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Anybody else recall the uproar Jose Feliciano caused when he did his unconventional rendition of The National Anthem at a baseball game back in the 60s?

I often wonder where the sense of pride in and respect for The Star Spangled Banner went. Cowboys in jeans and joggers doing it at a major football game seems a lot worse to me than using some technology to ensure a half decent performance.

Some renditions I have seen and heard have hardly been befitting of a nation which proclaims itself to be the greatest - "the land of the free,and the home of the brave" - more like the home of the egomaniac who is just out for a moment's glory rather than honouring "Old Glory".

Ken Herrick wrote:
Some renditions I have seen and heard have hardly been befitting of a nation which proclaims itself to be the greatest - "the land of the free,and the home of the brave" - more like the home of the egomaniac who is just out for a moment's glory rather than honouring "Old Glory".

I am with You Sir. Old Glory is taking a lot of abuse these days.
Armin

Ken Herrick wrote:Anybody else recall the uproar Jose Feliciano caused when he did his unconventional rendition of The National Anthem at a baseball game back in the 60s?

Not having been alive, I don't recall the uproar firsthand but certainly am familiar with it. Unfortunately, the sort of small-picture troglodytes that missed JF's point are still around to gripe. Does this phenomenon occur in Australia as well?

Remember when (I think the Dallas Cowboys, back in the Tom Landry era) used to have single trumpet player play it "to honor America".
That was always quite nice, and one could actually hear the audience singing in the background, or at least attempting to. Seemed to put the focus on the fact that it is our National Anthem and is indeed about something that involves respect for the flag and those who serve it. I still get chills when I play it, and that is after 52 years of playing it and conducting it.

However, I am not a television producer, more concerned about the ratings numbers so my network can charge whatever they feel like for commercials and worried that someone might change the channel during the National Anthem, so hey, let's have whoever is "in" right now do it, however they want to, after all, In Money We Trust.

Having said that, I think the version that Beyonce did - lip synched or not - was one of the more tasteful ones. Of course, she can actually sing - and she knew the words! That puts her miles ahead of some of the rest we have heard over they years!

Anyone remember Stan Kenton's version?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHYTJ3jxTt0" target="_blank

Ken Herrick wrote:Anybody else recall the uproar Jose Feliciano caused when he did his unconventional rendition of The National Anthem at a baseball game back in the 60s?

I often wonder where the sense of pride in and respect for The Star Spangled Banner went. Cowboys in jeans and joggers doing it at a major football game seems a lot worse to me than using some technology to ensure a half decent performance.

Some renditions I have seen and heard have hardly been befitting of a nation which proclaims itself to be the greatest - "the land of the free,and the home of the brave" - more like the home of the egomaniac who is just out for a moment's glory rather than honouring "Old Glory".

I'm with you, Ken. I hate it when the SSB is mutilated at public events. Something similar to this is much more inspirational and respectful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSHTew3Z1Pk" target="_blank

Ace

daytontuba wrote:Remember when (I think the Dallas Cowboys, back in the Tom Landry era) used to have single trumpet player play it "to honor America".
That was always quite nice, and one could actually hear the audience singing in the background, or at least attempting to. Seemed to put the focus on the fact that it is our National Anthem and is indeed about something that involves respect for the flag and those who serve it. I still get chills when I play it, and that is after 52 years of playing it and conducting it.

Since the early 1960s The Stanford Band (LSJUMB) has done an arrangement of SSB by Arthur Barnes that starts with a single solo trumpet for the first two stanzas, then the rest of the band comes in at "And the rocket's red glare," then building to the end of the song. On some important occasions (like The Rose Bowl) the solo trumpet might have a mic, but most of the time it is unamplified. This 1972 tape is representative, starting at about 2:05.
I know many TV stations around the country have used the LSJUMB version of SSB for their "sign-off."

Since the early 1960s The Stanford Band (LSJUMB) has done an arrangement of SSB by Arthur Barnes that starts with a single solo trumpet for the first two stanzas, then the rest of the band comes in at "And the rocket's red glare," then building to the end of the song. On some important occasions (like The Rose Bowl) the solo trumpet might have a mic, but most of the time it is unamplified. This 1972 tape is representative, starting at about 2:05.
I know many TV stations around the country have used the LSJUMB version of SSB for their "sign-off."

David - thanks for posting this link - quite nicely done by the Stanford Band!

This pretty much sums up the whole "tempest in a teaspot..."

(and as to why I wrote "teaspot" - it is an old Pogo thing.)

dey rucorded ut at da egg shaped orfis da day bufour.