US National Anthem

[mudder1000]

Before you flame me for my question I want to say the following:

I have no agenda.

I like many of the performances.

I am older than dirt and have been to live sporting events since the 1960's

So the question is when (if ever) was the last time you heard a version of the star spangled banner sung a major sporting events NOT sung in a "soulful" manner?

I seem to recall the gradual change starting in the late 1970's.

[Morkonan]

Escrito originalmente por Mythical Ostrich:

This isn't exclusive to the American anthem, but I generally dislike it when people try to put their own spin on songs

In the US, the most infamous case I know about is Roseanne Barr's "performance." But, to be fair, she's a few cans short of a six-pack, anyway.

[Masque]

Escrito originalmente por Electric Cupcake:

TBH, the original version is better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l-n64NWHS4

Fascinating!

[Mauserich]

I am not American but have made the same observation. Since I watched the one or other US Superbowl and world championship boxing matches here from Germany, I noticed this in particular.

Here in Germany at the time, national anthems were played before soccer games by qualified brass bands. The more high-ranking the game, the more qualified the bands were. For international games, the Bundesmusikkorps of the German armed forces usually played. The quality was commensurate with a state reception. That was common practice internationally at the time.

Then we adopted the trend at some point. At first, foreign-language opera stars warbled the national anthem. For me, this was a desecration, because neither the word modulation nor the intonation or accentuation was more oriented toward self-expression than toward the dignity of the nation.

Then it went down another notch. Suddenly, the national anthems were given to pop and later rock stars, who also gave neither modulation nor dignity to the anthems. At some point I stopped watching the national anthem part.

So it's not just a US trend anymore it's a general trend. My assessment: Art is used to corrode values.

[Kobs]

That's what happens when peoples are given everything, kids do the same to their parents all the time, respect goes out the window and they want them to die.

Those peoples, Rosanne Barr and Co. have been basking way too long in freedom and need to take a long journey in a country where you have to ask permission to take a dump and walk in the streets, then they would probably appreciate what they have and respect everything about the US a little more.

[𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ]

https://youtube.com/shorts/5OIcZFjgf6I

[SMIFFY]

I've never really understood why national anthems are played at sporting events anyway, especially in the US where they're played at every event regardless of importance.

[76561198356019466]

Escrito originalmente por SMIFFY:

I've never really understood why national anthems are played at sporting events anyway, especially in the US where they're played at every event regardless of importance.

a lot of people wonder that, including myself.
we have all this controversy and uproar over a practice that makes no sense to begin with.

they also do it in Canada.

[crunchyfrog]

Well never, because I'm British :)

As far as I'm aware it was never a more mandatory thing in the US until t1980s anyway.

So that may have something to do with it. If there's a big push for politicisng this stuff, or at least pushing it as "you mjust be patritioc and do this", then it's no big surprise someone wants to do the overtly soulful thing and try to be the better patriot competition.

Frankly I think it sounds awful.

People like Beyonce annoy me because cramming loads of notes in a small space does not make you a better tune or song. It just makes it an exercise.

[𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ]

Escrito originalmente por tiny E:

Escrito originalmente por SMIFFY:

I've never really understood why national anthems are played at sporting events anyway, especially in the US where they're played at every event regardless of importance.

a lot of people wonder that, including myself.
we have all this controversy and uproar over a practice that makes no sense to begin with.

they also do it in Canada.

pretty sure sports has always been used to push nationalism. it's not something limited to the states, a lot of countries have national anthem mandates in a lot places for no reason.

[Devsman]

Escrito originalmente por SMIFFY:

I've never really understood why national anthems are played at sporting events anyway, especially in the US where they're played at every event regardless of importance.

Probably just tradition. If you think about it in the mid 19th century (when modern American sports came around), it makes a lot more sense. The American civil war happened around the same time, and there probably weren't a lot of other occasions for an entire community to gather (aside from church) so it made sense to take the chance for everyone to show their support for the Union.

But I'm just guessing here.

[crunchyfrog]

Escrito originalmente por 𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ:

Escrito originalmente por tiny E:

a lot of people wonder that, including myself.
we have all this controversy and uproar over a practice that makes no sense to begin with.

they also do it in Canada.

pretty sure sports has always been used to push nationalism. it's not something limited to the states, a lot of countries have national anthem mandates in a lot places for no reason.

Definietly.

BUt the states really are the poster child for such things.

You only have to look at how they behaved when someone DARED to say "you know what, I@m not going to do that - I think I'll kneel".

And more than that, the way some people tried to rewite history as if it's ALWAYS been madnatory when it's a relatively recent thing.

[Albemouff]

https://youtu.be/ny2azUt5d3Y

[SMIFFY]

Escrito originalmente por Kobs:

That's what happens when peoples are given everything, kids do the same to their parents all the time, respect goes out the window and they want them to die.

Those peoples, Rosanne Barr and Co. have been basking way too long in freedom and need to take a long journey in a country where you have to ask permission to take a dump and walk in the streets, then they would probably appreciate what they have and respect everything about the US a little more.

This is something I've noticed about Americans, they always compare themselves to the absolute worst authoritarian countries as a way to demonstrate how free they are.

[Devsman]

Escrito originalmente por SMIFFY:

Escrito originalmente por Kobs:

That's what happens when peoples are given everything, kids do the same to their parents all the time, respect goes out the window and they want them to die.

Those peoples, Rosanne Barr and Co. have been basking way too long in freedom and need to take a long journey in a country where you have to ask permission to take a dump and walk in the streets, then they would probably appreciate what they have and respect everything about the US a little more.

This is something I've noticed about Americans, they always compare themselves to the absolute worst authoritarian countries as a way to demonstrate how free they are.

Makes sense to me.

[earlysunsets2]

In the UK you barely ever hear the national anthem at sports events, unless it's a national thing. Like when England are playing. Or a cup final. It really does look a bit weird when played at ordinary sports events involving 2 teams from the same country.

But then i believe you play it in schools too? Never once heard the UK national anthem played in school.