Here’s a message for solo singers from nationally famous recording artists to local folks with a little talent.
Raleigh Mann
You are disrespecting our proud nation when you mess around with its national anthem and turn it into a showy performance and that offends me.
As one who sings in choirs and choruses, I’ve enjoyed the privilege of singing our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, at some public events. As a school kid, I enjoyed playing it in bands. We played it and sang it straight. The way it was written.
Every time.
No ad-libbing any variations. No showing off.
We did it take way out of respect for our country and for what its anthem stands for. Dictionaries define an anthem as a formal song of loyalty, praise, or happiness that’s important to a particular group of people.
It certainly is important to me.
I’m a native of Baltimore where our national anthem was written and I’m grateful and proud to be an American.
What has happened to the respect we used to show for our national anthem?
Now, soloists who sing it at public events turn it into a performance worthy of a glitzy nightclub or an American Idol competition.
They seize on their magic moment before thousands as an opportunity to demonstrate their vocal range and power. And how much they can fool around with its melody.
It’s a great chance to show off.
At a recent game I attended with some Chapel Hill friends, we witnessed a spectacular example of this which alas has become more common than the respectable treatment our anthem deserves and receives from choral groups.
When the performance ended, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Another misguided courtesy.
Performers who sing the national anthem should behave in a way that honors the occasion and they should sing it without deviating from the original notation.
As for applauding it, that’s just bad manners.
It’s our national anthem.
We all own it and we should respect it.
— Raleigh Mann
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Don't Screw Around with the National AnthemHere’s a message for solo singers from nationally famous recording artists to local folks with a little talent. You are disrespecting our proud nation when you mess around with its national anthem and turn it into a showy performance and that offends me. As one who sings in choirs and choruses, I’ve enjoyed the privilege of singing […]
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