You can not compare Ray Charles with Lee Greenwood. They are both completely different singers. It’s like you are comparing Apples to Oranges. I am not familiar with Kathleen Smith, I thought at first you meant Kate Smith, but I don’t think so
1—I was talking about the passion and beauty of someone like a Ray Charles or a Kate Smith signing a great patriotic song, as opposed to someone like Greenwood, who frankly sounds like a standard singer. Perhaps because he is singing lyrics that that are imo as trite, banal as they come.
When a Charles or a Smith sings, you hear the beauty of the song and the lyrics magnified. Greenwood signing cant disguise the trite lyrics and workmanlike nature of the song. I just dont ‘get’ the love for it. I get the love of country, but you have so much better in terms of songs.
Its like us having Scotland the Brave or Amazing Grace, but preferring ‘Donald, Where’s Your Troosers?’. Or the English having Elgar’s Nimrod or Land of Hope and Glory, but preferring ‘Knees Up Mother Brown’....
2-I was. I got her name wrong.
As I said, sorry, but I think its a mediocre song. And that being patriotic dosent make it good. And it isnt unpatriotic to think so. If that were the case, God Save The Queen and Flower of Scotland wouldnt be the dirges they are. And thinking so dosent make me any less of a Scottish/British patriot. If anything, it makes me MORE.
As blind patriotism is no patriotism at all.