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There's a Red-Bordered Flag in the Window

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"There's a Red-Bordered Flag in the Window"
Song
Released1918
LabelVandersloot Music Publishing Company
Composer(s)James Royce Shannon
Lyricist(s)Fred Ziemer

There's a Red-Bordered Flag in the Window is a World War I era song released in 1918. Fred Ziemer wrote the lyrics. J.R. Shannon composed the music.[1] The song was published by Vandersloot Music Publishing Company of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. On the cover, there is a red-bordered service flag with two blue stars. It hangs in front of a window. On each of the two stars is a picture of a mother and her son.[2] The piece was written for both voice and piano.[3] The song is directed at a mother of a soldier. It begins with, "Why are you sad little mother? Why do your eyes fill with tears?" Later the narrator encourages the mother to keep hope. The flag is seen as a symbol of pride and love, as evidenced by the chorus:[3]

"There's a red bordered flag in our window"
"Hung with tear and a prayer"
"Telling of love and devotion"
"For the boy who is now over there"
"He is fighting for our Uncle Sammy"
"He is safeguarding you and me"
"Tis the emblem of a mother's love"
"For the Land of Liberty"

References

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  1. ^ Vogel, Frederick G. (1995). World War I Songs: A History and Dictionary of Popular American Patriotic Tunes, with Over 300 Complete Lyrics. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 247, 371. ISBN 0-89950-952-5.
  2. ^ Parker, Bernard (2007). World War I Sheet Music. Vol. 2. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 671. ISBN 978-0-7864-2799-4.
  3. ^ a b "There's a red bordered flag in the window". Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
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