> [mailto:CONLANG@listserv.brown.edu] On Behalf Of ROGER MILLS
> >On 10/8/07, li_sasxsek@nutter.net <li_sasxsek@...> wrote:
> > > And some of us were forced to sing it every day in
> school, and still don't know the words.
> >
> >Tsk. All Usanians should know at least the first verse. Oddly,
I've
> >never heard the second or third sung - it's always either just
the
> >first, or the first and fourth.
> >
> We weren't _forced_ to sing it, but in grade-school Music Class
(mid 1940s)
> we did sing (though not learn) all 4 verses. Likewise all the
other
> patriotic hymns-- America the Beautiful, My Country 'Tis of Thee,
Columbia
> the Gem of the Ocean....and even The Stars and Stripes Forever.
Yes, there
> are real words to that (whether by Sousa I don't recall) !!
> other than the "be kind to your web-footed friends...." version
:-)))
I never sang any of the songs in school (late 60's-70's) because the
whole ritual seemed silly to me. I'd just stand up and ocassionally
move my mouth to look like I was playing along, likewise for the
pledge of allegience, which we all stopped saying in high school
after the teachers advised us of our consitutional right not to say
it.