"Sweet land of liberty"

7-3-09 singing brain
Day four of our vacation, we head south back into Iowa, driving two hours to my hometown of Charles City. We will spend five days here.

The 4th of July over the years has evolved into a big celebration for our family, partly to honor my Dad's service in the Marines during WWII and also because we are thankful for our freedoms and blessed to live in America.


My niece Sarah makes the traditional flag cake every year since she was about 10 years of age. This is lasts years cake, when she was age 20.



At our traditional 4th of July dinner celebration with family and friends at my parents house, before dinner we start with the Pledge of Allegiance and then "try" to sing.... and every year we say- "next year we need to bring the words".... since most of use only know the first verse.
So here it is!



AMERICA
by Samuel F. Smith - 1832

My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring.

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom's holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King.

Our glorious Land to-day,
'Neath Education's sway,
Soars upward still.
Its hills of learning fair,
Whose bounties all may share,
behold them everywhere
On vale and hill!

Thy safeguard, Liberty,
The school shall ever be,
Our Nation's pride!
No tyrant hand shall smite,
While with encircling might
All here are taught the Right
With Truth allied.

Beneath Heaven's gracious will
The stars of progress still
Our course do sway;
In unity sublime
To broader heights we climb,
Triumphant over Time,
God speeds our way!

Grand birthright of our sires,
Our altars and our fires
Keep we still pure!
Our starry flag unfurled,
The hope of all the world,
In peace and light impearled,
God hold secure!