The Stars and Stripes Forever

«The Stars and Stripes Forever» (en español: «Las estrellas y barras para siempre») es una marcha militar patriótica estadounidense generalmente considerada la obra maestra del compositor John Philip Sousa. Por ley del Congreso, es la Marcha Nacional de los Estados Unidos de América.

En su autobiografía, Marching Along, Sousa escribió que compuso la marcha en la Navidad de 1896. Acababa de enterarse de la reciente muerte de David Blakely, entonces director de la Banda de Sousa. Compuso la marcha durante un viaje a Europa y al volver a Estados Unidos escribió la partitura. Se interpretó por primera vez en Willow Grove Park, a las afueras de Philadelphia, el cuatro de mayo de 1897, siendo acogida con gran éxito por el público e interpretada en casi todos los conciertos que Sousa dirigió a partir de entonces. Sólo se ha conservado la grabación de una de estas interpretaciones, llevada a cabo en 1909.

Let martial note in triumph float
And liberty extend its mighty hand
A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers,
The banner of the Western land.
The emblem of the brave and true
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom's shield and hope.

Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

Let eagle shriek from lofty peak
The never-ending watchword of our land;
Let summer breeze waft through the trees
The echo of the chorus grand.
Sing out for liberty and light,
Sing out for freedom and the right.
Sing out for Union and its might,
O patriotic sons.

Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation,
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free.
May it wave as our standard forever
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray,
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

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