Our Red, White And Blue

The American flag is a very important and very recognizable symbol of our country. And while we all know it's made up of stars and stripes and the colors red, white, and blue, we thought it was important to have a song that helped explain why it looks the way it does and what each of those symbols actually means. The song "Our Red, White And Blue" not only teaches us about the meaning of our flag, it is also a stirring, patriotic piece that evokes the pride and honor we have for our flag and country. It would work great as a song for Flag Day or a flag ceremony, but it could also be used for just about any patriotic-type event, or as a dramatic moment in any concert.

There are three sections to this song, with the first sections being repeated twice (ABACA). The first two sections explain what the 50 stars and 13 stripes represent. Those sections are both sung. The third section tells us the meaning behind the colors red, white, and blue. This section features four speaking parts (you can have more or less if you want to divide it differently), while the choir sings the melody on an "Ooh." It would work best if your speakers can use a microphone. Be sure to tell them to speak clearly and slowly. You'll hear a wonderful example on the Full Performance track recording for this issue.

This song should be sung with honor and reverence. It would be great to have your singers holding American flags as they sing, and/or have a large American flag in the center of your performance area. Along with that, if possible, you could have a Color Guard on hand (military, police, Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts might be a possibility). A slide presentation with various images of the flag (the stars, the stripes, close-ups of the colors, etc.) would also add a lot to the performance.

The accompaniment for this song features a full orchestra with a masterful orchestration by Paul Jennings. (Many thanks, Paul!) It provides the perfect patriotic tone for the song.

There is definitely a cross curricular opportunity here. Be sure to let your social studies teacher know you're doing this song and that it would be a great way to introduce a unit on the American flag – how it came about, how it's changed over the years, what it means, proper flag etiquette, and so on.