The Meaning Behind The Lyrics Of ‘Ragged Old Flag’ By Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin, 1969 - Johnny Cash / Youtube
“I thank God for all the freedom we have in this country, I cherish them and treasure them – even the right to burn the flag. We also got the right to bear arms, and if you burn my flag, I’ll shoot you.” – Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash knew how to pay tribute to his motherland and if there’s someone who would threaten to disrupt its peace, he would, in his way, do something about it. Back in 1974, as then-president Richard Nixon departed the White House over the Watergate Scandal, Cash didn’t miss the opportunity to pay homage to the country and his beloved American flag through his song, “Ragged Old Flag.” And although 2 years earlier, Cash had pledged his support to Nixon, the song went on to prove which side he’s leaning more towards.
“Ragged Old Flag” details a man in a town square, as he recalled the moments that the place and the flag have endured over time.
“I walked through a county courthouse square/ On a park bench an old man was sitting there/ I said, your old courthouse is kinda run down/ He said, naw, it’ll do for our little town/ I said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bit/ And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it”
It became a staple to any of Cash’s concerts, and the audience would often sing along to this anthemic, country tune of giving faith to the country and paying respects. Its relevance is still far from being erased, since it’s often used in the celebration of Veteran’s Day, on the 4th of July.
Lyrics:
I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench an old man was sitting there
I said, your old courthouse is kinda run down
He said, naw, it’ll do for our little town
I said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bit
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it
He said, have a seat, and I sat down
Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?
I said, I think it is
He said, I don’t like to brag
But we’re kinda proud of that ragged old flag
You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when
Washington took it across the Delaware
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing say can you see
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seams
And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the texas flag, but she waved on though
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg
And the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag
On Flanders field in World War one
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun
She turned blood red in World War Two
She hung limp and low a time or two
She was in Korea and Vietnam
She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam
She waved from our ships upon the Briny foam
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home
In her own good land here she’s been abused
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused
And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more
So we raise her up every morning
We take her down every night
We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold her up right
On second thought, I do like to brag
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that ragged old flag