The lady tonite.the Oregon game, got it right. The six dweebs from last nite embarrassed me.
It's a warriors song. Belt it or stay under the porch.
-------------- "Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
-------------- "Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
I agree with you Brad. Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me. However, I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land" for our national anthem. "America the Beautiful" would be my second choice.
-------------- "Too often I have met men who boast only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
I agree with you Brad. Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me.
Wrong! It wasn't an old British drinking song melody. And it wasn't an insignificant battle in the War of 1812. It's a grand US National Anthem, IMO. Blame President Herbert Hoover if you don't like it.
Rumi <~~~~likes living in the land of the free and the home of the brave
-------------- “This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all.”
I generally find excellent renditions are done during NHL playoffs. I agree with Rumi and TDale on this one. I'm usually appalled by the pop tart of the year that gets to open the Super Bowl. I LOATHE listening to some talentless hack give us her jazz/ soul/ R&B "interpretation".
Oh, and Golden Eagle for best national bird (although it may not be very tasty with cranberry sauce).
-------------- Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
I agree with you Brad. Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me. However, I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land" for our national anthem. "America the Beautiful" would be my second choice.
A lot of people prefer This Land is Your Land, however to me it's just too simple (boring) a song without quite enough grandeur musically speaking.
Also, many consider it too politically "Left" in its origins.
But I do like its sentiment!
Here's a good story on Woodie and the song from last year on NPR...
Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me.
That's exactly the reason I like it.
But then again, I like Franklin's idea of the rattlesnake representing our country.
"I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids—She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.—She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.—As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shewn and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal:—Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of stepping on her.—Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?"
-------------- When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
I generally find excellent renditions are done during NHL playoffs.
Agreed.
But one thing I don't get is when I'm at a Caps game and some people start sitting down when the Canadian anthem is being sung. Gimme a break, show some bloody respect and stand up.
-------------- To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
I generally find excellent renditions are done during NHL playoffs.
Agreed.
But one thing I don't get is when I'm at a Caps game and some people start sitting down when the Canadian anthem is being sung. Gimme a break, show some bloody respect and stand up.
Agreed. I didn't find the same discourtesy when I'd go see the Bruins.
-------------- Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
I agree with you Brad. Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me.
Wrong! It wasn't an old British drinking song melody. And it wasn't an insignificant battle in the War of 1812. It's a grand US National Anthem, IMO. Blame President Herbert Hoover if you don't like it.
Rumi <~~~~likes living in the land of the free and the home of the brave
Thanks for the link, Rumi. This merits further research and I'll have to get back to you.
Still, I don't like the song. However, I will admit is sounds better as just an instrumental than a vocal. Honestly, I think the rendition I like the best is by our local high school band. They really do a nice job on it especially the drum section. I have to admit that I just don't like the idea of a national anthem based on a wartiem exploit. Just too militaristic for me. But maybe considering the number of useless and senseless wars this country's been involved in, it's appropriate.
-------------- "Too often I have met men who boast only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
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 thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, 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, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh 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 washed out their foul footsteps' 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 home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
I have to admit that I just don't like the idea of a national anthem based on a wartiem exploit. Just too militaristic for me. But maybe considering the number of useless and senseless wars this country's been involved in, it's appropriate.
In all fairness, the British had to abandon their original invasion plan was because the boat-owning merchants in Baltimore purposely sailed out from the docks and sank their ships, preventing the British from entering the harbor. VERY American in my book.
In Plan B, the British gunboats set up outside the range of Ft William McHenry's cannons, so there wasn't a full-scale battle going on. The Americans just took the British bombardment, which lasted a full day. When the British stopped the onslaught the following morning, they were able to see the American flag still standing, and gave up their pursuit of Baltimore.
-------------- When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
I agree with you Brad. Why on earth we have an old British drinking song that hardly anyone can sing correctly with words glorifying a rather insignificant battle is beyond me.
Wrong! It wasn't an old British drinking song melody. And it wasn't an insignificant battle in the War of 1812. It's a grand US National
Anthem, IMO. Blame President Herbert Hoover if you don't like it.
Rumi <~~~~likes living in the land of the free and the home of the brave
Rumi, perhaps the below will clarify things (from Wikipedia):
These barristers, doctors, and other professional men named their club after the Greek court poet Anacreon (6th century BC), whose poems, "anacreontics", were used to entertain patrons in Teos and Athens. His songs often celebrated women, wine, and entertainment. The connection with Anacreon, along with the "drinking" nature of the lyrics, have caused many people to label "The Anacreontic Song" a drinking song. Due to the difficulty of singing the song, this claim is highly dubious, although the chorus certainly suggests Bacchanalia with its lyrics "And long may the sons of Anacreon intwine the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine." The song, through its bawdy lyrics, gained popularity in London and elsewhere beyond the Anacreontic Society.
As for Mr. Hoover, we can blame him for a lot of things, but he's probably judged more harshly than he should be for a lot of things.
-------------- "Too often I have met men who boast only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
Terrible song, really meaningless, never liked it, nobody has the range to sing it.
There's only two notes additional range between The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. The former has a 1.5 octave range and the average human voice has a range of *gasp* 1.5 octaves so the "nobody has the range" argument never held water.
I don't care for the "personalizations" of the song, but if they keep it in 3/4 as it's written and the tempo is reasonably quick, I don't get too upset. Slow and in 4 is just plain laziness.
-------------- “Sometimes you have to be ready to receive the information before it can take hold.” – C. Schwarz
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” – Attributed to the Buddhism tradition…
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 thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, 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, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh 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 washed out their foul footsteps' 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 home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Of course. Before I switched to teaching band, I was teaching elementary music. I made sure that my 5th graders knew all 3 verses that were in their text (your verse 3 was the one not in there). And, I tested them on it. After singing that (plus America, America the Beautiful and Fifty Nifty United States) for about 3 or 4 weeks, I gave them a sheet of blank paper and a pencil and told them to write it down. From time to time, I'd play the song on the piano to help their memory.
Most did pretty good, although spellings were funny. I puzzled for 20 minutes over the word "donserly" before figuring out the kid meant "dawn's early"
When I first taught the song, I impressed on them that the important verse is really NOT the familiar first verse, but the second verse. The first verse is the question, and the second verse is the answer. I also commented that I also felt the last verse to be more important than the first verse.
Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
