The Star Spangled Banner sucks.

[ChiefSalsa]

Four years ago I did a comentary on radio where I savagely ripped into the Star Spangled Banner. It is a terrible song. The melody is fine enough, not great. I just cannot stomach sitting thru anyone singing the song.

If I have time to convert my commentary into a file to post here I will do so.


Recently, Bill Press did a commentary on the song; a blurb about it is here:

Bill Press Answers For His National Anthemic Sins | Mediaite


One problem with the faux outrage...

BILL PRESS IS RIGHT!

Of course, this will be spun out of context.


The song sucks. The lyrics are about a fairly insignifcant battle in a stupid, senseless war the US was lucky to escape out of with a draw. The tune, which again is OK, comes from an old English drinking song.


There are better songs to sing to show American patriotism. You are not un-American if you (like me) run to the bathroom at sporting events to avoid hearing this song torture your ears for 2 minutes.


Get a new anthem.

[seand]

And stop puns about Francis Scott "I can't sing in that" Key. Never.

America the Beautiful is a better song. And easier for large crowds to actually sing.

[Radical Ed]

The real lyrics are much cooler.

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!

[StatesRights]

'less Jimi Hendrix does it...

[OffenseTaken]

Four years ago I did a comentary on radio where I savagely ripped into the Star Spangled Banner. It is a terrible song. The melody is fine enough, not great. I just cannot stomach sitting thru anyone singing the song.

If I have time to convert my commentary into a file to post here I will do so.


Recently, Bill Press did a commentary on the song; a blurb about it is here:

Bill Press Answers For His National Anthemic Sins | Mediaite


One problem with the faux outrage...

BILL PRESS IS RIGHT!

Of course, this will be spun out of context.


The song sucks. The lyrics are about a fairly insignifcant battle in a stupid, senseless war the US was lucky to escape out of with a draw. The tune, which again is OK, comes from an old English drinking song.


There are better songs to sing to show American patriotism. You are not un-American if you (like me) run to the bathroom at sporting events to avoid hearing this song torture your ears for 2 minutes.


Get a new anthem.

My God, I am so glad someone's talking about this.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic is the best patriotic song, and it would kick every national anthem right in its ass, one by one. Even the Marseillaise would get excruciating butthurt at every Olympics from the Battle Hymn's vast superiority in every respect.

But it wouldn't work as a new national anthem because as a nation, no offense, but we really suck at the whole solemnity thing. Maybe if we were more like Germany or Russia—a serious, northern country. Whenever New England secedes, it's all theirs.

[Marquis]

Where's Obama on all this? He can't be bothered commenting?

[Don Schneider]

My God, I am so glad someone's talking about this.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic is the best patriotic song, and it would kick every national anthem right in its ass, one by one. Even the Marseillaise would get excruciating butthurt at every Olympics from the Battle Hymn's vast superiority in every respect.

But it wouldn't work as a new national anthem because as a nation, no offense, but we really suck at the whole solemnity thing. Maybe if we were more like Germany or Russia—a serious, northern country. Whenever New England secedes, it's all theirs.

Are you honest to, er, God serious? "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as the national anthem? Undoubtedly, any such proposal would have an injunction slapped upon it before one could say “Atheists United.” Are you familiar with the lyrics?

"He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on."

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me..."

The irony here is that at the time it was written (the lyrics, by Julia Ward Howe) it was the darling of the political left, abolitionist crusaders. It would seem that not only does truth go marching on, but so do the times; much to the chagrin of some and the delight of others.

[toxigal]

My God, I am so glad someone's talking about this.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic is the best patriotic song, and it would kick every national anthem right in its ass, one by one. Even the Marseillaise would get excruciating butthurt at every Olympics from the Battle Hymn's vast superiority in every respect.

But it wouldn't work as a new national anthem because as a nation, no offense, but we really suck at the whole solemnity thing. Maybe if we were more like Germany or Russia—a serious, northern country. Whenever New England secedes, it's all theirs.

how on earth is Battle Hymn of the Republic a patriotic song?

[seand]

how on earth is Battle Hymn of the Republic a patriotic song?

Because God ordained America to kill ferners in his name of course.

[Don Schneider]

Because God ordained America to kill ferners in his name of course.

The song is about freeing slaves:

“As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.”

Liberals, for the most part, were very religious folks in those days.

[darthsinatra]

I don't want to sing about sifting hearts and bosoms at a baseball game.

[Spicoli]

I'm partial to Neil Diamond's "America" myself.

[guzzijason]

Maybe we can get Jay-Z to come up with a new anthem. You know... like he did for New York.

__Jason

[OffenseTaken]

Are you honest to, er, God serious? "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as the national anthem? Undoubtedly, any such proposal would have an injunction slapped upon it before one could say “Atheists United.” Are you familiar with the lyrics?

It's simplistic to equate abolitionism with "the political left," but I get bored to tears just writing that. Hell, we're already talking about patriotic songs.

So: yes, I am familiar with the lyrics. One doesn't need to be a religious fanatic to appreciate them, but you are right: it would be like a rag to a bull for the Ninth Circuit. It's too bad, I think.

Citizens, we're just never going to get rid of the Star-Spangled Banner. While not good, it's just not bad enough to replace. Let's look on the bright side though: as a song about an invasion of the U.S. by what was then a much more powerful country, it makes us seem like eternal underdogs. That's a nice, comforting feeling.

[seand]

Plus with so many cities making Poe claims, Baltimore deserves a crappy national anthem as a claim to history.

[Don Schneider]

Citizens, we're just never going to get rid of the Star-Spangled Banner. While not good, it's just not bad enough to replace. Let's look on the bright side though: as a song about an invasion of the U.S. by what was then a much more powerful country, it makes us seem like eternal underdogs. That's a nice, comforting feeling.

Yes, and I kind of like: “Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” It's very emotive; very powerful symbolism.

[Ptolemy]

ChiefSalsa, I hear you but I do not agree with you. Yes, throughout my life I have heard the kvetching about how the national anthem was difficult to sing, how it celebrates a rather insignificant moment in American history, etc. ad nauseam.

Yes, the melody of was taken from an old British tavern song To Anacreon In Heaven; but who cares? The lovely and wonderful Dutch anthem Het Wilhelmus was an old French marching tune ... and it is still one of the world's best anthems (and the oldest). Israel's rather sad but beautiful anthem Hatikvah was taken from an old Romanian folk song which is turn was inspired by a medieval Italian madrigal.

The facts about the event which inspired Francis Scott Key - the Brits failing to capture Fort McHenry in Baltimore's Harbor - is unimportant, but what is important was the emotion, joy, and exuberance Key felt about seeing the flag still resplendently flying over the battered fort!

The Star Splangled Banner is a remarkable anthem in that it is full of majesty and triumph without being militaristic. The current Russian anthem, recently restored to it's official status - The Internationale - is gorgeously grand and bombastic, but it is militaristic; same for the French anthem The Marseillaise, and the almost obnoxiously nationalistic German anthem Deutschland Uber Alles.

I will concede it is not one of the easiest songs to sing.

The anthem has a beautiful melody and the lyrics are poetic. It is not banal or forgettable. It rises to a level of grandeur. It just needs to be performed by a skilled vocalist, musician, or chorus.

The Star Spangled Banner is glorious.

[phillyaggie]

Because God ordained America to kill ferners in his name of course.

I quite like Twain's revision of the original... (would apply to some choice folks in today's America equally)

Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword:
He is searching out the hoardings where the Stranger's wealth is stored.
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings and with Woe and Death has scored.
His lust is moving on.

In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom and for others' goods an Itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich;
Our God is marching on.

[Dayman]

I like all of those old songs because history major. So they're all a lot deeper and surrounded in meaning than you'd think.

The Star Spangled Banner is good. I actually like God Bless America despite the "God". America the Beautiful is really nice and I think is a close 2nd runner. My Country Tis of Thee is good lyrically but f*ck them for stealing the music from God Save the Queen/King.

My favorite is Hail, Columbia. The music was written for Washington's inauguration. The lyrics, too are late 18th century. They are of the time when our nation was really new and optimistic and sort of embodies the spirit of the new nation. It talks about it being time for peace, being mindful for what price independence and peace was paid by the people who had at that time, lived or grew up during the war.



Hail Columbia, happy land!
Hail, ye heroes, heav'n-born band,
Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,
Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,
And when the storm of war was gone
Enjoy'd the peace your valor won.
Let independence be our boast,
Ever mindful what it cost;
Ever grateful for the prize,
Let its altar reach the skies.

Chorus
Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.
Immortal patriots, rise once more,
Defend your rights, defend your shore!
Let no rude foe, with impious hand,
Let no rude foe, with impious hand,
Invade the shrine where sacred lies
Of toil and blood, the well-earned prize,
While off'ring peace, sincere and just,
In Heaven's we place a manly trust,
That truth and justice will prevail,
And every scheme of bondage fail.

Chorus
Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.
Behold the chief who now commands,
Once more to serve his country stands.
The rock on which the storm will break,
The rock on which the storm will break,
But armed in virtue, firm, and true,
His hopes are fixed on Heav'n and you.
When hope was sinking in dismay,
When glooms obscured Columbia's day,
His steady mind, from changes free,
Resolved on death or liberty.

Chorus
Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.
Sound, sound the trump of fame,
Let Washington's great name
Ring through the world with loud applause,
Ring through the world with loud applause,
Let ev'ry clime to freedom dear,
Listen with a joyful ear,
With equal skill, with God-like pow'r
He governs in the fearful hour
Of horrid war, or guides with ease
The happier time of honest peace.

Chorus
Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.

Of course the cynic in me wants this to be our new anthem:

[citykid]

And don't forget Allan Sherman's take on it, entitled the Drapes of Roth:


cho: Glory, glory, Harry Lewis,
Glory, glory Harry Lewis,
Glory, glory, Harry Lewis,
His cloth goes shining on!

I'll sing to you a story of a great man of the cloth,
His name was Harry Lewis and he worked for Irving Roth,
He died while cutting velvet on a hot July the fourth,
His cloth goes marching on.

Harry Lewis perished in the service of his lord,
He was trampling through the warehouse where the drapes of Roth are stored,
He had the finest funeral his union could afford,
His cloth goes shining on!

With the fire raging 'bout him, Harry stood by his machine,
And when the fireman broke in, they discovered him between,
A pile of roasted dacron and some french fried gabardine,
His cloth goes shining on!

From My Son The Folksinger, Sherman