Super Bowl LI Reminds Us Of Our Common Threads With Moving Johnny Cash Song

Though it might be hard to remember right now, America has the ability to come together and recognize the things that unite us.

During Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Johnny Cash helped highlight that forgotten fact as his song “Ragged Old Flag,” the title track off his 1974 album, ran during a moving segment of the pre-show.

The song’s opening lines are:

I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting 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 hanging 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.

Hard to think of three more American things than the Super Bowl, Johnny Cash and our nation’s flag.