text: In the play itself, the scene with the Civil War soldier was replicated. The soldier's comment was the lead-in to this song. Thus, the first version of the chorus began, "You're a grand old rag / You're a high-flying flag". Despite Cohan's efforts to pull that version, some artists such as Billy Murray had recorded it under its original title, "The Grand Old Rag", in advance of the play's opening, and copies under that title still circulate among collectors. Cohan's second attempt at writing the chorus began, "You're a grand old flag / Though you're torn to a rag". The final version, with its redundant rhyme, is as shown below.
  Today, many different arrangements of the song exist. In particular, Paul V. Yoder's 1954 arrangement of "You're a Grand Old Flag" is a version commonly used today by the U.S. military in its performances of the song.
  Uses
  The song is often performed by marching bands on Flag Day, as the holiday is intended to celebrate the flag of the United States.
  Lyrics
  Verse 1
  There's a feeling comes a-stealing,
  And it sets my brain a-reeling,
  When I'm list'ning to the music of a military band.
  Any tune like "Yankee Doodle"
  Simply sets me off my noodle,
  It's that patriotic something that no one can understand.