"You're a Grand Old Flag" is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own. Cohan wrote it in 1906 for his stage musical George Washington, Jr.
The song was first publicly performed on February 6, the play's opening night, at Herald Square Theater in New York City. "You're a Grand Old Flag" quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of sheet music. The title and first lyric comes from someone Cohan once met; the Library of Congress website notes. "You're a Grand Old Flag" would go on to become one of the most popular U.S. marching-band pieces of all time.
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.
The song is often performed by marching bands on Flag Day, as the holiday is intended to celebrate the flag of the United States.
A version with modified lyrics is used as the theme song for the Melbourne Demons Australian rules football team.
The song has been modified for use as the fight song of the Melbourne Football Club who play in the Australian Football League, as well as by state league clubs West Perth Football Club in the WAFL, Sturt Football Club and Norwood Football Club in the SANFL, North Hobart Football Club in the TSL, Port Melbourne Football Club and the Casey Demons in the VFL as well as the Mansfield Eagles in the Goulburn Valley Football League. A modified version of the song was also used by the Yippies in 1968 for their nomination of Pigasus.