National Anthem ceremony on opening day for the Phillies, 2005 (Photo by Maria Pratt) On March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially became the national anthem of the United States. The song's melody (a British drinking song) unfurls within a one-and-a-half octave range and is devilishly difficult for most people to crank out, even if they can manage to remember the lyrics. There have been attempts to replace it with something more lyrical and less martial, but when it comes to the national anthem, change is not always welcome. Just ask José Feliciano whose heart-felt performance at the 1968 World Series caused a stir as the first non-traditional rendition. At Woodstock in 1969 (to the chagrin of the over-30 crowd), Jimi Hendrix turned wailing guitar notes and feedback into the anthem of a generation. Mariah Carey launched into a register only dogs could hear and Roseanne's screech-fest was just wrong. Face it, you need to be a Whitney Houston to do justice to the song -- the rest of us will just have to fake it. Suggested Sites... The National Anthem Project - music education project's grand finale takes place June 14-16 in Washington, D.C. National Anthems - streaming files and downloads of national anthems from around the world. NPR: A Spanish Version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' - listen to the Spanish version, "Nuestro Himno," and take a look at the lyrics. Sing the National Anthem with Confidence - some tips for those brave enough to sing it solo. The National Anthem - all four verses.

Directory categories: U.S. National Anthem, U.S. Symbols and Songs, U.S. Patriotic Poetry

Archived under: Government, Songs, United States

Post a comment (2) | Email this posting