How Many National Anthems Do We Need?
Imagine you’re at a city government function, one at which the mayor will deliver his State of the City address. Although it’s no longer legal to begin such functions with prayer since that is tantamount to religious discrimination, such ceremonies still typically begin with someone singing the National Anthem.
Only, notes into the song, you realize the singer isn’t singing the country’s National Anthem at all. Oh, the tune is the same but the words are quite different: both beautiful, but still clearly different songs.
That’s because the performer is jazz singer Rene Marie — whose latest recording is entitled “Three Nooses Hanging” — and although she’s singing the tune of The Star Spangled Banner, the words are from the song Lift Every Voice and Sing, a tune known by some as the “black national anthem“:
Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
No one knew it was coming. Some didn’t realize at first what was going on. More than one in attendance were shocked or taken aback, particularly when the singer didn’t follow the tune up with the actual National Anthem.
Nor is she apologetic about it, either.
“Art is supposed to make you think. I wanted to express how I felt, being a black woman living in this country,” said Marie, a resident of nearby Broomfield, Colo.
Not surprisingly the response has been heated with the word “racist” being bandied about by both sides. And me? I just don’t get it. I don’t understand any circumstances under which a person would think it’s appropriate for them to swap out lyrics to a national song to be sung at a civic event just to advance their own agenda, which is precisely what the singer was trying to accomplish. Under Marie’s own reasoning, would it still be “art” if, say, some good ol’ boy bluegrass singer in Mississippi decided to sing “Dixie” at the start of a city government meeting?
Marie told KMGH7 that only her husband and mentor knew she planned to sing “Lift Every Voice.” She said she was encouraged to sing the black national anthem in light of Sen. Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Denver in August, when he will attend the Democratic National Convention to accept his party’s presidential nomination.
Seems to me someone’s hinting around in the hope of getting an invitation to perform.
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“Black National Anthem”?
What, the actual National Anthem isn’t good enough anymore, now we have to have one for different ethnicities? I find this offensive on so many levels…all I can do is splutter.
Come to think of it, I want the Weird Al version of the National Anthem to be played at all political events from now on. He hasn’t written it yet, but as an artist he’s supposed to express himself, right?
wgs last blog post..Back and forth
That’s so inappropriate I don’t even know where to start, but you’ve put it so well I don’t have to.
If you’re invited to sing the National Anthem, that’s what you should sing.
She shouldn’t be invited anywhere.
lifepundits last blog post..What Kind of Pants Would You Stab Someone For?
The only way for such things to end is for people to start seeing people instead of their skin color. I’d like to see that happen in my lifetime, but there’s apparently little hope. There are so few of us who are like that.
Chelles last blog post..Mealworm Shortage
Chelle, you said what I could not. URG.
Margis last blog post..Music Meme
Thanks for the compliment. I guess I enjoy seeing accomplisments, personalities, ideas and so forth from people. Once the color of their skin gets involved, everything ends up becoming offensive.
Chelles last blog post..Flash Splash: Do or Don’t Do
I’m confused, I thought the title for the black national anthem was “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”?
Lincolns last blog post..Financial Independence Day
Good grief. I don’t even know where to begin beating you up over that one, Linc.
Venomous Kates last blog post..Word Fugue: The Independence Day Edition
but, it’s not art when you are singing the national anthem! it’s just that point in the program when you mechanically attempt to sing a sappy poem to the tune of a pub song. IF you ain’t an opera singer, being drunk will help you reach the notes with ease.
no, really. the national anthem ain’t about art.
Agreed, although I find that shoving the stiletto on my left heel into the instep of my right foot helps me reach that note even while sober.
But doesn’t that pretty much mean she had no grounds for her “artistic license” substituting the lyrics?
Venomous Kates last blog post..Word Fugue: The Independence Day Edition
I think the last line of your post hits the nail on the head. If she doesn’t get that, at least she got the publicity of this event.
Very self-absorbed, silly woman.
Donna B.s last blog post..Jindal Vetoes Legislators’ Raise
lmao at Lincoln that was too funny,on a different note could you just see the protest if a “white national anthem” was said anywhere,Jesse and Al would be all over that,the national anthem we have is just fine like it is
Well crappity crap. I really don’t care what color you are, what sex you are, ethnicity, religion, or heritage. The US has a flag and an anthem (this is not going to be an Izzard routine). Displaying the flag has honor and respect tied to it and so so does performing the anthem. If you don’t agree with the things they stand for or the respect involved, then don’t do it.
I can see the next step for public performances… a contract. “Your singing performance is limited to the songs and lyrics of the National Anthem of the United States, as written by…” At the very least, Carl Lewis will never perform it again…
Jeffs last blog post..Why I Don’t Have a Dog
You know, the thought has occured to me that we need to develop a new word for self-induced discrimination. Yes, there is still a fair bit of discrimination in this day and age (and not a small part of it is ironically directed at WASPs like me), and that is something that needs to be done away with, to be certain. However, when someone starts segregating themselves away from everyone else… that is a different matter entirely, especially since, in their eyes, there will always be discrimination - since they are the prime perpetrators.
Furthermore, if you are hired/invited to sing a specific song, sing that song. Of course, the concept of responsibility has been slipping through the years, so I guess this should come as no great surprise to me.
Either way, not that she ever would, but that woman should be ashamed of herself, not only for perpetuating the culture of discimination she was trying to rail against, but for putting her own idiotic priorities above those of the other people at the event, the country, and history in general. Sounds like a failure to me.
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