The Riverside song book/Old Ironsides
OLD IRONSIDES.
Oliver Wendell Holmes. Unknown
Maestoso. (Air: Andreas Hofer.)
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1. Ay, tear the tat - tered en - sign down! Long has it waved on high,
2. Her deck, once red with he - roes' blood, Where knelt the vanquished foe,
3. O bet - ter that her shat-tered hulk Should sink beneath the wave;
And many an eye has danced to see That ban - ner in the sky;
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white be - low,
Her thun - ders shook the might- y deep, And there should be her grave.
Be - neath it rung the bat - tle shout, And burst the can - non's roar;—
No more shall feel the vic - tor's tread. Or know the conquered knee;—
Nail to the mast her ho - ly flag, Set ev - 'ry thread-bare sail,
The me - teor of the o - cean air Shall sweep the clouds no more!
The har - pies of the shore shall pluck The ea - gle of the sea!
And give her to the god of storms, The light - ning and the gale!
The me - teor of the o - cean air Shall sweep the clouds no more!
The har - pies of the shore shall pluck The ea - gle of the sea!
And give the god of storms, The light - ning and the gale!