2021 U.S. Anthem Performances

[Mojochi]

It seems like this is always highlighted every 4 years, more prominently than other times because both an inaugeration & Superbowl present them nationally, plus we get 2 championship games leading up to the Superbowl, that also showcase them

I thought this could be just a discussion of the performances themselves, which are mostly given by current pop artists. Which ones we like/dislike & why etc...

I watched the ones this last weekend, both of which were done remotely, due to covid protocols, & while I'll admit that both were a little disappointing to me, I'll cut some slack for the minimalistic nature that the times called for. It's hard in general to present any kind spectacle lately

The 1st was the NFC championship, where Carly Peary sung it a capella, & while she sung it well enough, I can't help being underwhelmed whenever there's no accompaniment. Even just a backing track would appeal to me more.

The AFC game's was done by a solo guitarist (Forgot who) & TBH, those rarely appeal to me because it's just such a knockoff of Jimi Hendrix's, which none of them ever deliver with as much potency IMHO.

Then there was Lady Gaga's inaugural performance, where I'm probably in the minority. I by no means found it bad, but she did some unusual stuff that musical ears pick up on, which were lost on me. She arranged it in a mixed meter 3/4 & 4/4... & maybe even some 2/4? She also thew in added pauses, & broken breath patterns (which I think might have been intentional)

The overall effect made the performance drag & rush in places & seem stilted. I think she might have intentionally been trying to make it play a bit awkward, to reflect our awkward times, & while a rather intelligent hidden message, it still made the music less appealing to me

Thoughts?

I guess I'll just have to wait to see how the Superbowl's plays out. Any idea who's doing it?

 

[XCV330]

I'm waiting for a dolphin to do a double-backwards summersault through a hoop while whistling it, so that this can all be over.

 

[Mojochi]

I'm waiting for a dolphin to do a double-backwards summersault through a hoop while whistling it, so that this can all be over.

As a grande fanfare, or a sign of the coming apocalypse? lol

I guess I'll just have to wait to see how the Superbowl's plays out. Any idea who's doing it?

Looked it up. Apparently it's a duet with Country singer Eric Church & R&B singer Jasmine Sullivan, neither of whom am I too embarrassed to admit I've never heard of (Didn't know who Carly Pearce was either lol)

 

[XCV330]

I really wish they'd replace the Star Spangled Banner with another song. It's really hard to sing. theres that problematic 3rd verse but no one sings it anyway. I don't know what it would be replaced with. America The Beautiful is nice but it has the word God in it and that will leave some Irate, as will God Bless America. Calls for "Imagine" to replace the anthem are just.. wierd. Also.. Imagine is a lame song. I said it. I will die on that hill. It's a really lame song. I digress.

 

[valkyrie013]

So Long and thanks for the Fish!!

Well, as the saying goes, Try to please everyone, No one will be pleased.

I don't follow much of the current music scene except for the super high profile people, and thats really only knowing who they are, not what they sing.
That being said, most try to do "there own thing" with it, some are good, some bomb. Be nice to have some comments from those who are musically inclined to explain what they tried to do.

I might have heard Imagine on the radio, but doens't ring any bells, had to look it up!!

 

[Mojochi]

Calls for "Imagine" to replace the anthem are just.. wierd. Also.. Imagine is a lame song. I said it. I will die on that hill. It's a really lame song. I digress.

Well, in hindsight, it's certainly odd having been written by a multimillionaire pop star, & that's from someone who actually likes Lennon.

As for the anthem, I like that it's a tough song to sing, with antiquated terminology. It forces the performer to concentrate on & digest what they're actually singing. It separates the truly talented from the merely passing IMHO, & I kind of like that

But yeah, keep the other verses lost in the past. As it is now, it's somewhat brutal, but it's short, & when arranged right, does have some gravitas. Whitney Houston's shows how when everything is done right, it's pretty damn awesome.

 

[XCV330]

Well, in hindsight, it's certainly odd having been written by a multimillionaire pop star, & that's from someone who actually likes Lennon.

As for the anthem, I like that it's a tough song to sing, with antiquated terminology. It forces the performer to concentrate on & digest what they're actually singing. It separates the truly talented from the merely passing IMHO, & I kind of like that

But yeah, keep the other verses lost in the past. As it is now, it's a sonewhat brutal, but it's short, & when arranged right, does have some gravitas. Whitney Houston's shows how when everything is done right, it's pretty damn awesome.

I have heard that it was Marvin Gaye who started the modern thing of artists sort of doing whatever they wanted with the National Anthem. When he did it, it worked. and I agree, Whitney Houston was astounding, as she always was, vocally. Other times you get Roseanne Barr or Steve Tyler.

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Or this officer from Chattanooga

 

[Owain Taggart]

To me it's the kind of thing that separates a vocalist from a regular performer. A vocalist might be a good performer, but not every good performer is a good vocalist, and I think a good vocalist will really pay attention to tone and and pacing whereas a good performer might be good musically but lack the fortitude to apply their voice appropriately, and most of the time you can easily tell the difference.

 

[Mojochi]

I'm not entirely opposed to people embellishing it vocally, & it's sort of event specific, & clearly if you're doing a Fergie, people are going to blast you lol

Here's one area I actually don't mind Lady Gaga's 2021 version, because she does a little toward the end, but it's very conservative, & after much of the piece where she did it pretty melodically standard. If you listen to earlier times she's done it, she takes maaany more liberties with it. It's a case of less is more most of the time.

 

[Mojochi]

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Or this officer from Chattanooga

OMG that poor poor man.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Here's one area I actually don't mind Lady Gaga's 2021 version, because she does a little toward the end, but it's very conservative, & after much of the piece where she did it pretty melodically standard.

Yeah, that's one reason I ended up liking it quite a bit. Mind you, I used to not care about Lady Gaga too much, but after watching A Star is Born, I started seeing another side of her that quite impressed me.

 

[gblews]

I really wish they'd replace the Star Spangled Banner with another song. It's really hard to sing. theres that problematic 3rd verse but no one sings it anyway. I don't know what it would be replaced with. America The Beautiful is nice but it has the word God in it and that will leave some Irate, as will God Bless America. Calls for "Imagine" to replace the anthem are just.. wierd. Also.. Imagine is a lame song. I said it. I will die on that hill. It's a really lame song. I digress.

During the height of the lockdown last year I read an article in which the the writer suggested replacing the Star Star Spangled Banner with the Bill Withers song, Lea on Me. His reasoning was that song’s simple message centers around being a “good neighbor” r that should esonate with everyone. Plus, the song has a big, easy to sing chorus that encapsulates the song’s message.

The writer also mentioned that Lean on Me has no overtly religious or political connotations. It’s simply about helping your fellow man/woman.

I don’t know if Lean is the best replacement, but I agree that Banner needs to go. But I imagine it would take a crisis MUCH bigger than the COVID pandemic in order for the national anthem to change.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

What I know of Eric Church, he's not your typical anthem kind of singer, I'll be curious how he does.

But yeah, keep the other verses lost in the past. As it is now, it's somewhat brutal, but it's short, & when arranged right, does have some gravitas. Whitney Houston's shows how when everything is done right, it's pretty damn awesome.

For my money, nothing beats The (Dixie) Chicks super bowl performance. I do think the anthem's unusual cadence and everything does help it seem like something "special" when it's performed. Though as I get older the whole notion of rising for a national anthem seems kind of odd and maybe troublesome. The last couple of years even the idea of watching two teams of strangers play a game seems kind of goofy to me.

 

[Mojochi]

For my money, nothing beats The (Dixie) Chicks super bowl performance.

I'd forgotten about that one. My personal opinion is that it was emotionally a tad bit dry, compared to say Whitney Houston's, but more than makes up for that with some very pretty harmonies, which is quite rare to hear, almost unheard of.

The last couple of years even the idea of watching two teams of strangers play a game seems kind of goofy to me.

A bit off topic to ask, but why would you assume they're strangers? There's only about 1700 active players at any given time in the NFL. Most of them have been playing against one another &/or with one another (Having been traded around) for many years. Many did so even during their college years. They all belong to a union, & often band together to support one another. They have personal interests together. A great deal of them know each other very well, as either teammates, adversaries, coworkers, & people with a fairly unique shared life experience. Make no mistake, these guys are in a pretty elite club, & are certainly strangers to none of each other

 

[XCV330]

What I know of Eric Church, he's not your typical anthem kind of singer, I'll be curious how he does.


For my money, nothing beats The (Dixie) Chicks super bowl performance. I do think the anthem's unusual cadence and everything does help it seem like something "special" when it's performed. Though as I get older the whole notion of rising for a national anthem seems kind of odd and maybe troublesome. The last couple of years even the idea of watching two teams of strangers play a game seems kind of goofy to me.

There comes a point after all the trades and all the ownership and coaching changes, and venues moving, we come to the stark realization: we're cheering a series of shirts.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

A bit off topic to ask, but why would you assume they're strangers?

Because I've never met them.

 

[Mojochi]

Because I've never met them.

Ooooohhh. Strangers to YOU! Disregard wtf ever I was talking about then lol

There comes a point after all the trades and all the ownership and coaching changes, and venues moving, we come to the stark realization: we're cheering a series of shirts.

Well... there's still those of us that are supporting our local teams... for whatever that's worth, but if you're a fan of a team that isn't from your town or hometown, then yeah... that's a bit weird now

 

[XCV330]

Ooooohhh. Strangers to YOU! Disregard wtf ever I was talking about then lol

Well... there's still those of us that are supporting our local teams... for whatever that's worth, but if you're a fan of a team that isn't from your town or hometown, then yeah... that's a bit weird now

oh I am still a Grizzlies fan, even though I haven't lived in Memphis for years.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

To make matters worse, when I'm feeling this way already I'm stuck with the f'n Lions to boot.

 

[Mojochi]

oh I am still a Grizzlies fan, even though I haven't lived in Memphis for years.

Yeah, but you did at one point. Had you never lived there, & were a fan of them... that might be weird, as in why them?