The National Anthem?

[acl03]

It's a real pet-peeve of mine when a singer at a sporting (or other) event sings "their" version of the Star-Spangled Banner. I think it takes away from the meaning when a singer shows off and tries to make it their own. A lot of the time it seems as if they are trying to display their vocal range rather than sing the song for its intended purpose, which in my opinion, has been mostly lost.

Thoughts?

Do national anthems in countries other than the U.S. get changed in the same fashion?

Thanks,
Andrew

Hard work often pays off over time, but procrastination pays off right now!

 

[SantaMufasa]

Coming from a patriotically exuberant community, I hear our anthem at many (most) non-sporting events. We often sing it a cappella, as well; it is frequently a hymn at church for us.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[guitarzan]

rasETL:
At most of my kid's school performances where the school band / orchestra members are present (high and junior high), they play the star spangled banner (music only).

It's not so much that the anthem is played almost exclusively at sporting events, but that the anthem is generally played when a large group gets together. And the most frequent gathering of large numbers of people I can think of is at sporting events! Parades are another.

What other times do you think the anthem should be played?

 

[SantaMufasa]

What other times do you think the anthem should be played?

Whenever Osama bin Laden meets with his people. <grin>

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[BobRodes]

<It's a real pet-peeve of mine when a singer at a sporting (or other) event sings "their" version of the Star-Spangled Banner.

I agree. I don't find that a patriotic gesture such as the singing of our national anthem at a large gathering of people should be taken as an opportunity to show off in front of that gathering. It's self-serving and disrespectful, in my opinion. (If Aretha did it, though, I would say she gets a pass.)

Jimi's rendition is not the same thing. First, he didn't play it at baseball games or Memorial day celebrations or whatever, he played it at rock concerts. And further, it is one of the great masterpieces of the musical literature. It went a bit deeper than being our national anthem, part exuberance and part sarcasm, expressing in equal amounts the joy and of being a free American and the hurt and anger of being an oppressed one.

<the fact the National Anthem is performed almost exclusively at Sporting events
Many symphonies perform the national anthem before beginning a concert. Perhaps the concern is more that people get together in large numbers almost exclusively at sporting events.

 

[Annihilannic]

So then, you don't like the American National Anthem?

I guess I'm indifferent to it. I just listeneed to the tune to remind myself, not bad as far as national anthems go. First time I've read the words though...

Annihilannic.

 

[ascotta]

I like the US anthem, I like the Australian one (written by a Scot).

I will stand to attention to "god save our Auntie Jean", I have issues with some of the verses.

Although Flower of Scotland is a really good song, its a dirge; a lament; and drives me nuts, and not what should be a national anthem.

Even I as a Scotsman I have hairs on the back of my neck standing up and goose bumps when I hear the Welsh national anthem being sung in Cardiff or Edinburgh, its fabulous.

As for the renditions some of the vocal gymnastics that go on are a bit much.

[blue] A perspective from the other side!![/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[Welshbird]

Well said Scotty!

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen