My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died [sic],
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev-'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!
 
My native [sic] 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 proclaim.
 
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.
 
The rather orotund text is by Samuel F. Smith (1808 - 1895).
 
I've been known to recommend this as an alternative to "The Star-Spangled
Banner" as a national anthem;  but in view of the present-day obsession with
separation of church and state in the U.S., that last verse probably wouldn't
pass muster.
 
At least, it's better than that of "America the Beautiful" --- with its
"alabaster cities"!
 
Arthur LaMirande
 
P.S.  So sorry, List owners, if off-topic.  It wouldn't be the first off-topic
posting today!
 
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Note:  opinions  expressed on PIPORG-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity at Albany.
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