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Chords and Lyrics for The Star-Spangled Banner

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Music by John Stafford Smith
Words by Francis Scott Key

VERSE 1

   Bb           Gm   D      Gm        C  F 
Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,

        Bb         F             Bb 
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

                               Gm     D           Gm   C   F 
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

         Bb          F               Bb 
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

                                      F 
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

     Bb                F              Bb   Gm  C     F 
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

    Bb             Eb       G7   Cm         Bb F 
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave 

         Bb               Gm      Bb      F   Bb 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 

  
VERSE 2

       Bb          Gm   D           Gm       C   F 
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

          Bb            F             Bb 
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,

                       Gm      D        Gm   C   F 
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

      Bb       F              Bb 
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

                                F 
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

        Bb      F            Bb     Gm C   F 
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: 

         Bb            Eb      G7  Cm          Bb F 
'Tis the star-spangled banner; oh, long may it wave 

         Bb               Gm      Bb      F   Bb 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

  
VERSE 3

    Bb            Gm   D      Gm      C  F 
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,

         Bb       F           Bb 
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,

             Gm  D          Gm       C  F 
A home and a country should leave us no more?

      Bb               F              Bb 
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.

                         F 
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,

         Bb        F             Bb    Gm C   F 
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:

        Bb            Eb     G7 Cm           Bb F 
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave 

         Bb               Gm      Bb      F   Bb 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

  
VERSE 4

    Bb         Gm D      Gm      C     F 
Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,

  Bb                F             Bb 
Between their loved home and wild war's desolation;

                       Gm     D       Gm        C    F 
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land,

           Bb              F           Bb 
Praise the pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!

                               F 
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

    Bb          F          Bb  Gm C   F 
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!" 

        Bb            Eb     G7 Cm            Bb F 
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave 

         Bb               Gm      Bb      F   Bb 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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Chords

Below is a list of all the chords in this song. Click on a chord to learn how to play the chord on a particular instrument.

Instrument Chords
Banjo Bb Major C Major C Minor D Major Eb Major F Major G7 G Minor
Guitar Bb Major C Major C Minor D Major Eb Major F Major G7 G Minor
Mandolin Bb Major C Major C Minor D Major Eb Major F Major G7 G Minor
Piano Bb Major C Major C Minor D Major Eb Major F Major G7 G Minor
Ukulele Bb Major C Major C Minor D Major Eb Major F Major G7 G Minor

Sheet Music for The Star-Spangled Banner

Chords on this page may be simplified from the original version. View the sheet music for this title to see the original chords. The following sheet music is available for this title: