Ragged Old Flag is a song made by American country music artist Johnny Cash from the 1974 album of the same name.^[1] The song, nicknamed 'the anti-flag burning song' confronts Johnny Cash's beliefs of the United States and what its role should be internationally and also how the nation should be perceived domestically.^[2]

Ragged Old Flag was written at the height of political scandals that rocked the early 70s in American politics. The song is written as a response to the Watergate Scandal and Nixon-era Vietnam policies, which while Cash stated his Republican viewpoint and support of Nixon during his campaign, had questioned Nixon policies. Ragged Old Flag was a song hoping to reassure his fellow Americans in his faith in the United States and its people. ^[3]

One of the key tactics Nixon used to win the Presidency in 1970 was the Southern Strategy. In an effort to expand Southern ties to the Republican party, he wanted conservative values and country music to go hand in hand with each other. To this effect Nixon said "The peace of the world would not just depend on America's military might, which is the greatest in the world, but it's going to depend on our character, our love of our country, our willingness to not only wear the flag but stand up for the flag, and country music does that." Cash had been supportive of Nixon's plans for Vietnam, saying on The Johnny Cash Show "My family here and I stand behind the President of the United States in his quest for a just and lasting peace." With antiwar protests occurring all throughout the summer, Nixon invited Cash to give a concert at the White House as a PR move.

A few months before his scheduled performance at the White House, Cash went to play for the troops in Vietnam in December of 1969 and his views on the Vietnam War changed drastically afterwards. When it came time to perform at the White House, Cash gave a brief monologue about the war saying "I get asked a lot of questions about war and... drugs and youth and... this and that. Well... We took our show to Long Bihn Air Force Base near Saigon, Vietnam. We did shows for the men over there, as many as we could for the time that we had. Somebody said, 'That makes you a hawk. You went to Vietnam.' No, but after you watch the wounded come in in the helicopters, if you were a dove, you might come away a dove with claws." Cash followed this by performing several anti-war and pro-youth songs. These included "What is Truth", "Man in Black", and "The Ballad of Ira Hayes". When interviewed about this after the concert Cash said "I tried to keep the performance honest. Good, or bad it was honest, I think."^[4] Two weeks after his performance at the White House the Kent State shootings happened. Johnny Cash came out publicly in support of the students saying "Those young people out there seem to be trying to hold on to that part of our American heritage that they believe was good and beautiful. All they desire is to be listened to. They're only exercising their freedom of speech and God help you if that's ever taken away from them, America."

A patriotic song, this song has been referred to as the ‘anti-flag burning song’. While in the first part of the song discusses the wars the ‘ragged old’ flag’ has been through on US soil. Cash then goes beyond to the places around the world it the flag has been. From Flanders in World War I to Europe, Africa, and Asia during World War 2 and then to the more recent events to when the song was released (1974) the Korean War and Vietnam War. After discussing how the flag waves on US ships across the seas and a symbol of American pride and force abroad, it laments the dissatisfaction and dishonor Cash perceives the flag to be getting from American citizens. While he openly criticized some policies, he would not tolerate criticism of America.

What Cash is calling for is a return to the sentiment and pride of the US flag, which has been through so much and been so many places. To remain true to the trust that Americans can make it through any crisis as they are at that time in the 70s between Vietnam and Government controversies of the Nixon Administration.

In the start of the song, Cash introduces the scene as the narrator in a small town passing through and speaking with an old man living there at the courthouse where a battered down American flag waved. ^[5]

I walked through the county courthouse square

On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.

I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down".

He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".

I said, "Your old flagpole has leaned a little bit,

And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".

He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down

"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"

I said, "I think it is"

He said, "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of that ragged old flag".

After this, the old man starts telling the story of the flag, while he refers to the flag to the physical, ragged old flag on the flagpole, he in truth is referring to the United States and the places the flag has all been. He starts talking of the first US wars, against the British in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,

When Washington took it across the Delaware.

And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key Sat watching it, writing "Say Can You See"

And it got a bad rip in New Orleans With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams.

Following this, he speaks of the War for Texan Independence and then American Civil War and how that forced many changes and hard times on the 'ragged old flag'

And it almost fell at the Alamo Beside the Texas flag,

But she waved on though.

She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,

And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.

There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,

And the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag

From here on, the old man starts telling of the more recent places the flag has been abroad. Having overcome such difficulties at home the ragged old flag now faced and challenged the problems around the world, from the World Wars to Korea and Vietnam

"On Flanders Field in World War I,

She got a big hole from a Bertha gun,

She turned blood red in World War Two,

She hung limp, and low, a time or two,

She was in Korea, Vietnam,

She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam.

At this point it's clear Cash, through the voice of the old man, is speaking of the American people, of their unity and grit, they make up the flag and proudly fought wherever they may be needed to go.

She waved from our ships upon the briny foam

And now they've about quit wavin' her back here at home

In her own good land here she's been abused,

She's been burned, dishonored, denied, an' refused,

Now, Cash is speaking to the scandal back home domestically with Watergate and the withdrawal from Vietnam. Cash had always been an outspoken patriot, as written above he came out and publicly supported the Nixon administration's goals for the Vietnam War. By the time this song was written he had done a lot of soul searching and realized the war was a pointless waste of life. Not long after this song was written he said "with the Vietnam War as painful in my mind as it was in most other Americans, I wore it (referring to his famous black attire) 'in mournin' for the lives that could have been'... Apart from the Vietnam War being over, I don't see much reason to change my position... The old are still neglected, the poor are still poor, the young are still dying before their time, and we're not making many moves to make things right. There's still plenty of darkness to carry off."^[6]

And the government for which she stands

Is scandalized throughout the land.

And she's getting threadbare, and She's wearing thin,

But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.

'Cause she's been through the fire before

And I believe she can take a whole lot more.

After lamenting the crisis the US and the 'ragged old flag' finds itself in, Cash through the old man asserts that, the flag, and therefore the people of the United States have been through worse and can keep going. That the United States will be able to carry on past whatever difficulty at home and abroad and represent its founding ideals worldwide.

So we raise her up every mornin'

We take her down every night,

We don't let her touch the ground,

And we fold her up right

On second thought,

I do like to brag

'Cause I'm mighty proud of that ragged old flag."

Ending the song, Cash articulates his pride in the flag and the nation, even when it doesn't do what he thinks is right or is in a crisis, because of what good it's done and what more good he believes it can do."

This song was widely popular at release, at least in live performances, however, its success did not translate in the charts. It only reached 31 on the country music charts and that might be reflected because, while popular with Cash's fan base, some in the wider audience criticized the song as 'too sentimental and jingoistic' encouraging more military intervention and loss of US life to enforce American ideals abroad.^[2]

The song's popularity increased following the September 11th attacks.^[7] During live performances, Cash was noted to add references to Desert Storm and Afghanistan during the 2002 invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Multiple times post-9/11 the song has been featured in Super Bowl commercials, including most recently in 2020. These patriotic advertisements typically promote US unity or one of the branches of the Armed forces. However, its most recent appearances have come under fire as stations, the NFL, or groups attacking or expressing opposition to domestic movements like the controversies surrounding kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance in the NFL.

Johnny Cash performed this song at the American Music Awards in 2002, adding in some additional lyrics referencing Operation Desert Storm and the Afghanistan War. ^[8]

At the 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards Eric Church preceded his performance of "Stick That In Your Country Song" with a recording of "Ragged Old Flag". This song is inspired by Johnny Cash and "Ragged Old Flag". Church sings about the darker parts of American society that are often overlooked in the idealized view that country music typically presents and the refrain dares other artists to talk about these issues in their own music.

"Ragged Old Flag" was featured in a Super Bowl LIV ad titled "Tribute to America" that was created by Fox News. This video depicts dramatic re-enactments and some videos of the events referred to in the song. Mixed in with these are are clips of Marine and Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter playing Johnny Cash/the main character of the song. Their was some public outcry in response to this video. Some thought that with it preceding the Super Bowl it was meant to shame players that have knelt for the National Anthem, and Colin Kaepernick specifically.^[9]

The sentiments of "Ragged Old Flag" can be translated to the still ongoing Iraq War. Rosanne Cash said that in the final months of his life Johnny "wanted to protest the war but didn't have the strength".^[10] Cash was a patriot and believed in the ideals America stands for, but after visiting Vietnam has been outspokenly against the seemingly never ending wars on the other side of the world.

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