[dead]

Over the confused noise of the crowd, the band strikes up. A fat, menacing bass line snakes forth, then a team of three -- no, wait, there are four -- conga players, the brass section of the Boston Pops, headed by the Uptown Horns, Yo-Yo Ma leading a string section made up of volunteers from the New York Philharmonic, and an electric rhythm section made up of former members of Parliament, this whole mighty ensemble launches into Curtis Mayfield's 1970 hit "Don't Worry (If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going To Go)."

I gotta admit, that sounds like a fun scene. I’m picturing Bootsy Collins sporting giant star-shaped sunglasses and 12-inch platform shoes.

Needs Junior Brown on guitar and Zach de la Rocha on vocals.

[MJemison]

Is this self-absorbed schmuck for real?

[weegee]

A different FR thread/perspective on Our National Anthem

[537 Votes]

I went MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over) about four paragraphs into this one. The Star Spangled Banner is the greatest national anthem ever. If it is difficult to sing and the words are difficult to remember, it is because it is for angels, and barely for mortals. When this country is entirely corrupted by the moral perverts who write articles like the one here, the Star Spangled Banner will still evoke tears in the hearts of the good and faithful; more tears, because it will remind us of what we had and lost.

[Billthedrill]

I'd prefer something more "inclusive," like the Stormtroopers Of Death's Speak English Or Die!

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Our anthem should be a truly American song - I nominate "Louie, Louie".

[finnman69]

DIE SALON DIE!

[Oschisms]

Only Curtis could do that tune justice.

I mean, the horn section of the NY Philharmonic pulling it off? Let go of my leg.

[Ohioan]

Brendan Costello, Jr., thinks that we are a nation of immigrants. I, for one, hope that he becomes an emigrant to some other nation.

His comments about the Star Spangled Banner, show that he is not really familiar with it:

Not so incidentally, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is full of anxiety. First of all, its whole premise is a question -- "Oh say can you see" right up to "Does that star-spangled banner yet wave ..."

The man seems totally unaware of how our anthem ends:

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!

As for the rest of the article, I will let it go as a flight of cynical fancy. But I could not let his remark quoted pass. One also ought to wonder, why we are not being urged to sing the final verse of the anthem in public gatherings today? It used to be particularly traditional in war time--and no substitute, ever suggested, has quite the wallop!

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[sparkydragon]

In my best Dr. Evil impression: Riiiiight.

sparky