The United States Army Field Band – The Battle Hymn of the Republic
An evening pause: Performed live 2016.
Hat tip David McCooey, who had recommended this 1908 recording.
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I love that our Republic has a Battle Hymn.
What a great time to be alive.
On the Sunday after the atrocities of 9-11, my church (the second largest Presbyterian church in the nation) did this arrangement during the service. With a 100+ member choir and full orchestra it was moving in the extreme and I doubt there was a dry eye in the house. Sadly, this would likely be considered too militant and provocative nowadays.
As He died to make men holy,
Let us die to make me free.
Those are the words, and I’m glad they didn’t sing the PC version. You can’t live to make men free, there is always a cost, for everything.
And dying’s been what these white boys have been doing for going on three years now! Dying by the thousands! Dying for *you*, fool! I know, ’cause I dug the graves. And all this time I keep askin’ myself, when, O Lord, when it’s gonna be our time? Gonna come a time when we all gonna hafta ante up. Ante up and kick in like men. LIKE MEN!
That war wasn’t just over slavery, but it wouldn’t have occurred without it.
But tear down the statues and burn the books, the Civil War is not in the narrative.
It’s a shame, the freedom so terribly paid for, all over the world, wasted.
“Battle Hymn of Republic” interpreted in American Sign Language
Daniel Meek (July 2021)
(Audible music by The Oak Ridge Boys)
https://youtu.be/n1V4F7IEC7k
3:18