Ha ha. But I think it's more like "we will prevail in an uncertain and often hostile world".

NO, that's not right: the Star Spangled Banner begins and ends on question: did we prevail? Will we prevail in an uncertain and often hostile world?

That's what's vital to the U.S. national anthem. It's a riveting message amidst all the howdy doody "golly it's a nice country and everything is just swell here" type anthems out there, which is also the gist of the proposed hopelessly bland replacements for the Star Spangled Banner.

Will we make it? We just never know for sure. But, damn, with gallantly streaming colors, we'll put up a hell of an effort.