gum!
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 3],
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.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'Neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
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! And that's going some, for the Yankees, by gum! 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 3], 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. Ev'ry heart beats true 'Neath the Red, White and Blue, Where there's never a boast or brag. But should auld acquaintance be forgot, Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
