Sunday, July 1, 2012

Stars and Stripes Forever


Do you have plans for the forth? We do. Which is pretty exciting, because usually we don’t. On Wednesday Jeff and I are going to go visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, and on the way home we’ll be stopping by my mom and dad’s for supper. I'm looking forward to it. Even if it's supposed to be really, really hot that day.

I doubt we’ll be seeing any fireworks. I’ve never been a big fan of fireworks. It seems to me the traffic and bugs and staying up late (10:30 is late for me) isn’t worth the ooohing and ahhhing over a few noisy sparkly things in the sky. But that’s just me.

One thing I have always loved about the Forth is the music. There’s nothing like a good old John Philip Sousa March to get those patriotic juices flowing. My favorite of them all is Stars and Stripes Forever. I remember as a kid watching Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops on channel 2 each July 4th in their Independence Day concerts. They’d always end with that song, and when the piccolo came in with her lilting counter-melody it always moved me to tears. It still does.

I wanted to include a video clip of old grey-haired Arthur Fiedler directing this piece, but I couldn't find one. So instead, I've selected this rendition by the United States Air Force's Band of Flight. They have a great time with it, and I think you'll enjoy it too.

So now, without further ado, I invite you to clap and cry along with me as we listen to that wonderfully patriotic march...your National March…the Starts and Stripes Forever.

God Bless America!


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