Flair and the National Anthem

[ugadog99]

Candice Glover did a beautiful rendition at the Memorial Day Concert airing on PBS tonight.

 

[I Love Pluto]

The "fluffy" versions of the Star Spangled Banner make me cringe!

Our national anthem is just that - our national anthem. We should be singing it to show love & respect for the United States. It's not "all about" the singer & his/her voice, nor the trumpet player's sound & expertise. It's about America. Have respect & sing it as written!

Stepping down off the soap box now...thanks for listening!

 

[superme80]

I agree 100% with OP. I hate it when people mess with it. Just sing it as is!

 

[Jaya]

Put me firmly in the camp of "JUST SING IT LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN!!!". I have yet to hear anyone slaughter "God Save the Queen", "O Canada" or "Advance Australia Fair" anywhere near what some singers do to our national anthem. My feelings are "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and I think our national anthem is not broken. After all, it is the "Star Spangled Banner", not the "Star Mangled Banner".

 

[focusondisney]

Put me firmly in the camp of "JUST SING IT LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN!!!". I have yet to hear anyone slaughter "God Save the Queen", "O Canada" or "Advance Australia Fair" anywhere near what some singers do to our national anthem. My feelings are "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and I think our national anthem is not broken. After all, it is the "Star Spangled Banner", not the "Star Mangled Banner".

EXACTLY!!! I have heard comments on how the crowds at sporting events in Canada sing along with their anthem but US crowds don't. My reaction is always: they can't possibly follow many of these singers. The US anthem is seldom sung the same way twice. Of course Canadians can sing along with their anthem...nobody is butchering it. It's the same every time it's played, just as it should be.

Our national anthem should be played & sung as written, with no artistic license. Maybe then everyone who wants to can finally sing along.

 

[kimblebee]

Put me firmly in the camp of "JUST SING IT LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN!!!". I have yet to hear anyone slaughter "God Save the Queen", "O Canada" or "Advance Australia Fair" anywhere near what some singers do to our national anthem. My feelings are "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and I think our national anthem is not broken. After all, it is the "Star Spangled Banner", not the "Star Mangled Banner".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpXzASiXX8U

 

[Help Please!]

As a music teacher, my issue is with the number of people who obviously don't read/understand the theory behind the song enough to perform it correctly. If I say to a person "sing it straight" and they can't perform the song with the correct notes/ rhythm, then no way in ?!?>@*#&&# do they deserve to perform it in front of a large crowd of people.

Also, agreed! It is a song that should be sung by everyone, not performed for a crowd.

 

[Jaya]

OK, I agree....he's the Canadian version of Rosanne Barr. But, notice it was in Las Vegas. They would have lynched him in Moose Jaw. Hopefully, what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.

 

[kimblebee]

OK, I agree....he's the Canadian version of Rosanne Barr. But, notice it was in Las Vegas. They would have lynched him in Moose Jaw. Hopefully, what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.

LOL don't blame Canada for him. He's a lounge singer from Las Vegas. There really is no excuse for that. Hopefully he had the decency to be embarassed.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpXzASiXX8U

Wow. Just wow.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I agree 100% with OP. I hate it when people mess with it. Just sing it as is!

Yup, I agree, too.

 

[Jaya]

If you ever visit Ft. McHenry in Baltimore, be sure to take in the show in the visitor center. You watch a short movie about the battle and the writing of the anthem. At the end, you hear a recording of the Naval Academy chorus singing the national anthem as the screen rises slowly and you see the large American flag flying over the fort. You will never find a more beautiful juxtaposition of song and visual....

 

[ugadog99]

The right way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUFpiojoYow

 

[Handbag Lady]

I prefer it as written and I'll turn it off if the singer goes above and beyond. There just isn't a need for that crap.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Am I the only one bothered when the singer adds all sorts of "flair" when they sing the National Anthem? I'm watching the start of tonight's Nascar race, and the singer had to add her own touch to the song. Holding notes that are never held, adding swoops and dips to the music that isn't there. It wasn't good.

Why can't people sing it the way it is written? Ugh. Am I the only one this bothers?

"The way it's written" is to the tune originally used for this song:
* * * * * To ANACREON in Heav'n, where he sat in full * * * * * A few Sons of Harmony sent a * * * * * That He their Inspirer and Patron wou'd
* * * * * When this Answer arriv'd from the JOLLY OLD GRECIAN
* * * * * * * * * * * * "Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
* * * * * * * * * * * * "No longer be mute,
* * * ** "I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,
* * * ** "And, besides, I'll instruct you like me, to intwine
* * * ** "The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS's Vine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2
* * * * * The news through OLYMPUS immediately flew;
* * * * * When OLD THUNDER pretended to give himself Airs_
* * * * * If these Mortals are suffer'd their Scheme to pursue,
* * * * * The Devil a Goddess will stay above Stairs.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Hark! already they cry,
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * "In Transports of Joy
* * * ** "Away to the Sons of ANACREON we'll fly,
* * * ** "And there, with good Fellows, we'll learn to intwine
* * * ** "The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS'S Vine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3
* * ** * "The YELLOW-HAIR'D GOD and his nine fusty Maids
* * ** * "From HELICON'S Banks will incontinent flee,
* * ** * "IDALIA will boast but of tenantless Shades,
* * ** * "And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be
* * * * * * * * * * * "My Thunder, no fear on't,
* * * * * * * * * * * "Shall soon do it's Errand,
* * * ** "And, dam'me! I'll swinge the Ringleaders I warrant,
* * * ** "I'll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine
* * * ** "The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS'S Vine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4
* * * * * APOLLO rose up; and said, "Pr'ythee ne'er quarrel,
* * * ** "Good King of the Gods with my Vot'ries below:
* * * ** "Your Thunder is useless_then, shewing his Laurel,
* * * * * Cry'd. "Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!
* * * * * * * * * * * "Then over each Head
* * * * * * * * * * * "My Laurels I'll spread
* * * ** "So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,
* * * ** "Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they Jovially twine
* * * ** "The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS'S Vine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5
* * * * * Next MOMUS got up, with his risible Phiz,
* * * * * And swore with APOLLO he'd cheerfull join_
* * * ** "The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,
* * * ** "But the Song, and the Catch, & the Laugh shall bemine
* * * * * * * * * ** "Then, JOVE, be not jealous
* * * * * * * * * * * Of these honest Fellows,
* * * * * Cry'd JOVE, "We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;
* * * ** "And swear, by OLD STYX, that they long shall entwine
* * * ** "The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS'S Vine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6
* * * * * Ye Sons of ANACREON, then, join Hand in Hand;
* * * * * Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!
* * * ** 'Tis your's to support what's so happily plann'd;
* * * * * You've the Sanction of Gods, and the FIAT of JOVE.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * While thus we agree
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Our Toast let it be.
* * * * * May our Club flourish happy, united and free!
* * * * * And long may the Sons of ANACREON intwine
* * * * * The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS'S Vine.

That's The Anacreontic Song - an 18th century British tune frequently sung in pubs. So it's okay for our national anthem to be set to the tune of a drinking song, but not okay for singers to deviate from that tune?

Source http://www.potw.org/archive/potw234.html

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

The right way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUFpiojoYow

Interesting, it think it bothers me more to have a non-American chosen to sing it, than it does to have people add "flair" (assuming, of course, that they don't sound atrocious singing it).

 

[MainStreetMomma]

I agree, it needs to be sang as intended and not someone else's version, interpretation, or arrangement.

It bothers me even more, though, when fans of certain sports teams clap, holler, and cheer through the entire song. I'm not talking about cheering during the last two lines of the song which is more commonplace, but rather cheering loudly from start to finish. I think it's really disrespectful.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I agree, it needs to be sang as intended and not someone else's version, interpretation, or arrangement.

It bothers me even more, though, when fans of certain sports teams clap, holler, and cheer through the entire song. I'm not talking about cheering during the last two lines of the song which is more commonplace, but rather cheering loudly from start to finish. I think it's really disrespectful.

No way would that fly here in Barbados. Any time the National Anthem plays everyone stops what they are doing, faces the direction of the singer (or speakers) and stands still with arms at their sides. It is very disrespectful to do otherwise. It is OK to sing along, but no cheering or any other noises are made while the Anthem is in progress. If it's a live performance the clapping is at the end.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I prefer it "straight," too. The exception to the rule, IMHO: the great Marvin Gaye's version, which is almost like an entirely new song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A

 

[ugadog99]

Interesting, it think it bothers me more to have a non-American chosen to sing it, than it does to have people add "flair" (assuming, of course, that they don't sound atrocious singing it).

It doesn't bother me, especially when it's Alfie!