Does anyone else think that todays renditions of the National Anthem are ridiculous.....I do ::) Sing it traditional or shut-up!  Just my opinion ;D

There was an article about this in the paper today. I haven't heard the renditions so I really can't say anything (or vote) about them. I think it depends on HOW it is done. Considering that the music to The Star Spangled Banner was originally an old drinking song, maybe these vocalists are trying to honor the words of Francis Scott Key. However, I think the way that Rosanne destroyed the National Anthem back in early 90s, was just appalling.



Cat

There was an article about this in the paper today. I haven't heard the renditions so I really can't say anything (or vote) about them. I think it depends on HOW it is done. Considering that the music to The Star Spangled Banner was originally an old drinking song, maybe these vocalists are trying to honor the words of Francis Scott Key. However, I think the way that Rosanne destroyed the National Anthem back in early 90s, was just appalling.



Cat
Yeah...I got the idea from today's Parade insert.  I meant all the singers who decide to but that Pariah Carey "Flutter" after almost every verse...just sing the song like your reading the shhet music....go by the actual notes.  Remember on The Simpsons years ago..."Bleeding Gums" Murphy tood about 30 minutes or so to sing it at a baseball game ::)

However, I think the way that Rosanne destroyed the National Anthem back in early 90s, was just appalling.

Cat


I was thinking of her rendition, too.  I don't mind variations of the anthem as long as the person singing is serious about it and sounds good.  People who try to sing it like Roseanne should have a rag stuffed in their mouths and be drug off the field by their feet.

Marvin Gayes version was purely amazing.....that may have been one of the best versions I have ever heard......


most versions of it are crappy, but thats what you get when you get a crappy artist to do it....in its original version its a boring song (yeah, i said it)....the only way to get the song noticed by the public is to put a different spin on the tune..make it more interesting....I feel that if the version attracts people to it, then its great, and very patriotic....



plus, nobody better diss Hendrix's version

However, I think the way that Rosanne destroyed the National Anthem back in early 90s, was just appalling.

Cat


I was thinking of her rendition, too.  I don't mind variations of the anthem as long as the person singing is serious about it and sounds good.  People who try to sing it like Roseanne should have a rag stuffed in their mouths and be drug off the field by their feet.



That was singing?? 





plus, nobody better diss Hendrix's version



That also came to mind after I posted last.


Cat

That was singing?? 

Cat


You're right...please substitute screeching for singing.

I'm not American, but I happen to like the Star Spangled Banner. And my personal favourite is of course, the Jimi Hendrix version at Woodstock.

Appalling


Aus has only gotten into the "sing" the National Anthem thing in the last 15 - 20 years or so, before that it was strictly listen in reverent silence, or at least it was when I went to school.

Now we have all kinds of celebs thinking it is some kind of showcase for their dubious talents and crap vocal ability......just awful  >:(

I'm not too sure what you guys are alluding to but I think that anyway our national anthem can be changed would be for the better. Mind numbingly awful. America has a few anthems, don't they? 'America the beautiful','Spar spangled banner' and the other one about 'from sea to shining sea' - Why so many?

From a Wrestlemania point of view, we have lots of variations - Little Richard, Willie Nelson (shudder) and Aretha Franklin to name a few.

I'm not at all fussed what anyone does to 'GSTQ'...the very title refers to two things I personally (and a lot of the population) do not subscribe to, and secondly - it's a dirge...

We could do no worse than have Elgar's 'Pomp & Circumstance March #1' (aka 'Land Of Hope And Glory') in its place - it's a much more stirring piece of stuff, especially the full-length 12" version...!!

I was just alluding to this....even if it's a boring song....it should be a priviledge to sing it and therefore the artist...or in some cases "Alleged" artists should have the decency not to venture outside the chords the way they were written.

and letseven look at other patriotic songs that are not the Star spangled bannor:

Ray Charles version of "America the beautiful" is the quintesential version........and Id rather hear it than any version of the SSB...and that includes Hendrix

I'm not at all fussed what anyone does to 'GSTQ'...the very title refers to two things I personally (and a lot of the population) do not subscribe to, and secondly - it's a dirge...

We could do no worse than have Elgar's 'Pomp & Circumstance March #1' (aka 'Land Of Hope And Glory') in its place - it's a much more stirring piece of stuff, especially the full-length 12" version...!!


I'm in full agreement, Paul. Pomp and Circumstance ('Machoman' Randy Savage's  music) would be excellent as a National Anthem substitute.  :)

Trouble is, it does get (wrongly) accused of being on the 'jingoistic' side...

(Before anyone points out, I am fully aware that the lyric does contain the dreaded 'G' word...but there y'go, I'll just have to live with it - at least it isn't plastered all over the title...!)

However, I think the way that Rosanne destroyed the National Anthem back in early 90s, was just appalling.

Cat


I was thinking of her rendition, too.  I don't mind variations of the anthem as long as the person singing is serious about it and sounds good.  People who try to sing it like Roseanne should have a rag stuffed in their mouths and be drug off the field by their feet.



That was singing?? 





plus, nobody better diss Hendrix's version



That also came to mind after I posted last.


Cat
:o 8)damn,where are the Everly Brothers when you need them!!!Cheers!

As long as the mute button on my TV works...I will never care.
Besides I never thought very highly of "The Star Spangled Banner" anyway, why is that song so difficult to sing?!!
I think our national anthem should be "America the Beautiful"

What I absolutely CANT STAND  >:( is when the singer does that "vibrating lips" thing when singing the anthem, to make it appear as if their vocal chords have achieved some sort of sonic resonance.

Wimpy Houston, Mariah Careless, and Bouncy all do this and it is bush-league.  Just sing the song the way it is supposed to be sung!

By the way... Christina Aguilera got some of her first exposure singing the national anthem at Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins games back when she was 10 years old..  :o

As long as the mute button on my TV works...I will never care.
Besides I never thought very highly of "The Star Spangled Banner" anyway, why is that song so difficult to sing?!!
I think our national anthem should be "America the Beautiful"
As long as whoever sang it didn't do so like thier foot was just clamped down in a bear trap....I say that's a great idea, NullandVoid....besides..."America The Beautiful" was inspired by this view

http://www.pikespeakcam.com/images/submitted/Mvc-459f_s.jpg


....The top of Pikes Peak...very close to where I reside ;)

What I absolutely CANT STAND  >:( is when the singer does that "vibrating lips" thing when singing the anthem, to make it appear as if their vocal chords have achieved some sort of sonic resonance.

Wimpy Houston, Mariah Careless, and Bouncy all do this and it is bush-league.  Just sing the song the way it is supposed to be sung!


Yeah. That's stupid. They don't score points for lip gymnastics so they should just cut it out

Besides I never thought very highly of "The Star Spangled Banner" anyway, why is that song so difficult to sing?!!


Apparently it's evidence than man evolved from apes, as no human vocal chords can sing it! ;D

You should change your anthem to "Our Country, 'tis Of Thee" - that way, the bands at sporting events don't have to learn two separate anthems for England and the USA! :D

:DAt San Jose state university,there's a guy who's been singing it for decades.His version is pone of the best i've heard.Cheers!

Appalling


Aus has only gotten into the "sing" the National Anthem thing in the last 15 - 20 years or so, before that it was strictly listen in reverent silence, or at least it was when I went to school.

Now we have all kinds of celebs thinking it is some kind of showcase for their dubious talents and crap vocal ability......just awful  >:(


We didn't sing it at school either.

I could be wrong here, but you'd know Fussy.......wasn't it appointed as our 'official' anthem in the early 1980's ? :-\

Appalling


Aus has only gotten into the "sing" the National Anthem thing in the last 15 - 20 years or so, before that it was strictly listen in reverent silence, or at least it was when I went to school.

Now we have all kinds of celebs thinking it is some kind of showcase for their dubious talents and crap vocal ability......just awful  >:(


We didn't sing it at school either.

I could be wrong here, but you'd know Fussy.......wasn't it appointed as our 'official' anthem in the early 1980's ? :-\




To be honest, I don't know, but I think around then, or perhaps a few years earlier ???

I don't actually mind it.

I quite like New Zealand's anthem, "God Defend New Zealand" - this first half is in Maori, and then it gets repeated in English.

They usually play it just before they thrash us at Rugby  :( ;D

http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/anthem/when.html

"The Australian National Anthem, as proclaimed in 1984..."

(Voted yesterday, thought I left a comment, obviously didn't)

Don't care.  To me, it's not about the performance, (or even the song,)  it's about the feelings of patriotism behind and/or evoked by the performance. 

I hate when they do it to most any song....yesterday they aired the funeral for Pat Tillman and the guy that sang "Amazing Grace" was a disgrace.... :P I don't understand why some feel the need to extent the notes and flutter thier voice all over the place ::) Instaed of sing it: Amazing Grace....  he sang it like this.....Amazeeeeuuueeeeeuuueeeuuueeeng Graaaauuuaaaauuuuaaaace :-\

I really don't care, unless they change the words like Stephen Tyler did at the Indy 500. >:(
And the home of the....Indianapolis 500. ???

I really don't care, unless they change the words like Stephen Tyler did at the Indy 500. >:(
And the home of the....Indianapolis 500. ???
I'd forgotten that.  Indy, I just mean if it's a scared thing...like a funeral...or you are chosen to sing it, then honor it by singing it in the tradional way that it was meant to be sung.....save the fluttering for American Idol or something ::)

In a country where tradition, religion, morality, and of all things the Constitution are constantly up for debate and interpretation, I'm  surprised that the National Anthem hasn't been compromised to the trends and fads of American Pop culture. What if the national anthem was suddenly performed with a rap theme, or heavy metal styling. I mean sure...the artist have been spicing it up a little lately, but I see that only as a way to take a traditional song...and give it their own touch. I know If I had the honor then I would want to be one of those people who left a mark on the tradition, and I think that is the only thing that is happening. Besides...as long as Roseanne doesn'tget to it again, I will be perfectly fine. ;D

What if the national anthem was suddenly performed with a rap theme, or heavy metal styling.
Give it time, Ghetto John ::)

Apparently it's evidence than man evolved from apes, as no human vocal chords can sing it! ;D

You should change your anthem to "Our Country, 'tis Of Thee" - that way, the bands at sporting events don't have to learn two separate anthems for England and the USA! :D
What about canada?

Here in Britain, our national anthem is all about the monarchy.
Now, although I'm a Conservative, I'm fiercely republican (how dare the monarch have ruling over a democratically elected government AND waste our taxes in doing so?!). Therefore, I really don't WANT to salute the monarch by singing the national anthem (except when watching the World Cup because you really have to. Although then, I sing "Land of Hope and Glory" or "Three Lions" or some other English or British song.)
I made up my own words to it:

The bloody monarchy
Take half our taxes, they
Think they're so great.
Swap all those flea-ridden
Corgis with kittens and
Let's make Great Bri-i-tain
A republic staaaaaaaaaaate.

It's even more fun to sing while saluting the flag or just before the Queen's on TV or something. No, not Prince Charles, the other queen.

http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/anthem/when.html

"The Australian National Anthem, as proclaimed in 1984..."


That clears it up ! Thanks mrgazpacho ! ;)

The worst I ever heard was Carl Lewis singing it (besides Roseanne of course).  But Carl tried and sounded horrible.

The best was country artists Rascal Flatts singing it at a Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game.  Tight harmonies and great vocal range.  They didn't try to add or take away from the National Anthem and did it justice.

What about canada?


Canada has one of the best anthems in the world and I love to sing it even though I'm Australian! :D

Interesting variation of the English national anthem, asskicker.  :D

I agree with you on all the reasons you mentioned. They are a bunch of high class scroungers.

The main problem I have with them isn't the fact that they take far too much money from taxpayers when they have enough already, although that is probably the second-worst thing about them.
The thing that really gets me about the monarchy is that they have authority over a democratically-elected government.
Democracy is supposed to mean that all decisions are made by the people's representatives. It's a fair system. If everyone goes and votes for a horrible, extremist party, like the Communists or the Fascists or... Labour, or something, I wouldn't have a problem with it- that's how the people have voted. It would be pretty nasty, but it shouldn't be overthrown by a monarch. The Queen's opinion is just that- her opinion. She can keep that to herself or she can express it, but she sure as hell shouldn't use that one opinion to change something that sixty million people agree on (although you'd never get that high a turnout or a majority, but even so. A lot of people.)

Canada has one of the best anthems in the world and I love to sing it even though I'm Australian! :D
8) 8) :D ;DAlthough for that canadian snowboarder who won the gold at the 1998 Olympics,they could have c :D :D :Dalled it O Cannabis!!Cheers!

8) 8) :D ;DAlthough for that canadian snowboarder who won the gold at the 1998 Olympics,they could have c :D :D :Dalled it O Cannabis!!Cheers!
;D

What about canada?

Yeah what about Canada?  >:(

Canada has one of the best anthems in the world and I love to sing it even though I'm Australian! :D

That's very nice of you, I happen to like most anthems, and that includes Australia.  ;)

;D
;DYou remember him?I forgot his name,it was Italian.Anyway,he teated positive for marijuana,but he got to keep his gold medal.I mean,since people smoke it,how can you tell if it was from second-hand smoke or if he smoked it himself?I think the decision was fair.Cheers!

That's very nice of you, I happen to like most anthems, and that includes Australia.  ;)
The italian one is cool.

When I was in High School, the version of O Canada that was played was sung by the popular acapella group The Nylons (They had a US Top 40 hit in 1987 with a cover of Kiss Him Goodbye).  I never much liked it, but I got used to it, but it's been so long since I've heard the national anthem, I don't even remember all the words lol