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Since this really has nothing to with the actual Men's or Women's basketball Teams themselves, I'm posting this one over here in "Free-for-all"


Compliment - whoever is in charge of getting someone to sing our National Anthem has chosen people with lovely voices.
I have a small request - maybe it's harder than I've imagined.


Here is the address to a copy of The Star Spangled Banner, words & melody.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Banner.png

Is it at all possible to get the talented people who do the pre-game Star Spangled Banner to sing the melody as written instead of performing it as though they are contestants on "America's Got Talent" or "American Idol"? And could they sing it in a nice patriotic uptempo style instead of like a funeral dirge?

It would be much easier for us to sing along if we could sing the melody instead of listening to all the grace notes and ornamentation.

Here are a few examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qPnhvxn ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb-QfVMC ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejh0tXwAOdM
(I'm not even a fan of Roy's, but I can hear that he could stick to the melody.)

Thanks!

Obviously I hadn't been to the Men's Hoops board when I started this.
It's just as obvious that a lot of people were pondering what I was pondering.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/201 ... /111230002

highlights:
... Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, has introduced a bill that would set specific "performance standards" for singing and playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at any event sponsored by public schools and state universities [in Indiana]. ... Performers would have to sign a contract agreeing to follow the guidelines. Musicians -- whether amateur or professional -- would be fined $25 if it were deemed they failed to meet the appropriate standards. ...
Massachusetts and Michigan both prohibit using "The Star-Spangled Banner" as dance music, an exit march or as part of a musical medley. Both states also ban adding "embellishment or addition in the way of national or other melodies." The law covers all public places, as well as theaters, movie theaters, restaurants and cafes. ...
Henry H. Leck, director of choral activities at Butler University ... didn't want to wade into the debate over whether government should set standards for performing the anthem, but he acknowledged he's not a fan of the growing trend of singers "trying to make it unique" through improvisations and embellishments. ...

I don't like the idea of fining singers, but I sure wish the singers would quit " 'trying to make it unique' through improvisations and embellishments", too. I may not be a John Bircher flag waver, and I may not even be fond of "The Star Spangled Banner" being our National Anthem, but since it is, I believe it ought to be sung with dignity and respect.

UT had a men's choral group do it at the last game. I love what Hendrix did. And I've heard it done as spoken word which was really cool. Very different, very moving. But by all means lets have government intrude to change all that. One version at one tempo preferably, because by Golly, this kind of stuff is exactly WHY we have government!

By the way- I mostly prefer BBB(is that enough Bs?)'s idea of how it should be done but I can picture laying in the mud on a New York country morning and getting Hendrix's bombs dropping over the top of the SSB as a wake up call (in all the possible senses of that term) and it gives me chills.

I found this one to be the best version IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4e6YE9S ... re=related

LowryFalcon wrote:I found this one to be the best version IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4e6YE9S ... re=related

Dang! Meat Loaf's was great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vHwPmKmwH4

Leslie's was better yet. Good call there, LowryFalcon.


And, no, h2oville rocket, I don't think government has any business regulating it, but since there's already a list of rules for handling the flag, and a list of rules as how we're supposed to react to the flag, why not some for singing about it?

Or were you just giving me a Rocket's red glare? (little joke there ... very little ...)

Bubba Bo Bob Brain wrote:

LowryFalcon wrote:I found this one to be the best version IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4e6YE9S ... re=related

Dang! Meat Loaf's was great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vHwPmKmwH4

Leslie's was better yet. Good call there, LowryFalcon.


And, no, h2oville rocket, I don't think government has any business regulating it, but since there's already a list of rules for handling the flag, and a list of rules as how we're supposed to react to the flag, why not some for singing about it?

Or were you just giving me a Rocket's red glare? (little joke there ... very little ...)

I do love that you all sing about us before each game but the last time I mentioned this some super-patriot took offense so I vowed to never mention it again. Which is why I didn't bring it up here.

Chad Smith kicks ass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAapJhYgQ8U

Bubba Bo Bob Brain wrote:


Here is the address to a copy of The Star Spangled Banner, words & melody.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... Banner.png

The music you've posted here is not correct.



It is a little too much big government for my taste for states to pass bills enforcing fines for poor performance of the song. However in a military band, we could get court-martialed for failing to obey direct orders for playing it any way other than described by our specific orders.

If you want to hear EXACTLY how the song should be played as dictated by military order, look up any recording of The President's Own. (The President's own features several BGSU alumni, including SSGT Ryan Nowlin)