learn it and sing it America


[video=youtube;f9_bP219ehQ][/video]

The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' 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 thro' 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, thro' 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 footstep's 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 free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heaven 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!

Fun facts:
1. The song the lyrics were put to was an old English drinking song.
2. The flag mentioned in the anthem is here in DC at the Smithsonian, just reopened last year.
3. In Baltimore harbor, you can head to the Fort and actually scale the hill, did that last year, pretty cool.
4. During the national anthem in Baltimore, and even DC, when it gets to the line "Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave", the crowd yells out "O" in reference to the Orioles.


That said, I still think the Russian nation anthem is BA. I love my anthem, but its complex and has no melody.

ptown_trojans_1;384221 wrote:Fun facts:
That said, I still think the Russian nation anthem is BA. I love my anthem, but its complex and has no melody.

I love what the song stands for, but as music, it's pretty much a bust. You're right about the Russian anthem. "Oh Canada" is better muscially than ours as well.

I think "Oh Canada" is the greatest National Anthem there is.

Almost every anthem is better musically than ours. It's set to a drinking song and drinking songs aren't really known for their musical complexity.

ptown_trojans_1;384221 wrote:Fun facts:
That said, I still think the Russian nation anthem is BA.

Agreed. Especially when Ivan Drago is singing it.

fish82;384425 wrote:Agreed. Especially when Ivan Drago is singing it.

Wait, he sung it? I thought he just stood there as everyone else sang it? And we all know Rocky IV ended the Cold War.
[video=youtube;9UQ1hw2bkdA][/video]
But, the version in Hunt for Red October was better.
[video=youtube;9KsdmlJX0Ss][/video]

If he dies....he dies

ptown,

Could have sworn they cut to Ivan at least trying to mouth the words....guess not lol. And I forgot about HFRO....that was pretty beastly too.

Personally I think "God Bless America" should be our national anthem. Especially since it's actually about America and not just a flag.

My personal favorite and best in my opinion is "Advance Australia Fair"

Here's the version from the Sydney Olympics in 2000 set to a slideshow of cool stuff in Australia

[video=youtube;6iGNhgMd6uM]http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iGNhgMd6uM[/video]

You must have been thinking of this masterpiece (fast forward to 1:20) ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHtatY7bOUY&feature=player_embedded

fish82;384563 wrote:ptown,

Could have sworn they cut to Ivan at least trying to mouth the words....guess not lol. And I forgot about HFRO....that was pretty beastly too.

"The Star Spangled Banner" is a terrible national anthem. Amateurs can't reach the high notes and professionals can't remember the words. I think we should go with "America the Beautiful."

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't know there was a second verse...that video was amazing. It gave me chills and makes me damn proud to be an American.

Lyrics with real significance, written when our nation was seemingly near the point of utter destruction. A British army had driven the President Madison from Washington and House, Senate, Library of Congress, Treasury and the White House burned down. Baltimore under seige and our national survival in question.
that star spangled banner waving had real meaning.
and any professional singers cannot remember the lyrics, they are not professional.

She is crazy now, but this is my favorite version of the SSB, by Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl:
[video=youtube;YHmdu_I_0zI][/video]


I agree that American the Beautiful is right up there, especially the Ray Charles version
[video=youtube;ghz4_kikLkE][/video]

isadore;386254 wrote:Lyrics with real significance, written when our nation was seemingly near the point of utter destruction. A British army had driven the President Madison from Washington and House, Senate, Library of Congress, Treasury and the White House burned down. Baltimore under seige and our national survival in question.
that star spangled banner waving had real meaning.
and any professional singers cannot remember the lyrics, they are not professional.

Agreed, Isa.

ptown_trojans_1;386289 wrote:She is crazy now, but this is my favorite version of the SSB, by Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl:

Beat me to it, Ptown. She can belt that song out like few can. What a voice!