How disrespectful is a poorly sung National Anthem?

[Guts/Batman]

Do you find it disrespectful when the National Anthem of your country is sung poorly?

I'm thinking more of Roseanne singing the National Anthem, more so than when the girl forgot the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Portland Trail Blazers game?

[Paradox]

Well, since it's an incredibly hard song to sing, it doesn't bother me much. In Rosanne's case...eh, it wasn't intended to be disrespectful, it was just a bad joke that backfired. **shrugs** Feces occur.

[MacQuarrie]

Given that the song was designated as such in 1958 at the height of McCarthyism in order to prevent "that socialist" Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land from being the National Anthem (I prefer America the Beautiful), it doesn't bother me a lot. Vonnegut is right, our national anthem is gibberish sprinkled with question marks.

[GeorgeG]

Well, since it's an incredibly hard song to sing, it doesn't bother me much. In Rosanne's case...eh, it wasn't intended to be disrespectful, it was just a bad joke that backfired. **shrugs** Feces occur.

How is making a joke of it not disrespectful? Explain that to me.

[Paradox]

GeorgeG wants an explanation:

How is making a joke of it not disrespectful? Explain that to me.

Sure. I'm not inside her head, but I can only assume that she wasn't mocking the anthem itself, but rather the fact that it's sung so badly by so many at sporting events. And the crotch grabbing was a shot at ball players, not at the anthem.

Comedy's one of the most subjective things out there. I think part of the problem was the "joke" wasn't funny enough nor clear.

Asking a comedienne to sing the National Anthem? You're kind of asking for it.

[Mike Smash!]

Given that the song was designated as such in 1958 at the height of McCarthyism in order to prevent "that socialist" Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land from being the National Anthem (I prefer America the Beautiful), it doesn't bother me a lot. Vonnegut is right, our national anthem is gibberish sprinkled with question marks.I love Kurt Vonnegut.

And thanks for the history lesso, Jim. Didn't know that. I did know that several of Guthrie's more populist and egaltarian verses aren't sung as often anymore and are usually cut out of the song when it's sung now.

My favorite little factoid about Guthrie was that he had the following words scrawled on his guitar: "This Machine Kills Fascists".

I prefer "America the Beautiful" as a national anthem too. Easier to sing, if nothing else.

[Rachel Grey]

Hey, at least it's not as lame as Advance Australia Fair.

We really need a new anthem.

[clayholio]

I agree that having Roseanne sing the Anthem is asking for trouble. It's not as if she had had a long and lauded singing career up to that point (or after, for that matter). A lot of people thought that Jimi Hendrix's version was also disrespectful, but I think that's been reconsidered somewhat over the years.

I look at it this way: when something becomes sacred, it dies. As long as the National Anthem is open to new interpretations and versions, it can continue to be a living, vital, and inspirational part of American culture. If it is only okay if it's sung/performed one official way, it's only an artifact or a habit, and is no longer a part of current society.

[Valmore]

I prefer "America the Beautiful" as a national anthem too. Easier to sing, if nothing else.

This... I have to challenge.

How can a self-described atheist prefer "America the Beautiful" over "The Star-Spangled Banner" for a National Anthem?

"America! America! GOD shed his grace on thee! ... GOD mend thine every flaw! ... May GOD thy gold refine! ... etc."

Seems just a bit strange, no?

[Mike Smash!]

This... I have to challenge.

How can a self-described atheist prefer "America the Beautiful" over "The Star-Spangled Banner" for a National Anthem?

"America! America! GOD shed his grace on thee! ... GOD mend thine every flaw! ... May GOD thy gold refine! ... etc."

Seems just a bit strange, no?I prefer it because it's much less awkward and describes America, rather than just a battle. The God stuff....eh...

It's not like it's "God Bless America", which is much more overtly religious. But until you brought it up, I totally forgot that "God" was in the song.

The National Anthem is pretty awkward to sing and except for the last part, which I really like, it's not really that great. Well, unless Jimi is doing it.

[Valmore]

I prefer it because it's much less awkward and describes America, rather than just a battle. The God stuff....eh...

It's not like it's "God Bless America", which is much more overtly religious. But until you brought it up, I totally forgot that "God" was in the song.

The National Anthem is pretty awkward to sing and except for the last part, which I really like, it's not really that great. Well, unless Jimi is doing it.

Just thought it was kind of funny, since I know you're an atheist and the poem/song "America the Beautiful" has God in it and was written by a pretty devout woman. Still, it's kind of a loooooooong song, if all the lyrics are sung. "The Star Spangled Banner" is short and to the point - though I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land."

Maybe we could do something like "O Canada" and have "O America" or something? I kinda like "O Canada."

[Paul Newell]

Hey, at least it's not as lame as Advance Australia Fair.

We really need a new anthem.

One where at least one Australian knows the words? :)

[Mike Smash!]

Just thought it was kind of funny, since I know you're an atheist and the poem/song "America the Beautiful" has God in it and was written by a pretty devout woman. Still, it's kind of a loooooooong song, if all the lyrics are sung. "The Star Spangled Banner" is short and to the point - though I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land."

Maybe we could do something like "O Canada" and have "O America" or something? I kinda like "O Canada.""This Land is Your Land"s a good pick too.

And yeah, "America the Beautiful" is a loooong song, but most people just know two verses.

I guess I can handle a national anthem by a really religious person. After all, the Righties can handle a Pledge of Allegiance written by a socialist.

[Mike Smash!]

One where at least one Australian knows the words? :)So, it's currently the patriotic equivalent of "Louie, Louie"?

[Valmore]

So, it's currently the patriotic equivalent of "Louie, Louie"?

Or "Wooly Bully." :D

[Paul Newell]

So, it's currently the patriotic equivalent of "Louie, Louie"?
It actually has several verses, but they only sing the first two verses at events knowing it gives them a better chance of getting the public to join in...Even then most people get the words wrong. Add to this the fact that 99% of the public get embarrassed about singing in public and generally mumble their way through the two verses they barely know....Well...It's exactly like Louie Louie, but without the alcohol.

If only Waltzing Matilda had been picked instead...there's nothing like a rousing tune about a sheep stealer getting into a fight with the cops! :)

[Mike Smash!]

If only Waltzing Matilda had been picked instead...there's nothing like a rousing tune about a sheep stealer getting into a fight with the cops! :)And so wonderfully Australian at the same time!

Catchy, too!

[Mike Smash!]

Has its own website too: http://www.nla.gov.au/epubs/waltzingmatilda/

[rudy]

I remember an incident where an American was singing the Canadian anthem before a sporting event (a CFL game I think) and he had the words right, but sung it to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree." It wasn't intentional, it just sorta came out like that.

It was kinda funny actually.

[MKTerra]

I guess I can handle a national anthem by a really religious person. After all, the Righties can handle a Pledge of Allegiance written by a socialist.Well, the "under God" revision probably makes it more palatable :p

Wikipedia on the Pledge's history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_allegiance)

[Dan Apodaca]

My favorite little factoid about Guthrie was that he had the following words scrawled on his guitar: "This Machine Kills Fascists".

He also wrote a song that was covered by Wilco and Billy Bragg on their Mermaid Avenue albums called "All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose!". If you're a Woody Guthrie fan, you should check out the albums. They're full of songs that Woody wrote lyrics for, but never recorded or even wrote music for, in some cases. The albums were also made in close conjunction with Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter.

Mermaid Avenue:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000007NC0/qid=1125735850/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6018361-1102500?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

Mermaid Avenue Volume 2:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004TBES/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/102-6018361-1102500?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

[The Dosadi Experiment]

It depends on where you live.

Certain countries pour more feeling into symbolism then others.

Flag-waving is another example, some find it a patriotic duty, but in other countries it's associated with nationalism and fascism.

[Dan Apodaca]

Eh, it's just a song.

If someone out there is trampling on and destroying IDEAS or LIVES, then I'll get worked up.

[Alex]

I think a lot of american's can't sing, and therefor, its sort of understanable that the song would be sung badly.
Besides, it isn't the fault of the person picked, its the fault of the people running the stadium (or what have you) that picked them.

[Christopher O]

Eh, it's just a song.

If someone out there is trampling on and destroying IDEAS or LIVES, then I'll get worked up.

Exactly. I hate when people get worked up over such trivialities. It's so typically American. Let's get worked up over Roseanne's rendition of the national anthem or over Janet's breast, rather than focusing on the real issues facing this nation and the world.

[Devon C.]

Do you find it disrespectful when the National Anthem of your country is sung poorly?

I'm thinking more of Roseanne singing the National Anthem, more so than when the girl forgot the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Portland Trail Blazers game?
So, poorly, as in, they're trying to screw it up to make themselves look like cool, rebellious, radicals? Yes.

On the Roseanne thing, I know about that too well. Why did they even LET HER SING?!

[Headhunter]

Depends on the intent, more than ability.

I don't think anyone expected Roseanne to be good...or competent...or coherent.

[spoon_jenkins]

Just thought it was kind of funny, since I know you're an atheist and the poem/song "America the Beautiful" has God in it and was written by a pretty devout woman. Still, it's kind of a loooooooong song, if all the lyrics are sung. "The Star Spangled Banner" is short and to the point - though I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land."

I'm not sure how long in seconds it takes to sing "America the Beatiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner", but based on the portions we sing, TSSB seems to have a lot more syllables. Granted, AtB has a lot of extra verses folks never sing, but so does TSSB.

I think it's disrespectful to sing the National Anthem poorly if it's intentional. I'm strongly against a flag burning amendment. But just because an act should be legal doesn't mean I necessarily consider it respectful or right. And someone (like Roseanne) being picked to sing the anthem at an event is a bit different. It's like someone being selected for an honor guard and then trashing the flag to the surprise of the attendees. It's not merely a straight-forward statement about the nation and politics; it's an act of deception.

[Devon C.]

Edit: Never mind.

[Loren]

Given that the song was designated as such in 1958 at the height of McCarthyism in order to prevent "that socialist" Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land from being the National Anthem

Except that Congress officially adopted "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the National Anthem way back in 1931 (http://bands.army.mil/music/nationalanthem.asp). There was a groundswell of popular support for the adoption after Robert Ripley published a "Believe it or Not" cartoon that revealed that the song had never been officially declared our national anthem.

It also seems odd to consider 1958 as the height of McCarthyism, since the McCarthy hearings ended in 1954 and McCarthy himself died in 1957.

[Archyduke]

Regardless, I think "This Land Is Your Land" would be a much catchier national anthem.

[Donald M.]

I think it's disrespectful that we don't have a catchier, easier to remember National Anthem.

A song about "bombs bursting in air" sure does have "America" written all over it though, don't it? Also it being derivative of a British drinking song.

[Puma]

its not even that original, good old F.S. Key borrowed the tune from an old drinking song and created new lyrics. You have to be a little drunk to even come close to hitting some of the notes

[Bakema NL]

Do you find it disrespectful when the National Anthem of your country is sung poorly?

I'm thinking more of Roseanne singing the National Anthem, more so than when the girl forgot the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Portland Trail Blazers game?

I find it disrespectful when any national anthem is sung anyhow, especially "my" own, I have ears you know and I like pleasurable sounds coming in more than crap.
I couldn't care less about any national anthem and the way it's sung, they all suck and really are not necessary, I cringe when I hear them, they are all misplaced and reek of a feeling of unnecessary nationalism. In our country only really old people know the song and most of them only the first or maybe two couplets of that horrible song........people who lived through world war 2 and are singing "Wilhelmus van Nassaue, am I of German blood".....the first line in the song and these old people oppressed by Nazis once happily singing along.....misplaced. Of course the song is older, but still..........and after that it's some bullshit about loyal to the death and then "the king of Spain I always held in honour"...our anthem has more to do with other countries really and the word god is in almost every line after the first couplet, something that makes me cringe too. You have to go into the history of things how such a song came to be, but why bother, it's something you learn at school and forget about later on as it is information you don't really need anymore.
I actually looked the text up and ok, I learned a thing I didn't know, our anthem is the oldest one in the world, although officially recognized as anthem in 1932.....now I can forget about that too.
Most funny are sportsmen, soccer players "singing" the song before a game in a tournament, damn funny to watch, they don't know the lines and just move their lips a little making it look.....hahahah, yeah right......as if they really know the song. The ones just staring and thinking screw this stupidity are the ones having my respect, what total nonsense.

[Donald M.]

Here's an idea, here in the States each President should be able to choose their own National Anthem, or at least their own Presidential Song to be played when introduced at press conferences and functions.

If I were more clever, I'd list humorous possibilities for Anthems and Presidential Songs of past Presidents and we'd all have a good chuckle.

[Adam Crocker]

He also wrote a song that was covered by Wilco and Billy Bragg on their Mermaid Avenue albums called "All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose!". If you're a Woody Guthrie fan, you should check out the albums. They're full of songs that Woody wrote lyrics for, but never recorded or even wrote music for, in some cases.

According to an excerpt I heard from Dylan's biography, Woody actually told him about these songs back in the early 60s and told him to go down to his place on Coney Island and ask for his wife if he ever wanted to set them to music. She wasn't home when Bob arrived, so he only stayed long enough to warm up, and then left. He never went back for some reason.

In any case, unless you are singing it poorly intentionally so as to mock it or the exercise of singing it, then no a poorly sung National Anthem is not disrespectful, especially seeing as how some people are just terrible at singing to begin with.

[ocelotrevs]

No way at all, it's just a song
People can sing it without feeling shit too it

[estee]

Just thought it was kind of funny, since I know you're an atheist and the poem/song "America the Beautiful" has God in it and was written by a pretty devout woman. Still, it's kind of a loooooooong song, if all the lyrics are sung. "The Star Spangled Banner" is short and to the point - though I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land."

Maybe we could do something like "O Canada" and have "O America" or something? I kinda like "O Canada."

O Canada sounds best when sung in French. Unfortunately, no one knows the French lyrics, and the Quebecois rarely sing it, except at Hab games. :)

How about "Hail to the Chief", anyone know the words to that ditty?

[Deathstroke]

Badly sung on purpose is very disrespectful.

Forgetting the words doesn't rise to the level of being disrespectful.

Carl Lewis TRYING to sing it was GD funny because it was so freaking awful.

[Guts/Batman]

Badly sung on purpose is very disrespectful.

Forgetting the words doesn't rise to the level of being disrespectful.

Carl Lewis TRYING to sing it was GD funny because it was so freaking awful.

I guess I shoiuld have been more specific, I wouldn't find that the girl forgetting the words disrespectful because of severe stage fright. I can understand that.

But I would find it disrespectful if it was badly sung on purpose.

[Ottmeister X]

Actually, what's more disrespectful is all of the morons who whistle and cheer before the anthem is done being sung. There used to be a time when people would wait. Now it seems like a contest on who can whistle and shout earliest. There should be guard patrols in the stands with canes and flog people who act out of turn. Morons. Show some respect.

[Dan Apodaca]

What if someone doesn't respect the song, though?


You can't force respect.

[Valmore]

Actually, what's more disrespectful is all of the morons who whistle and cheer before the anthem is done being sung. There used to be a time when people would wait. Now it seems like a contest on who can whistle and shout earliest. There should be guard patrols in the stands with canes and flog people who act out of turn. Morons. Show some respect.

You'd need a complete battalion just for Baltimore alone, since the crowds always yell out "O's!" during the "Oh say does that Star Spangled..." in homage to the Baltimore Orioles... they do it during Ravens games, too. It was rather annoying.

[MKTerra]

How about "Hail to the Chief", anyone know the words to that ditty?I actually don't know the words to that ^_^' As a national anthem candidate though, I think the title sounds too, ah, monarchical :)

[Devon C.]

What if someone doesn't respect the song, though?


You can't force respect.
Respecting the song is unnecessary. Respecting the people who respect the song is necessary.

[Dan Apodaca]

Respecting the song is unnecessary. Respecting the people who respect the song is necessary.

Unless they're strangers. It's really unreasonable to ask someone to respect a person they've never even met. They can behave with consideration and kindness, but to actually respect that person? They'd have to know them. I guess they could just fake the respect, though.

[Arvandor]

At least you don't have to suffer the British National Anthem - God Save the Queen.

Everybody in our country HATES that anthem. And I mean EVERYBODY (save perhaps the most die-hard Royalists).

We HATE it. We've got no respect for the royal family, and calling for God to protect a family we despise is galling.

Even the most loyal British patriots hate our anthem.

[Mike Smash!]

Unless they're strangers. It's really unreasonable to ask someone to respect a person they've never even met. They can behave with consideration and kindness, but to actually respect that person? They'd have to know them. I guess they could just fake the respect, though.It's not necessary to respect anyone. Hell, with some people it's impossible. It's just common courtesy to treat them with respect, though.

[Mike Smash!]

At least you don't have to suffer the British National Anthem - God Save the Queen.

Everybody in our country HATES that anthem. And I mean EVERYBODY (save perhaps the most die-hard Royalists).

We HATE it. We've got no respect for the royal family, and calling for God to protect a family we despise is galling.

Even the most loyal British patriots hate our anthem.Hey now! If it wasn't for the Royal Family, who'd keep the tabloid industry in business?

David Beckham is only one man.

[Guapo Méndez]

One time a singer forgot the lyrics of the Mexican National Anthem on a boxim PPV match. Upon his arrival to Mexico he was either fined or imprisoned, I don't remember which.

I respect my national anthem and my flag. I sing it proudly.

[Dan Apodaca]

It's not necessary to respect anyone. Hell, with some people it's impossible. It's just common courtesy to treat them with respect, though.

Fair enough. I definitely agree with this.

[MacQuarrie]

Hey, at least it's not as lame as Advance Australia Fair.

We really need a new anthem.
You mean it isn't "Waltzing Matilda"?

[thehod]

At least you don't have to suffer the British National Anthem - God Save the Queen.

Everybody in our country HATES that anthem. And I mean EVERYBODY (save perhaps the most die-hard Royalists).

We HATE it. We've got no respect for the royal family, and calling for God to protect a family we despise is galling.

Even the most loyal British patriots hate our anthem.

Absolutly. Land of Hope and Glory is a much better piece of music.

At least its the English national anthem.

[Grant]

Albert Brooks had a couple good replacements on his album Comedy Minus One.

My personal fave was written by a fine fellow from Gary, Indiana, here's the opener...

"You jail all your black..."

[Tish-the-Scorpion]

i blew away my school peers when i sung the anthem with my 7 octave voice.i'm such a show off.

[foswell]

At least you don't have to suffer the British National Anthem - God Save the Queen.

Everybody in our country HATES that anthem. And I mean EVERYBODY (save perhaps the most die-hard Royalists).

We HATE it. We've got no respect for the royal family, and calling for God to protect a family we despise is galling.

Even the most loyal British patriots hate our anthem.

Oh yes our anthem is a disgrace as its nothing to do with our country or people just that set of German parasites ("long to reign over us" my ass!)
I hate it at sporting events I've attended when our anthem is played and I don't feel I can join in.
I'd like Jerusalem myself as our anthem.