The Star-Spangled Banner

MEGAN BASHAM, HOST: Today is Friday, July 3rd. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Megan Basham.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. Earlier this year, vocalist Caroline Nielson accepted an invitation to sing the national anthem before a Major League Baseball game. That game was supposed to take place on May 27th, between the Texas Rangers and the Washington Nationals. But the MLB season still hasn’t started.

BASHAM: After last week’s baseball commentary from Marvin Olasky, listener Carolyne Nielson wrote to Marvin about her daughter’s missed opportunity. So he offered a consolation prize: a chance to sing the national anthem for us in celebration of this weekend’s Independence Day.  

And she accepted! Here’s Caroline Nielson, a doctoral student in vocal performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, singing The Star-Spangled Banner.

CAROLINE NIELSON:O say can you see by the dawn’s early light.

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

(Photo/iStock)

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