Aguilera Botches Our National Anthem

[mugaliens]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/...-Super-Bowl-national-anthem-020611?GT1=39002".

I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate it when an "artist" can't remember her lines while over-artistrating (yes, my very own word) so badly that the entire theme and purpose of our National Anthem are lost.

It's a song about the immense immense love of, and sacrifice for our country, as born by those who fought to wrest it into existence, as well as all those who fought since to preserve it:

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!​

It's not a showcase for artists. Aguilera's (failed) attempt to misuse it as such is reprehensible.

If you're going to embellish at all, do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related".

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/song-lyrics/star-spangled-banner.shtml"

 

[BobG]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/...-Super-Bowl-national-anthem-020611?GT1=39002".

I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate it when an "artist" can't remember her lines while over-artistrating (yes, my very own word) so badly that the entire theme and purpose of our National Anthem are lost.

It's a song about the immense immense love of, and sacrifice for our country, as born by those who fought to wrest it into existence, as well as all those who fought since to preserve it:

The only sensible way to do it is to pre-record it and then lip sync it at the Super Bowl. Eliminates the chance of botching the lines, although it can look a little strange when the voice starts a little earlier than the lip syncer expected (Jewel looked liked somebody yanked her body to the microphone with a fishing line and hook when she tried that trick).

To be honest, I'd prefer something like "America, the Beautiful" to the "Star Spangled Banner". The national anthem should be a symbol of country. The flag should be a symbol of our country. Having a song about a symbol of our country be our national anthem is a little too indirect for me.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

If you're going to embellish at all, do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related".

Wow, Houston was pretty awesome there, I think she did it perfectly. Aguilera can definitely sing, but he has taken the train to nutterville recently so I can see how she was not mentally prepared.

 

[JaredJames]

It could be worse, you could be stuck with our national anthem.

England's is bad:

Wales' is worse:

Two of the most depressing songs I've ever heard.

 

[mugaliens]

It could be worse, you could be stuck with our national anthem.

England's is bad:

Lol, I think I've heard that tune before, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_bCbJJIfb4&feature=related"...

Wales' is worse...

Oh, gosh! Sounds like it had it's roots in Gregorian chant.

 

[hypatia]

I was really surprised that someone of her quality, did such a bad job of it. I heard people today comparing her to Roseanne Barr's performance some years ago.

 

[Chi Meson]

I simply cannot stand listening to the National Anthem as sung by pop singers trying to get "more soul than ever" into the tune. Everyone knows that the tune was originally a pub song, and I think it sounds best when a thousand voices sing along in simple 3/4 time, with just the notes that are supposed to be there.EDIT:

In the key of G!

 

[JaredJames]

I simply cannot stand listening to the National Anthem as sung by pop singers trying to get "more soul than ever" into the tune. Everyone knows that the tune was originally a pub song, and I think it sounds best when a thousand voices sing along in simple 3/4 time, with just the notes that are supposed to be there.

And then there's the other end of the spectrum where the players don't know the words and every now and then you'll see them remember one and blurt it out.

 

[Newai]

7 year-old Rhema Marvanne > 4-time grammy Christina Aguilera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCvMTGs2u8

 

[IMP]

I am sure this is one of those things that brings a deep fear to anyone who has agreed to sing it in front of millions of people. That same kind of fear of tripping while walking down the wedding isle, or tripping while walking up to get your diploma. The fear of messing up the words is probably so great that you get nervous enough to mess up the words. However, she is a professional and really should have nailed the words, even at the expense of messing up the rhythm or melody...

 

[Evo]

She didn't even realize she botched it, that's what's so bad.

Aside from it sounding awful.

 

[Phrak]

Perhaps a return to the original lyrics...

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a petition;
That he their Inspirer and Patron wou'd be;
When this answer arrived 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."
etc.

 

[nobahar]

The Star Spangled banner is an old British Drinking song. It's on Wiki but I think it's also mentioned in Stephen Fry's book on classical music (I haven't read it mind you, so don't quote me on it).

It could be worse, you could be stuck with our national anthem.

England's is bad:

Wales' is worse:

Two of the most depressing songs I've ever heard.

That's not our national anthem. This is!:


In my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written. Along with Beethoven's Sonata No. 14, Elgar's Nimrod from the Enigma Variations, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, Vivaldi's Concerto Grosso in D minor, and a number of others which I regrettably currently can't recall.

 

[JaredJames]

That's not our national anthem. This is!:

Oh I do hope not.

 

[BobG]

The Star Spangled Banner was originally a really appropriate song to use during flag raising ceremonies (considering the story it's telling). I'm not sure how it progressed from that to being considered an appropriate national anthem.

South Africa's national anthem uses five different languages and is the only national anthem that doesn't end in the same key that it started in.

That sounds like fun.

 

[Borek]

We have been through that. First, during 2002 FIFA World Cup our anthem was badly sung by Edyta Górniak ( ). Then, few years later, our ex Prime Minister, always full of patriotic platitudes, twin of the President, the one that died in the plane crash, proved he has no ear for music (happens) and he doesn't remember lyrics ( - second half is a joke, first half is a real recording, he is scrambling words which you will not hear not knowing Polish).

This is the official version -

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm sorry to say that I don't know the words to the Polish national anthem either.

 

[Borek]

The problem with Jimmy is - one never knows, if he is serious or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_Is_Not_Yet_Lost

 

[AlephZero]

I think it's very considerate of Wales and Poland that they collect up all the unwanted letters from other western languages and recycle them.

(But to be fair, Welsh spelling is much more rational than Scots Gaelic and Irish).

 

[JaredJames]

I think it's very considerate of Wales and Poland that they collect up all the unwanted letters from other western languages and recycle them.

(But to be fair, Welsh spelling is much more rational than Scots Gaelic and Irish).

You wouldn't be saying that if you were forced to learn Welsh.

 

[story645]

tripping while walking up to get your diploma.

I did that, (and as I was only one of two girls in my major it was probably semi-noticible).

It's different though 'cause she's a professional who has been doing this for ages (she was popular when I was in elementary school, so +10 years) so this was kind of a major flub.

 

[jtbell]

I think it's very considerate of Wales and Poland that they collect up all the unwanted letters from other western languages and recycle them.

And the Poles took all the diacritical marks, too!

 

[Kevin_Axion]

I have to admit, I love my anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kWTOGZ53I

 

[waht]

Russian National Anthem is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZfXN1UOpw

 

[AlephZero]

And the Poles took all the diacritical marks, too!

I wonder if they stole all the vowels from Arabic and Hebrew as well.

 

[AlephZero]

You wouldn't be saying that if you were forced to learn Welsh.

Welsh spelling is almost entirely regular and phonetic. (But some of the phonemes may be influenced by the fact that there are more sheep than people living in Wales).

On the other hand Gaelic is just wild. A language where Aberdeen is spelled "Obar Dheadhain" and Stornoway is "Steornabhaigh" is just FUBAR.

 

[JaredJames]

Welsh spelling is almost entirely regular and phonetic. (But some of the phonemes may be influenced by the fact that there are more sheep than people living in Wales).

On the other hand Gaelic is just wild. A language where Aberdeen is spelled "Obar Dheadhain" and Stornoway is "Steornabhaigh" is just FUBAR.

And I feel for anyone who is forced to learn them (is anyone?).

The Welsh alphabet is a laugh: A B C CH D DD E F FF G NG H I J L LL M N O P PH R RH S T TH U W Y

The Welsh language is easy if you understand how the letters are pronounced (CH DD FF NG LL PH and RH). It's always a laugh when an English person tries out the road signs!

Doesn't change the fact it's a nightmare to learn, especially when you notice the Welsh have to outdo the English words by about 20 letters in length - we do have the longest place name in the world - I'd type it here but I fear Ubuntu's spell check would go into meltdown.

 

[ebits21]

I have to admit, I love my anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kWTOGZ53I

I remember when they switched to the half french, half english version in my public school. I always just mumbled through the french parts, haha.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

Haha, I can say most of them, it's been a while though, we only say it in English now.

 

[Borek]

And the Poles took all the diacritical marks, too!

Not true, there is a lot of diacritics we don't use.

These are ALL letters used in Polish: ąćęłńóśżź

These are SOME examples of letters NOT used in Polish: àåçñîĉĝěđďčįäřňĵĥáŝžš

As you see, we are not egoistic and we left plenty for other nations.

To be honest, we saved on diacritical marks using digraphs (like sz, cz, dż, rz) to denote some of the consonants.

 

[Borg]

I simply cannot stand listening to the National Anthem as sung by pop singers trying to get "more soul than ever" into the tune. Everyone knows that the tune was originally a pub song, and I think it sounds best when a thousand voices sing along in simple 3/4 time, with just the notes that are supposed to be there.


EDIT:

In the key of G!

I agree. My wife jokingly asked why I wasn't standing for the National Anthem. I told her that I would if it was being sung.

BTW, given the number of times that it's been botched in the Super Bowl, I would be more surprised if someone got the words correct.

 

[cobalt124]

I agree with what a colleague at work said, there's 100,000? people in the stadium for the SuperBowl, take ownership of the the thing and sing it yourselves. No single voice could beat that.

The English national anthem is hopeless. At least Pomp and Circumstance and Rule Britannia have some passion, like the Marseillaise. My favourite national anthem is South Africas.

 

[JaredJames]

My favourite national anthem is South Africas.

I'll second that.

 

[AlephZero]

The Welsh alphabet is a laugh: A B C CH D DD E F FF G NG H I J L LL M N O P PH R RH S T TH U W Y

The Welsh language is easy if you understand how the letters are pronounced (CH DD FF NG LL PH and RH). It's always a laugh when an English person tries out the road signs!

Doesn't change the fact it's a nightmare to learn, especially when you notice the Welsh have to outdo the English words by about 20 letters in length - we do have the longest place name in the world - I'd type it here but I fear Ubuntu's spell check would go into meltdown.

Try Sanskrit. One transliteration of the alphabet is

A e ai I RRI LLI U o au
a i RRi LLi u M H
k ch T t p
kh Ch Th th ph
g j D d b
gh jh Dh dh bh
~N ~n N n m
y r l v
h sh Sh s

Sanskrit doesn't have upper and lower case (or punctuation!) so T and t for example are different letters repesenting different sounds. The arrangement might look random, but it's actually a 2 dimensional "periodic table" of sounds (that is fairly obvious from k through to bh).

The letter LLI ought to exist (and there is a symbol for it) but it has never been used in any words. LLi is the "ul" vowel sound at the end of English words like label, table, etc. LLI is the corresponding long vowel sound.

Actually this isn't the "record" for the longest alphabet. A related language has 53 letters, not 49.

 

[elfboy]

anyway, the constitution technically gives her the right to botch the lyrics is she so wishes (and we have a right to be repulsed)

 

[JaredJames]

Try Sanskrit. One transliteration of the alphabet is

Are people trying to 'one up' me with language?

 

[mheslep]

If you're going to embellish at all, do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related".

Yeah that's doing it right. Thanks mugaliens, both for the objection to Aquilera and for posting the doing it right version.

Whitney. That woman, in or our of rehab, makes everyone else sound like a Simon Cowell reject on American Idol in comparison.

 

[humanino]

I agree that interpreting a national anthem is very important

Of course :


Beethoven's Ode to Joy was a good choice for Europe.

 

[qspeechc]

AlephZero are you a linguist, or do you just have a gift for languages?

 

[Nicodemus]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/...-Super-Bowl-national-anthem-020611?GT1=39002".

I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate it when an "artist" can't remember her lines while over-artistrating (yes, my very own word) so badly that the entire theme and purpose of our National Anthem are lost.

It's a song about the immense immense love of, and sacrifice for our country, as born by those who fought to wrest it into existence, as well as all those who fought since to preserve it:

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!​

It's not a showcase for artists. Aguilera's (failed) attempt to misuse it as such is reprehensible.

If you're going to embellish at all, do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related".

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/song-lyrics/star-spangled-banner.shtml"

On the subject of art, is a song written by a lawyer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key to the tune of a British drinking song http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Anacreon_in_Heaven really so important?

That said I have no particular need to hear it repeated at every sporting event, no matter how minor. In fact, unless we're playing another nation, I don't see the point at all. We've created this to showcase "talents", be the real (7 year old) or manufactured charctatures (Aguilera). I think the republic can stand even against this; remember, here are the original lyrics to our proud Hymn:

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

The
ANACREONTIC SONG

as Sung at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand

the Words by
RALPH TOMLINSON ESQ R, late President of that SOCIETY.

————————Price 6d.————————

LONDON
Printed by Longman and Broderip. N o26, Cheapside and N o13, Hay Market



1
To ANACREON in Heav'n, where he sat in full Glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,
That He their Inspirer and Patron wou'd be;
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.

If anyone has a right to be sore, probably it's Mr. Tomlinson. :p

 

[texasblitzem]

Not true, there is a lot of diacritics we don't use.

These are ALL letters used in Polish: ąćęłńóśżź

These are SOME examples of letters NOT used in Polish: àåçñîĉĝěđďčįäřňĵĥáŝžš

As you see, we are not egoistic and we left plenty for other nations.

To be honest, we saved on diacritical marks using digraphs (like sz, cz, dż, rz) to denote some of the consonants.

Do you have the game Scrabble in Poland? How many Z's are there?

 

[Nicodemus]

Do you have the game Scrabble in Poland? How many Z's are there?

Wow, I'm so glad I actually checked and didn't just laugh.

Polish-language editions of Scrabble use these 100 tiles.

2 blank tiles (scoring 0 points)
1 point: A ×9, I ×8, E ×7, O ×6, N ×5, Z ×5, R ×4, S ×4, W ×4
2 points: Y ×4, C ×3, D ×3, K ×3, L ×3, M ×3, P ×3, T ×3
3 points: B ×2, G ×2, H ×2, J ×2, Ł ×2, U ×2
5 points: Ą ×1, Ę ×1, F ×1, Ó ×1, Ś ×1, Ż ×1
6 points: Ć ×1
7 points: Ń ×1
9 points: Ź ×1
This set is used since 2000. Before that year, a slightly different configuration was used: Ź was worth 7 points, F was worth 4 points. There were 2 F's, and 8 A's. The letters Q, V and X are also absent and blank tiles cannot be used to represent these.

That is a real paucity of Z's if I'm Polish, I think. More interesting, they have a tile listing for ALL Scrabble: Afrikaans, Polish, Russian, Norwegian, Romanian... and so on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble_letter_distributions

Ugh, I just realized that I missed the first 5 Z's. So much for a paucity!

 

[Pengwuino]

Russian National Anthem is great:

Lovely. I feel conquered already.

 

[micromass]

Nothing can beat the prime minister of Belgium. When he was asked to sing the national anthem of Belgium, he started out by singing the anthem of France And he was dead serious too...

 

[Nicodemus]

Nothing can beat the prime minister of Belgium. When he was asked to sing the national anthem of Belgium, he started out by singing the anthem of France And he was dead serious too...

Serious... you mean he MEANT to do that? Wow, talk about publicly announcing that you won't seek office again. :0

 

[micromass]

No, he just didn't know what the national anthem was. At least, that's what I think.

And the sad thing is, that he is still in office

 

[Nicodemus]

No, he just didn't know what the national anthem was. At least, that's what I think.

And the sad thing is, that he is still in office

I uh, wow. Now THAT would be a case when botching the anthem would definitely annoy me.

 

[turbo]

Luckily (it seems) I missed Aguilara's "performance". I tuned in just in time for the coin-toss and kickoff. Actually I hate football, but I wanted to catch the quarterly scores so I could see if my wife and I won a share of the $1000 pool. Plus, catch the ads, which weren't so great this year.

 

[mugaliens]

She didn't even realize she botched it, that's what's so bad.

I would expected an apology, at least for forgetting the words.

 

[turbo]

I don't remember if Robert Goulet apologized. It was a big issue for the Clay-Liston fight.