Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Oh, Say Can You Sing It? (Mike Kinsley wants to replace the Star-Spangled Banner as National Anthem)
Washington Post ^ | 06/12/2009 | Michael Kinsley

Posted on 06/12/2009 12:34:22 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

In the Age of Karaoke, more people (including me) like to join in the singing when they strike up the national anthem at public occasions. No one can stop you, no matter how embarrassed she might be by your obvious lack of talent. It's always disappointing when you're invited to stand and enjoy some high school glee club or famous opera singer. But chances are that even the opera singer won't get it right.

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is notoriously unsingable. A professor of music, Caldwell Titcomb of Brandeis, pointed out years ago in the New Republic that its melody spans nearly two octaves, when most people are good for one octave, max. The first eight lines are one enormous sentence with subordinate clauses, leaving no really good place to take a breath. There are far too many mandatory leaps off the high board (". . . what so PROU-dly we hail . . .").

The melody is lifted from an old English drinking song. The lyrics are all about bombs and war and bloodshed -- and not in a good way. By the penultimate verse, the song has turned really nasty: "No refuge could save the hireling and slave/From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave." In the first verse -- the one we generally sing -- there is only one reference to any value commonly associated with America: "land of the free." By contrast, "home of the brave" is empty bravado. There is nothing in the American myth (let alone reality) to suggest that we are braver than anyone else.

No, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has got to go. The only question is, What should replace it? Here we have an embarrassment of riches. Let's review some of the candidates.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: kinsley; nationalanthem
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-119 next last
Some of his candidates :

* My Country 'Tis of thee

* Battle Hymn of the Republic

* America the Beautiful

* God Bless America

* This Land Is Your Land ( Woodie Guthrie )

* Born in the USA ( Bruce Springsteen )

1 posted on 06/12/2009 12:34:22 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

God Bless America is fine with me...plus it would piss off the Libs.


2 posted on 06/12/2009 12:36:09 PM PDT by Slapshot68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Being from Maryland I proudly stand by “The Star Spangled Banner.”


3 posted on 06/12/2009 12:38:06 PM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pnh102

Uhhh, no!


4 posted on 06/12/2009 12:40:20 PM PDT by VaRepublican (I would propagate taglines but I don't know how.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: pnh102

How about Kumbaya? Of course there is the line ‘kumbaya my Lord’, but ‘Lord’ could be refering to ‘St. Obama’.


5 posted on 06/12/2009 12:41:09 PM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Slapshot68

I love God Bless America as well. I love it when they sing it in my church.


6 posted on 06/12/2009 12:41:16 PM PDT by LottieDah (If only those who speak so eloquently on the rights of animals would do so on behalf the unborn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

How about that Barney the purple dinosaur song, “I love you, you love me ...”


7 posted on 06/12/2009 12:41:20 PM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Time for Kinsley to get out of the way of history. The Star Bangled Banner is about funny little foreign pukes attacking the United States.

It's a pledge to take the first blow and still get up and fight back.

If Kinsley doesn't like my thoughts on the matter I challenge him to a duel ~ pocket knives at 1 meter ~ 1 hand. Cut his guts out!

8 posted on 06/12/2009 12:41:43 PM PDT by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind; All
Yes, Michael wants to replace "The Star Spangled Banner" with his choice, a song of peace love and joy for all ...

"It's Raining Men!"
9 posted on 06/12/2009 12:41:55 PM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (No greater friend, no worse enemy -The United States Marine Corps.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I’m totally surprised that Kinsley is still alive. He was suffering from acute stupidity the last I heard and thought it would have taken him by now.


10 posted on 06/12/2009 12:42:03 PM PDT by fish hawk (The trouble with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Since everything else these days seems to be about the Obamas, in honor of Michelle, I nominate “Baby Got Back”.


11 posted on 06/12/2009 12:42:15 PM PDT by PalmettoMason ("an empty limousine pulled up in front of the White House, and Barack Obama got out")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Washington Post and Michael Kinsley.

Liberal anti-American scum.

What they think or say should be of no interest to loyal Americans.

12 posted on 06/12/2009 12:43:07 PM PDT by Czar ((Still Fed Up to the Teeth with Washington))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
It is good the Star-Spangled Banner is difficult to sing. That way only good singers usually try it. Karaoke idiots or Tanked up trash like Roseanne would screw up any song.

Karaoke is Japan's revenge for losing the war.

13 posted on 06/12/2009 12:43:12 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

They want to remake this country from the top to the bottom into something very different


14 posted on 06/12/2009 12:44:30 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com <----go there now,----> tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

No way on Gods earth to the last 2


15 posted on 06/12/2009 12:44:53 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com <----go there now,----> tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
If they'd stop this stupid-ass idea of trying to sing it acapella, it might be easier for the hoi poloi to sing along.

And regarding the breaths, I arranged this song for chorus and fixed the breathing problem.

16 posted on 06/12/2009 12:45:15 PM PDT by HIDEK6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Tradition says no.

But, he’s right. Musically, the Star Spangled Banner is a bit of a nightmare. America the Beautiful would be much more singable, though far less martial. I like the suggestion of the Battle Hymn, though it has little to do with America as a country. Plus, the difficulty of the SSB invites wannabe singing idols to ham it up as a way to avoid the wild jumps and leaps the music takes. Something more singable might remove the temptation to “improve” the anthem.


17 posted on 06/12/2009 12:45:19 PM PDT by Little Pig (Is it time for "Cowboys and Islamofanatics" yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slapshot68

I suggest that song from Mr Rogers Neighborhood.

Its a Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

a plus because it is easy to sing


18 posted on 06/12/2009 12:45:36 PM PDT by dforest (Anyone dumb enough to have voted for him deserves what they get.. No Pity!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Trash all of them. A new day requires a new song. How about that one in which O-BA-MA! O-BA-MA! is chanted over and over?


19 posted on 06/12/2009 12:45:40 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican ("During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." --Orwell)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
* This Land Is Your Land ( Woodie Guthrie )

Great tune if you're a commie/socialist.

20 posted on 06/12/2009 12:46:11 PM PDT by Constitution Day
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-119 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson