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Christina Aguilera Botches National Anthem

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Article.

I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate it when an "artist" can't remember her lines while over-artistrating (yes, my very own word) so badly that the entire theme and purpose of our National Anthem are lost.

It's a song about the immense immense love of, and sacrifice for our country, as born by those who fought to wrest it into existence, as well as all those who fought since to preserve it:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It's not a showcase for artists. Aguilera's (failed) attempt to misuse it as such is reprehensible.

If you're going to embellish at all, do it right.

Source for lyrics
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
These people....

First, they use the term "artist", long after have destroyed any claim to it they might rightfully have.

By this point in time, "performer" is too charitable.
 

Deanimator

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
2,083
Location
Rocky River, OH, U.S.A.
Can't say I can recall anything she's ever "sung".

On the other hand, I listened to a bunch of Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester pieces this weekend. There's just something charming about the MC from "Cabaret" singing "Mambo #5" in German. He does a pretty snappy version of "Let's Talk About Sex" too.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Thanks for posting this video, Eye95.

You are most welcome, Tex. I had the pleasure of meeting this gentleman when we worked together on Rick Barber's campaign for Congress. We made a commercial together in which he sang the 4th verse, and I was an extra, a part of the "army." That's me over Rick's left shoulder when he tells us to vote on the 13th and Lewis' left shoulder when the camera returns to him to sing the last line.

[video=youtube;kn14RwuJJRg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn14RwuJJRg&feature=related[/video]
 

Venator

Anti-Saldana Freedom Fighter
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
6,462
Location
Lansing area, Michigan, USA
Article.

I'm sorry, but I do not appreciate it when an "artist" can't remember her lines while over-artistrating (yes, my very own word) so badly that the entire theme and purpose of our National Anthem are lost.

It's a song about the immense immense love of, and sacrifice for our country, as born by those who fought to wrest it into existence, as well as all those who fought since to preserve it:
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
It's not a showcase for artists. Aguilera's (failed) attempt to misuse it as such is reprehensible.

If you're going to embellish at all, do it right.

Source for lyrics

So true and set to the tune of an old London drinking song to test sobriety. If you could sing it you got another pint.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner
 
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