[nensondubois]

I heard a funny version of the song in Wall-Mart on the fourth of july and the guy sings has a funny voice and was wondering if anyone here knows the artist?

[nensondubois]

I found the song it's by Billy Murray.

[american_flag_uk]

ill check that out then - not sure which song this is mind - but ill search through his music

a grand old flag is it???

[Peter Ansoff]

ill check that out then

If you find it, could you post a link to the new words? It will be interesting to see how he modified them. As I mentioned in a post here last year, the orginial verses are not sung much nowdays, because they haven't "aged" very well. And, I still gag on the phrase about "where there's never a boast or brag."

Peter Ansoff

[american_flag_uk]

its definatly a song which i dont understand the lyrics of

i would be grateful if somebdy could explain what that means

'where there's never a boast or brag shoud old aquaintence be forgot' ??

[Peter Ansoff]

i would be grateful if somebdy could explain what that means

'where there's never a boast or brag shoud old aquaintence be forgot' ??

It's a reference to the famous song "Auld Lang Syne," which is most often associated with the Scottish poet Robert Burns (although apparently he did not actually write it). There are a number of versions, but a popular version of the first verse starts:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

"Auld lang syne" means something like "olden times." The gist of the song is that two old friends now live far apart, but are remembering the good times they spent together "way back when."

I don't know exactly why Cohan included that reference in "You're a Grand Old Flag," but he probably meant that we shouldn't forget our nation's past.

Peter Ansoff

[american_flag_uk]

ahhh - i knew the tune to that song auld lang syne -and knew that part of the tune was included in a grand old flag but ive never remembered its' lyrics - at new year i just end up singing- laaa aa aaaa laaa lol

[rockitmarty]

haha i know what you're talking about!

[Robin Hickman]

GREETINGS !!!

Who's ready to solve a mystery ?

Okay, okay... Settle down, settle down !

We'll cut to the chase RIGHT NOW !!!

First of all, George M. Cohen wrote the song. It's original title was, "You're A Grand Old Rag". The story goes that George was on a train and seated next to a Civil War veteran, who was probably a member of the "Grand Army Of The Republic" (AKA : "G.A.R."). The Vet had a neatly folded, but raggedy, Flag in his lap. When George asked him about it, the Vet proudly answered, "this is a grand old rag". (the rest, as they say, was history...)

Secondly, the song, "You're A Grand Old Rag", was first recorded in 1905 by a well-known singer of that ear by the name of "Billy Murray" (William Thomas "Billy" Murray, Born: 25 May, 1877 ; Died: 17 August, 1954). So, as you've probably already guessed (or "did the math"), it was NOT recorded by the present day "Bill Murray", that we almost all know of.

Here's a link to a YouTube video of the song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSmZ5dR2JWs

Here's a link to Billy Murray's WikiPedia page :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Murray_(singer)

"You're A Grand Old Flag (Rag)" WikiPedia page (Includes ALL the lyrices!) :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_a_Grand_Old_Flag

"When In Doubt, GOOGLE It Out" !

Mystery SOLVED !!!

Robin Hickman

PS. I remember back in my early teens (Mid-1960's), one of my FAVORITE publications, MAD Magazine, created a satire on the song. It was sung to the tune of, "You're A Grand Old Flag". It had to do with children playing with those great big, billowing plastic bags that dry cleaners used to put over their customers' freshly cleaned clothes. The NAME of the song? "You're A Grand Old BAG" !!!