National Anthem Rant

[Saulbadguy]

Originally posted by: poopaskoopa

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Just wait until the Chiefs make the Super bowl next year. The Chiefs fans will be there in full force, and instead of the Home of the Brave..we say in unison...Home of the ...CHIEFS!!!

That's one thing that's always irked me. It's not just the Chiefs though. Other teams' fans do it too, and it's very, very annoying. Even worse if your team color is red, because they will shout that word too.

Who else does it? It sends a tingle down my spine everytime we do it at Arrowhead. Now everytime I hear a national anthem, I think of 78,000 people yelling "CHIEFS" at the very end in unison. Its beautiful

Edit: The only time we did not do it was vs the Giants in 2001, after September 11th.

 

[Jzero]

Yes, I read your post... To "interpret" the song in any other way than as written is to most always "interpret" to fit your style and hilight your skill. The isn't just a song to be sung any old way. It is an Anthem.

Are you being dense on purpose?
It is IMPOSSIBLE for someone to NOT interpret. As a prefessional performer, Beyonce need not attempt to highlight her own skills - the fact that she was selected as the performer already highlights her skills. Whatever liberties she may have taken were meant to reflect the praise, loyalty, reverence, and whatever other words you like to throw around. Just because YOU missed the point doesn't mean she did anything wrong.

It's just like a painting. 3 artists paint a rendering of the flag being raised at Iwo Jima, all in different styles. Are you going to accuse a surrealist of being disrespectful of those men and the flag they are raising for not painting it the same way your eye perceived the popular photograph?

People, All I am trying to say here is that there are lyrics and notes to this song that is an Anthem to the United States. An Athem is a hymn of praise or loyalty. It should be sung with reverence, not interpretation.

I fail to see how interpretation and reverence are mutually exclusive. Maybe it's easy for me as a seasoned performer to figure all this out, but if you are representative of the average joe sixpack sitting in the audience, I'm thinking about taking up a new hobby.

 

[virtuamike]

Was better than Roseanne's version

 

[Amused]

The National Anthem was written as a poem. The author did NOT set it to music.

The music it was later set to is the tune of an old English drinking song, and is considered nearly impossible for most people to sing correctly without sounding drunk.

Now, tell me, how the fsck can you disrespect it by changing the tune it is sung to??? It's already set to the most disrespectful tune of ITS time.

 

[Gyrene]

Originally posted by: Amused
The National Anthem was written as a poem. The author did NOT set it to music.

The music it was later set to is the tune of an old English drinking song, and is considered nearly impossible for most people to sing correctly without sounding drunk.

Now, tell me, how the fsck can you disrespect it by changing the tune it is sung to??? It's already set to the most disrespectful tune of ITS time.

I disagree. Drinking songs are the most respectful songs ever sang. Just like everyone loves a good beer, everyone loves a good song set to a drinking tune.

 

[TheGameIs21]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Yes, I read your post... To "interpret" the song in any other way than as written is to most always "interpret" to fit your style and hilight your skill. The isn't just a song to be sung any old way. It is an Anthem.

Are you being dense on purpose?
It is IMPOSSIBLE for someone to NOT interpret. As a prefessional performer, Beyonce need not attempt to highlight her own skills - the fact that she was selected as the performer already highlights her skills. Whatever liberties she may have taken were meant to reflect the praise, loyalty, reverence, and whatever other words you like to throw around. Just because YOU missed the point doesn't mean she did anything wrong.

It's just like a painting. 3 artists paint a rendering of the flag being raised at Iwo Jima, all in different styles. Are you going to accuse a surrealist of being disrespectful of those men and the flag they are raising for not painting it the same way your eye perceived the popular photograph?

People, All I am trying to say here is that there are lyrics and notes to this song that is an Anthem to the United States. An Athem is a hymn of praise or loyalty. It should be sung with reverence, not interpretation.

I fail to see how interpretation and reverence are mutually exclusive. Maybe it's easy for me as a seasoned performer to figure all this out, but if you are representative of the average joe sixpack sitting in the audience, I'm thinking about taking up a new hobby.

Is it possible for someone on ATOT to not stoop to name calling?

The painting analogy is apples and oranges. There isn't a "National Painting Anthem" that people do for praise or loyalty to the United States of America.

I understand you are a musician. I understand that if anyone sings any song, you will hear the person singing it and know who it is because of how they sound. Phil Collins will always sound like Phil Collins even if he's singing a Beyonce song just like Beyonce will sound like Beyonce singing a Phil Collins song. I fully understand that. If they were both singing the same lyrics to the same song with the same sheet music, you would hear Phil or Beyonce but the song is the same.... Does this make sense? It might not since I am not a musician and don't know your terminology.

My problem comes from people singing the national anthem and changing up the entire "feel" of the song. I am pointing out Beyonce only because she is the most recent person to do it. Yes, you can have someone come out and use the same lyrics but different music even and it can still be moving. The problem is... this is more than just a song.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

So, I'm guessing you don't like the Jimi Hendrix version, either.

 

[TheGameIs21]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
So, I'm guessing you don't like the Jimi Hendrix version, either.

I can honestly say that I didn't. Yeah, he was a good musician in his own right but I still stand by my original statement. Oh... And since I compared Beyonce to Phil Collins I also know that Phil Collins did the National Anthem and changed it up. I didn't like that either.

 

[conjur]

At least she didn't butcher it like Roseanne.

 

[edro]

I strongly believe in showing respect for the National Anthem, but if it is never updated with a little "artistic touch", the youth will lose respect for it because it gets boring. Everytime I hear it at a stadium or other event, it almost brings me to tears. I think about all the soldiers (mainly my grandfather) that have served and are serving our country. As I look around at all the people that stop everything they are doing for a few moments to show respect for our nation... it is really touching.

In other words... I understand what you are saying, but singers are artists, and need to give their own flavor to it... unless of course, you are Rosanne.

 

[Jzero]

The painting analogy is apples and oranges. There isn't a "National Painting Anthem" that people do for praise or loyalty to the United States of America.

You are incorrect. Art is not medium-dependent. 2 singers will sing the same song differently just as 2 painters will paint the same scene differently.

If they were both singing the same lyrics to the same song with the same sheet music, you would hear Phil or Beyonce but the song is the same.... Does this make sense? It might not since I am not a musician and don't know your terminology.

There is more to it than that. You will recognize Phil Collins' VOICE, but Phil Collins will also make dramatic changes to the song, just as Beyonce would. They may be big, they may be small, but it will not be exactly the same, no matter who sings it.

My problem comes from people singing the national anthem and changing up the entire "feel" of the song. I am pointing out Beyonce only because she is the most recent person to do it. Yes, you can have someone come out and use the same lyrics but different music even and it can still be moving. The problem is... this is more than just a song.

The song is just ink and paper. It doesn't matter if it's the sheet music to Star Spangled Banner or the sheet music to Hit Me Baby One More Time. Just ink and paper.
The performer is what turns that ink and paper into music. Even if the writer writes "Respectfully" right on the score, what constitutes "respectfully" is different from person to person. The "feel" of the song cannot be conveyed by ink and paper. It comes entirely from the heart of the performer. The "feel" will always be different depending on who sings it.

I don't see how this makes the singer disrespectful in any way.

 

[Amused]

You have yet to answer the FACT that:

Francis Scott Key NEVER SET THE POEM TO MUSIC.

So everyone is free to set it to whatever music they like, and interpret it artistically. If they had changed the words, that would be one thing, but changing the music is fine. The AUTHOR never intended it to be set to music.

For the life of me I cannot understand why you are still debating this.

 

[SinnerWolf]

i can't stand beyonce, but she was selected and paid to do her rendition of the anthem. if they had wanted a plain version of it, they would have asked celine, and then you'd be complaining about a canadian instead.

i forget the movie( might have been a simpsons episode), but there was a scene about some soul singer doing the anthem and it took like 4 hours because they were doing an entire range of each word. This is my problem with musicians trying to redo the anthem....they overdo it trying to illustrate their supposed talent.

 

[poopaskoopa]

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy

Originally posted by: poopaskoopa

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Just wait until the Chiefs make the Super bowl next year. The Chiefs fans will be there in full force, and instead of the Home of the Brave..we say in unison...Home of the ...CHIEFS!!!

That's one thing that's always irked me. It's not just the Chiefs though. Other teams' fans do it too, and it's very, very annoying. Even worse if your team color is red, because they will shout that word too.

Who else does it? It sends a tingle down my spine everytime we do it at Arrowhead. Now everytime I hear a national anthem, I think of 78,000 people yelling "CHIEFS" at the very end in unison. Its beautiful

Edit: The only time we did not do it was vs the Giants in 2001, after September 11th.

NCSU Wolfpack fans. Some of them shout "Red", and substitute the word brave with Wolfpack. I'm sure they mean no disrespect, but it's just LAME.

 

[Jzero]

i forget the movie( might have been a simpsons episode), but there was a scene about some soul singer doing the anthem and it took like 4 hours because they were doing an entire range of each word. This is my problem with musicians trying to redo the anthem....they overdo it trying to illustrate their supposed talent.

You may have been thinking of The Simpsons where Bleeding Gums Murphy takes about 1/2 hour to sing it, but they are lampooning the blues style.

You may have been thinking of Mystery, Alaska, where the mayor begs James Brown to drag it out as long as possible so that the Islanders have to stand out freezing on the ice.

 

[y2kc]

Originally posted by: TheGameIs21

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
So, I'm guessing you don't like the Jimi Hendrix version, either.

I can honestly say that I didn't. Yeah, he was a good musician in his own right but I still stand by my original statement. Oh... And since I compared Beyonce to Phil Collins I also know that Phil Collins did the National Anthem and changed it up. I didn't like that either.

Uunfortunately I didn't catch the first half of her singing the national anthem, I did stumble upon the second half and I was very impressed. her voice was strong and she easily hit the awkward highs in the song. I'll try to find a vid cap of her performance before I cast judgement on the entire thing.

I've cringed at some performances of the National Anthem and hearing only the second half of her rendition I was hoping we had another Whitney Houston-esque type of performance of the Anthem.

BTW, I loved the Hendrix rendition. I feel that there is room for "interpretation" when it comes to any artistic performance (especially when it comes to music) and as long as the song is not totally butchered ala Carl Lewis's rendition or Rosanne Barr's, it's OK with me.

I don't think you'll have anything to fear next year, after the halftime show debacle I expect an utterly bland (and safe) choice of artists whose performances will be strictly controlled.. An all country artists SuperBowl (snore).

But hey, to each his own.

 

[gopunk]

it's just a song, and i'm sure she meant no ill

 

[TheGameIs21]

Originally posted by: gopunk
it's just a song, and i'm sure she meant no ill

Look up Anthem. It isn't "just a song".

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: TheGameIs21
Why do today's music stars (most recently Beyonce but she's not the only one by far) feel the need to include their own "soulful" parts to the National Anthem? Woo Hoo! Beyonce won awards and it pretty... BIG DEAL!!! Read the lyrics below and tell me how you should sing it any other way than with pride, as it was written? Beyonce did sing the last half with pride but the first half was sung to show off her personal style.

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I know not everyone here is from/in the USA and I know that many here that are in/from the USA could care less... but I wish that people would start taking a little more pride in their country and treat it with some respect. You don't have to like the leader but the leader isn't the land. Some people will say that it is too hard to sing because of the ranges. To them I say, "well, maybe you shouldn't sing it then."

Now I've heard it all! What's more respectful than singing the National Anthem to the best of your ability and making sound as good as some of these singers make it sound.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: TheGameIs21

Originally posted by: gopunk
it's just a song, and i'm sure she meant no ill

Look up Anthem. It isn't "just a song".

from hyperdictionary:

Definition: [n] a song of praise (to God or to a saint or to a nation)
[n] a song of devotion or loyalty (as to a nation or school)

ok so it's "of praise, devotion, or loyalty". that's great, i still think it's silly to get so upset over how someone chooses to sing a song, especially when it was not done in a sarcastic, sardonic, or otherwise ill-intended fashion.

 

[mugs]

Not quite sure how you sing a song "with pride" as opposed to "without pride."

I think it's about self-promotion, but it doesn't bother me to terribly... I just don't watch.

 

[Pepsi90919]

I. DON'T. CARE.

 

[oboeguy]

My thanks to you for bashing the destruction of our national anthem. I'm terribly disappointed when I hear BAD singers show-off how bad they are by hacked, over-done ornamentation on our song. Seriously, if you suck, don't show off that you do, and, more importantly, don't do it to a song about war and national pride! Most -- NOT ALL -- pop "singers" I have heard "perform" (what happened to "sing"?) the national anthem do precisely the above.

Regarding the origin of the tune, who gives a flip? It's not like this is the first time a tune was taken from somewhere else to make a song (how many hymns do that? a lot, though perhaps not taken from drinking songs).

 

[TheGameIs21]

Red: You obviously haven't read anything I posted other than my original post. Nothing else to add to what I have posted already. It's my opinion etc....

Gopunk: See Mugsi's post below yours... Self promotion.

Gopunk: Self promotion... Basically what I am trying to say. Self Promotion shouldn't be more important that what you are singing in this case.

Oboeguy: Thanks for understanding and stating it in your words. I don't know if anyone will understand what we are trying to say though.

 

[BigPoppa]

You still haven't acknowledged the FACT that The National Anthem was written as a POEM. There are no musical scores to poems. The poem was later adapted into its current song form.