. . . the Star Spangled Banner is, well, weird. It is unique, so far as I know, in that it glorifies the symbol -- the signifier -- over the thing signified, which I find to be more than a little problematic. I mean, the French national anthem -- La Marseillaise -- is similarly martial, but it only makes one mention of its flag: "L'étendard sanglant est levé" ("Her bloody standard has been raised" ), but it doesn't wax poetic about a piece of cloth!
Personally, I rather like America, the Beautiful -- most especially its second verse, which seems to acknowledge that we are a work in progress, and continue to have our share of flaws:
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
But, to get back to the Star-Spangled Banner, I really could live without playing it or any national anthem at sporting events, concerts, etc. But, speaking as a trained musician and singer, my feelings about how it should be sung, if we are going to insist on singing it at these events, are pretty well summed up by something that went around a few years back, attributed to a Marine colonel who was stationed in Afghanistan:
"
So with all the kindness I can muster,
I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts.
Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten – straight up, no styling “Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world.
Don’t make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 96-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love – not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician.
They could see that from your costume, makeup and your entourage. Sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you.
And please not everything needs to be spunked up! We’re getting a little weary of that. Francis Scott Key does not need any help.”
And regarding the "no styling," I would include singing it in the 3/4 meter in which it was written, rather than singing it, as many pop singers do, turning into 4/4 by elongating the first note of each measure to a half note (elongated words in all caps):
"Oh, SAY, can you SEE.
By the DAWN'S early LIGHT,
What so PROUD-ly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleam-ING,
Whose broad STRIPES and bright STARS . . . ."
And yet, switching back to 3/4 for certain measures. It makes a hash out of the composition.
And for God's sake, skip the interpolated high notes and all the added, florid, melismatic improvisations! This isn't -- and shouldn't be -- an occasion to showcase your vocal gymnastics!
I would add that the ONLY "styled" version of the national anthem that I've ever been able to tolerate is the one by Ray Charles! But somehow, the embellishments he added managed to enhance the emotion of the song, rather than to draw attention to himself as the singer. For nearly every other singer, however, I would say, "You ain't no Ray Charles!"
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