should "Lean On Me" replace "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the US national anthem?

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inspired by this LA Times piece, which makes a comprehensive case both for "Lean on Me" and against "TSSB"

Bill Withers’ 1972 soul ballad may seem like a curious choice. It has none of the qualities we associate with national anthems. It’s a modest song that puts on no airs. It speaks in plain musical language, without a trace of bombast, in a tidy arrangement that unfolds over a few basic chords. It doesn’t march to a martial beat or rise to grand crescendos. The lyrics hold no pastoral images of fruited plains or oceans white with foam, no high-minded invocations of liberty or God. “Lean on Me” is a deeply American song — but it’s not, explicitly at least, a song about America.

Yet it has long been a kind of national anthem. “Lean on Me” is one of just a handful of songs to have reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts in two different versions. (Withers’ original hit No. 1 in 1972; 15 years later, Club Nouveau took a spunky electro-R&B version to the top of the Hot 100.) It is surely among the most widely sung American songs of the past half-century. It is performed by church choirs, by school choirs, by college a capella groups, by street-corner doo-wop quintets, by YouTube’s bedroom balladeers, by the United States Navy Band. It’s ecumenical, transcending genres and eras and generations and political affiliations. It has been covered by Stevie Wonder and Al Green and Clara Ward, by Jimmy Buffett and Bon Jovi, by Shawn Mendes and Nick Jonas. Jazz pianists have swung it, Imagine Dragons have mauled it. It’s been sung on “Empire” and on “Glee”; it was the theme song to a Morgan Freeman movie called, yes, “Lean on Me.”

It is the kind of song that gets dragged out on heady occasions, to impart a sense of significance and solemnity. It was performed by Mary J. Blige at the Lincoln Memorial, in a concert marking President Obama’s inauguration. Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, and, I regret to report, Kid Rock, performed it in 2010, on the “Hope for Haiti Now” earthquake relief telethon. Garth Brooks sang it, after a fashion, in a medley with “America the Beautiful,” at a 2011 Kennedy Center gala whose attendees included four former U.S. presidents.

please try to honor the poll options and not get bogged down by whether or not america should exist (in our respective hearts we hold our answers)

Poll Results

OptionVotes
no, we should keep "the star-spangled banner" because it's bad and america deserves it 16
yes 15
no, we should keep "the star-spangled banner" because I think it's good, actually 7
no, it should be (suggest song) instead 6


k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:49 (five years ago)

i'd actually be jazzed to stand for the thing for once

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:52 (five years ago)

no, we should keep "the star-spangled banner" because I think it's good, actually
no, we should keep "the star-spangled banner" because it's bad and america deserves it

my opinion lies somewhere between these two

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:52 (five years ago)

Having difficulty imagining singing "Lean On Me" - great as it is - before a Pirates game

Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:53 (five years ago)

voted 'keep, it's good' - I'm British and we need to sort our own house out (with Jerusalem obv) before sniping at America's perfectly good anthem - TSSB has a MUCH better development/climax/resolution than GSTQ, musically speaking, and I don't see what's so bad about it. Lean On Me has too much sadness and pathos, it's an anthem for truly the end of the world, which this ideally isn't

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:53 (five years ago)

keep "the star-spangled banner" because some song has to be butchered at every sports event and it might as well be that one

jmm, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:53 (five years ago)

It speaks in plain musical language, without a trace of bombast, in a tidy arrangement that unfolds over a few basic chords. It doesn’t march to a martial beat or rise to grand crescendos.

this writer truly does not understand what an anthem is

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:54 (five years ago)

the writer makes clear that these qualities are what makes it an unorthodox choice!

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:56 (five years ago)

America's anthem is a British drinking song w/ new words, we need a better one

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:57 (five years ago)

^^gets it

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:57 (five years ago)

maybe a T-Pain song with lyrics fitted from one of our less racist Founding fathers?

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:57 (five years ago)

I'm appalled by how much I loved that Club Nouveau version as a kid.

nashwan, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:58 (five years ago)

i mean could you imagine what kind of people we'd have to be surrounded by if this were even remotely possible? beautiful people instead of ugly, evil people. never going to happen.

carin' (map), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 14:59 (five years ago)

xpost I didn't realize that wasn't the original version until my dad's eyes bugged out when I said that thought out loud.

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:00 (five years ago)

fine, i guess the writer does understand what an anthem is...so why not find another one that fits those criteria, haha

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:01 (five years ago)

never going to happen.

this is a poll about what should be not what could be!

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:01 (five years ago)

How about “Lovely Day” but instead of “Lovely Day” it’s drunken frat boys chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A...”

Philip Nunez, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:03 (five years ago)

all the drunken sports fans passing out trying to hold that note longer than their buddies would be a real spectacle, it's true

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:04 (five years ago)

https://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=mNUaAMMmp1c

neith moon (ledge), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:07 (five years ago)

damnit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNUaAMMmp1c

neith moon (ledge), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:07 (five years ago)

it occurs to me that a decent working definition of 'liberal' could be 'loves nationalism when it comes down to it tbh'

carin' (map), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:07 (five years ago)

map otm

I think "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a good tune (I know that's a controversial opinion). It's definitely militaristic and nationalistic but that's the point of having a national anthem in the first place. "Lean On Me" is one of the best songs ever and it's thoroughly American as a song, but I don't think America has earned it as an anthem. Maybe if we were consistently a nation of sentimental liberals who have each other's back, which we're not.

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:08 (five years ago)

xpost

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:08 (five years ago)

it occurs to me that a decent working definition of 'liberal' could be 'loves nationalism when it comes down to it tbh'

― carin' (map), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:07 (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

this aimed at me? i'm speaking purely musically here. yes the sentiments are beautiful but it isn't a feasible anthem? imagine 'imagine' was the uk anthem lol

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:10 (five years ago)

and yeah a working definition of 'liberal' is 'can get behind the sentiments in 'lean on me''

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:11 (five years ago)

"Lean On Me" is incredible, but would be damaged and flattened out if made official and forced into all these other contexts where the anthem shows up. whereas somehow i think "This Land Is Your Land" could survive.

Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:12 (five years ago)

I don't hate The Star-Spangled Banner as a song, but the whole point of national anthems, like nations, is that they're for dicks, which is why Lean On Me or any other song of tender humanity would be wrong

Mein Skampf (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:13 (five years ago)

Crut already made my point, lol sorry

Mein Skampf (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:15 (five years ago)

My nomination despite the Britishness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGc5h1yWHQ

Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:17 (five years ago)

Replace it with "Slumerican Shitizen"

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:17 (five years ago)

if america remade itself according to the principles of "lean on me," sure

star spangled banner sucks and we've earned it

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:18 (five years ago)

lol in the recent series of 13 Reasons Why they ended the, like, tensest episode of all with Melt The Guns and it was the worst closing-credits music choice in TV history

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:19 (five years ago)

Lean On Me has too much sadness and pathos, it's an anthem for truly the end of the world

whut

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:20 (five years ago)

"No Thugs In Our House" perhaps closer to the pulse of the American psyche

Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:21 (five years ago)

i just have this vision of the citizens huddling together in their caves by candlelight singing 'lean on me' as the radiation sickness picks them off one by one

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:21 (five years ago)

Easier to imagine the end of the world than a society based on siblinghood

Mein Skampf (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:22 (five years ago)

anthems are for sports events and occasions of pomp and circumstance; they don't really matter but they are intended to amp up glory rather than celebrate siblinghood; if they can do both, more's the better. anthems don't really matter at the end of it and they don't really have any impact on society, but it is a fun question to think about

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:25 (five years ago)

ITT some people show they didn't follow the whole "did you know there's a verse in the Star-Spangled Banner that celebrates slavery" controversy

anyway, I already recorded the real national anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA9UnZUKveY

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:26 (five years ago)

^^^^ goddamn

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:27 (five years ago)

Lean On Your Bootstraps

Well, that's a fine howdy adieu! (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:28 (five years ago)

Easier to imagine the end of the world than a society based on siblinghood

which is why my backup in case "Lean on Me" falls through is "Kill the Poor"

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:30 (five years ago)

'lift every voice and sing' would be a way better choice than 'lean on me'. agreed (and great performance obv)

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:30 (five years ago)

ITT some people show they didn't follow the whole "did you know there's a verse in the Star-Spangled Banner that celebrates slavery" controversy

I'm aware of the verse in the original poem on which the anthem is based.

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:30 (five years ago)

Reveal Your Uncool Conservative Beliefs Here fodder but "The Star-Spangled Banner" > "Lean On Me" musically speaking.

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:30 (five years ago)

i didn't know about that verse :(

Mein Skampf (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:31 (five years ago)

why is there no option for "no anthems"

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:31 (five years ago)

Give me mandatory disco sing-a-longs or give me death.

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:32 (five years ago)

Give me mandatory disco sing-a-longs or give me death.

― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:32 (twenty-one seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

'i feel love' can be yours, and 'left to my own devices' ours, and everyone wins

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:33 (five years ago)

/remembers that Eric H is Canadian, not USAmerican

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:34 (five years ago)

anyway, I already recorded the real national anthem:

Don't mean to embarrass you here but this is not actually an embed of 'Bring Out The Katz'

nashwan, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:35 (five years ago)

I'm Minne-Canadian.

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:35 (five years ago)

it's back on

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:36 (five years ago)

why is there no option for "no anthems"

just to annoy everyone tbh

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:37 (five years ago)

i'm annoyed

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:37 (five years ago)

xxpost from the Minne-Can Republic

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:37 (five years ago)

"The Star-Spangled Banner" > "Lean On Me" musically speaking

the hideous hot take I was waiting for!

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:37 (five years ago)

needs a guest verse IMO

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 15:39 (five years ago)

The Vajazzled Banner

Well, that's a fine howdy adieu! (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:01 (five years ago)

None of the arguments in that piece seem like reasons to pick a song as the national anthem? I could understand preferring "Lift Every Voice", "God Bless America", or "This Land Is Your Land" but "Lean on Me" is political correctness gone mad. As a non-American, I voted to keep TSSB bc Hendrix.

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:02 (five years ago)

if they just played the hendrix solo at every sporting event and no one sang: sure

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:06 (five years ago)

Don't mean to embarrass you here but this is not actually an embed of 'Bring Out The Katz'

yo Griff.... LIFT EV'RY VOICE!

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:08 (five years ago)

half the stadium yelling OH, the other half yelling YES

mookieproof, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:15 (five years ago)

currently discovering that i do support replacing the national anthem with "bring in the katz"

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:16 (five years ago)

This is truly an opportunity to bring the entire nation together

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:17 (five years ago)

Also bc I <3 that every American has to sing a descending sixth and then go up to the raised subdominant in the third bar of their anthem xps

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:19 (five years ago)

Lots of people stan for "America the Beautiful" and not without reason - way too religious for me but there is the germ of a good idea in it. It's more about what the nation can become than how allegedly awesome the nation currently is.

"Confirm thy soul in self-control; thy liberty in law" = like, we know there's still some good in you, so please start showing it. We like the representative democratic aspects of the constitution, but you need to get better at actually living up to those principles. "Crown thy good with brotherhood" = the good things about you ("the better angels of our natures," one might say) need to be backed by fostering and promoting moves toward ACTUAL real equality.

Still, way too god-centric for irreligious me. Ditto "God Bless America," obv.

I would be okay with Lift Every Voice and Sing but only if DJP's recording is the only authorized version, and all lesser musicians are prohibited from even attempting it.

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:20 (five years ago)

national anthem should be yes's version of simon's 'america' and fans should be forced to sing steve howe's guitar solo. if they bum a note, they don't really love america, do they?

mozzy star (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:21 (five years ago)

Neil Diamond's America

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:22 (five years ago)

Europe's "The Final Countdown"

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:26 (five years ago)

Still, way too god-centric for irreligious me.

this is a major reason I like "Lean on Me"

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:28 (five years ago)

The same could be said for "Dude Looks Like a Lady," of course

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:30 (five years ago)

Also bc I <3 that every American has to sing a descending sixth and then go up to the raised subdominant in the third bar of their anthem xps

100% OTM

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:30 (five years ago)

star-spangled banner isn't a banger or anything, but i appreciate the anachronisms, SAT words, bizarre syntax, and quaint contractions.

mozzy star (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:30 (five years ago)

I was just informed that Americans don't actually sing this song with a range of a 12th every morning in school and just recite some pledge instead. I no longer admire the American spirit in taking on this challenge. Now I just want your anthem to be "Don't Stop Believin'" or some shit.

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:31 (five years ago)

I would vote for "Dude Looks Like A Lady", for president even

Joey Corona (Euler), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:31 (five years ago)

Imagine if before every football game, the crowd rose to their feet and gave a solemn rendition of "Goodies" by Ciara

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:33 (five years ago)

they do this in atlanta already, iirc

mozzy star (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:34 (five years ago)

#actually the anthem should just be prince's solo on 'while my guitar gently weeps' at the 2004 r&rhof ceremony

mookieproof, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:34 (five years ago)

the anthem should just be gentle weeping

mozzy star (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:35 (five years ago)

Also bc I <3 that every American has to sing a descending sixth and then go up to the raised subdominant in the third bar of their anthem xps

Thank you! Also, everyone who can hold their hand's shape in place for more than a few seconds can play the entirety of "Lean On Me" on the piano, which means it is not good and in fact bad.

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:37 (five years ago)

No, because I don't want "Lean on Me" being sullied by having to be the American National Anthem.

MarkoP, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:41 (five years ago)

^^that is a good reason!

meanwhile "songs that are easy to play are inferior", if that is indeed the take, baffles me

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:43 (five years ago)

Acting like you aren't aware of the existence of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkgkThdzX-8

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:48 (five years ago)

star-spangled banner isn't a banger or anything, but i appreciate the anachronisms, SAT words, bizarre syntax, and quaint contractions.

It's been pointed out that the normally sung lyrics are, grammatically, one really long question.

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:49 (five years ago)

this writer truly does not understand what an anthem is

― imago, Wednesday, July 15, 2020 9:54 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

He's a guy who writes about music. You may have just seen him in your local bookshop/music paper/Private Eye.

jaymc, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:49 (five years ago)

It's been pointed out that the normally sung lyrics are, grammatically, one really long question.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cE6Pg2q3lI

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:50 (five years ago)

in retrospect I should not have included an option that enables voters to make clear they hate america; stacks the deck

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:50 (five years ago)

He's a guy who writes about music. You may have just seen him in your local bookshop/music paper/Private Eye.

― jaymc, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:49 (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

i recanted that one p quickly, mea culpa

imago, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:51 (five years ago)

It's been pointed out that the normally sung lyrics are, grammatically, one really long question.

I humbly submit "Is That All There Is?" for consideration. Trump loves it iirc so it might even get some backing

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:52 (five years ago)

Ok but... "What Is Love?" is also a question

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 16:55 (five years ago)

Hmm.... Deee-Lite or Haddaway? Or... MASHUP?????

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:02 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVgasCtUM4s

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:07 (five years ago)

DJP: mashup, no question

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:48 (five years ago)

Altho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=w34vnz_LEX4&feature=emb_logo

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:51 (five years ago)

(never mind, it was Howard Jones fwiw)

Blursday the Vagueteenth of Whenember (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:52 (five years ago)

"No One is to Blame" does kinda feel like this country's national anthem rn

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:53 (five years ago)

coming from a country that doesn't really have a national anthem (Scotland) and living my life without having to ever hear an anthem regularly I really don't enjoy the mania for playing national anthems before sporting events in North America. although they're both fairly innocuous and middling as far as anthems go the one-two of o, Canada and the star spangled banner is quite loathsome.

Temporary Erogenous Zone (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:54 (five years ago)

I only like it if I'm running late to a sporting event as it lets me get to my seat before kickoff

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:55 (five years ago)

echo the Club Nouveau 'loved it and thought it was the original when I was a kid' sentiment up thread.

doorstep jetski (dog latin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:56 (five years ago)

folks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIOJdMdS56k

Bougy! Bougie! Bougé! (Eliza D.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 17:58 (five years ago)

oooooh good one

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:06 (five years ago)

kurt vonnegut once described the national anthem as "gibberish sprinkled with question marks"

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:32 (five years ago)

"if america remade itself according to the principles of "lean on me," sure

star spangled banner sucks and we've earned it

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson)"

agree, "lean on me" would be a great anthem for a country founded and governed humanely and on humane principles. america ain't that country, never has been, never will be.

"kurt vonnegut once described the national anthem as "gibberish sprinkled with question marks"

― budo jeru"

yeah but that motherfucker was notorious for hating punctuation

Kate (rushomancy), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:40 (five years ago)

Acting like you aren't aware of the existence of

― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.)

i know it exists and it's lame

john lennon wrote and recorded an actual anthem and i endorse it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYKoi122dlg

Kate (rushomancy), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:41 (five years ago)

LAY DOWN THE LAW
SHOUT OUT FOR MORE
BREAKOUT AND SHOUT
DAY IN DAY OUT
BREAKOUT

― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, July 26, 2011

TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:41 (five years ago)

yeah but that motherfucker was notorious for hating punctuation

― Kate (rushomancy)

seriously calling a semicolon a "transvestite hermaphrodite" like that's some kinda fucking insult, go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut kurt

Kate (rushomancy), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:42 (five years ago)

I'm kind of surprised to learn that everyone likes "Lean on Me" this much, tbh.

Lily Dale, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:46 (five years ago)

When I was a child I fell by happenstance into a family situation dominated by Unitarian Universalist thinking. There was a widespread joke that there was a UU hymn that went "the universe loves me, this I know, for my intellect tells me so."

I have often wanted, but never succeeded in finding or composing, an unapologetically secular and yet non-militaristic anthem. I would love it if someone could rescue the laudable sentiment from "America the Beautiful" (roughly, "we're not there yet but let's please at least try to get better").

Paul Simon's "American Tune" has some of the appropriate wistful resonance, but none of the aspiration; and in any case the tune is German (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Sacred_Head,_Now_Wounded).

the word "restaurateur" doesn't have an n in it (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:49 (five years ago)

how do we feel about this take

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1QJoUxAKU8&t=1m06s

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:58 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1QJoUxAKU8&t=1m06s

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:58 (five years ago)

ok sorry

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 18:59 (five years ago)

hoping that was an acoustic cover of Love in an Elevator

the word "restaurateur" doesn't have an n in it (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:01 (five years ago)

no just a guy playing acoustic guitar being crushed by an elevator

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:07 (five years ago)

hawt

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:10 (five years ago)

i was trying to link to the movie (?) version of this, but here is the quote:

In "Angels in America," Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, an African-American character named Belize suggests that the difficulty was part of the composer's plan. "The white cracker who wrote the national anthem knew what he was doing," Belize insists. "He set the word 'free' to a note so high nobody can reach it."

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:13 (five years ago)

It's a great line but also there are thousands if not millions of people who can actually hit that note as long as they start in the right key, so 🤷🏾‍♂️

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:18 (five years ago)

i always love when a singer miscalculates their starting note on that song. creates such anticipation - will they be able to reach the high notes? will they scream "fuck" on the microphone?

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:22 (five years ago)

ok that finally makes me think maybe "the star spangled banner" is good

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:23 (five years ago)

this is my platonic ideal for a Star-Spangled Banner performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWP8ZJ6674Y

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:33 (five years ago)

This is pretty spectacular too:

https://youtu.be/8SHnpWohrg0

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:35 (five years ago)

I find "pomp and circumstance" a bit...pompous and suggest Nelly's "country grammar" as a replacement

this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:39 (five years ago)

one of the few anthems I've heard that approximated Bleeding Gums Murphy's 26 minute version on The Simpsons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf1HMZbTcz0

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:40 (five years ago)

nothing will EVER beat that hockey game one though.

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:40 (five years ago)

I love how Kat Deluna breathes about three times in each phrase. my choir teacher would have vivisected her

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:42 (five years ago)

Also don't sleep on Carl Lewis(!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPhKAQi2hNI

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:44 (five years ago)

Also don't sleep on Carl Lewis(!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPhKAQi2hNI

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:44 (five years ago)

Kat Deluna's interpretation of pitch is amazing

I would have said "breathtaking" but she took all of them for me

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:45 (five years ago)

when i was in college i wrote a column for my university paper arguing that we should replace the national anthem because it was too difficult to sing and the lyrics were militaristic and dumb, and i got an angry two-page letter from the university chief of police telling me i was a bad american.

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:46 (five years ago)

IRL lols at the "uh oh" on Carl Lewis's

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:47 (five years ago)

can this be the thread where ILXors all psot their renditions of the SSB

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:48 (five years ago)

Kat Deluna has some pipes but seems to have pitch control issues, I'll defer to Dang's judgement

Lol xxxp

this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:49 (five years ago)

lol JD

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:51 (five years ago)

i wish i still had that letter

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 19:56 (five years ago)

This one's heartwarming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmQzVQza9Ak

jmm, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:06 (five years ago)

Mo Cheeks was a gentleman during that

Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:24 (five years ago)

This one... is not heartwarming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNEUekIPrmU

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:26 (five years ago)

In the related vids:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SHnpWohrg0

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:31 (five years ago)

What are people's thoughts on the Red House Painters version of the Star Spangled Banner? It's the only version of the anthem that I'll actively seek out and listen to...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QPS1Bs1lIk

J. Sam, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:34 (five years ago)

Eric, that's the second video I posted!

shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:37 (five years ago)

Write-in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VsmF9m_Nt8

pomenitul, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 20:39 (five years ago)

the hendrix thread cited a pretty good academic article on his SSB:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-society-for-american-music/article/this-is-america-jimi-hendrixs-star-spangled-banner-journey-as-psychedelic-citizenship/0029FB312D1A8A9C61C0345C6DB59525

i think it's interesting that he originally titled it "this is america"!

Kate (rushomancy), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:12 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nnnM-__JQ

Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:12 (five years ago)

almost clicked but nah

this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:29 (five years ago)

thank you all for justifying this poll's existence

k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:30 (five years ago)

Eric, that's the second video I posted!

Ope, scrolled too fast.

Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:33 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQ9_re7f1A

pomenitul, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:35 (five years ago)

i sang really loud
until i riled up the crowd
and then a horse fell

budo jeru, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 21:43 (five years ago)

Can't fuck with this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3qD1jKNYaU

peace, man, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 22:14 (five years ago)

Without consulting social media or even reading the last 40+ posts itt I will now predict three possible reactions to this:

MAGA: Bad message! USA is not about "leaning" on anyone but picking yourself up by the bootstraps and ask not what your country can do for you and blah blah blah

Leftists: Hmm, can we make it say "call on me sister?"

Old libs: Hooray! I love Otis Redding

Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 15 July 2020 22:17 (five years ago)

I keep coming back to Lean On Me has too much sadness and pathos, it's an anthem for truly the end of the world tbh

shout-out to his family (DJP), Friday, 17 July 2020 17:15 (five years ago)

It reminds me of the argument I had with someone years ago about the end of Orbital’s “Out There Somewhere Pt 2” and how he heard it as indescribably sad because the last melodic theme is made of descending notes, even though the entire coda is in a major key after close to 20 minutes of minor key, which really just goes to show that you can build up as much theorycrafting as you desire around how people respond to musical cues and someone is going to come along to be the glaring exception to conventional wisdom

shout-out to his family (DJP), Friday, 17 July 2020 17:20 (five years ago)

i think the real problem for "lean on me" as an anthem is that the help we offer when we sing LoM must be freely and sincerely offered for the song to have the meaning it does. once made compulsory, it loses everything. in conclusion the answer is "use me."

Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 04:56 (five years ago)

Excellent point

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 05:09 (five years ago)

*doesn't watch a sporting event w/o belting Go Your Own Way at the top of their lungs first*

weekly shopper helper (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 09:11 (five years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Friday, 31 July 2020 00:01 (five years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Saturday, 1 August 2020 00:01 (five years ago)

I only just read the DJP's last post, of course "Out There Somewhere" is impossibly sad, it's longing for infinity and escape

À la recherche du scamps perdu (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 1 August 2020 00:25 (five years ago)

It's tempered with other feelings tho sure

À la recherche du scamps perdu (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 1 August 2020 00:26 (five years ago)

should "Take On Me" replace "Funeral Fog" as the Norwegian national anthem?

the burrito that defined a generation, Saturday, 1 August 2020 03:52 (five years ago)

should "literally anybody else" replace "burrito" as ILX poster

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 04:10 (five years ago)

should "sucking my dick" replace "smoking meth" as your mother's main mouth use

the burrito that defined a generation, Saturday, 1 August 2020 04:28 (five years ago)

wtf? flagging post.

Doctor Casino, Saturday, 1 August 2020 04:32 (five years ago)

be sure to get both insults!

the burrito that defined a generation, Saturday, 1 August 2020 04:34 (five years ago)

well that took a turn.

Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 1 August 2020 04:55 (five years ago)

I'll tell ya who else took a turn... if you know what I mean... and I mean on my dong... like as in took a turn going down on that shit... if you catch my drift... *high fives Austin*

the burrito that defined a generation, Saturday, 1 August 2020 05:03 (five years ago)

the burrito that defined a generation has been banned permanently again.

the burrito that defined a generation, Saturday, 1 August 2020 05:08 (five years ago)

*high fives Austin*

listen up, you non-social distancing asshole. . .

Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 1 August 2020 05:27 (five years ago)

A vocal range of an octave plus a fifth is too hard to sing, let’s replace it with a song that has a vocal range of *checks notes* an octave plus a fourth

trapped out the barndo (crüt), Saturday, 1 August 2020 14:19 (five years ago)

it's been a minute since I listened to TSSB attentively but it's not just the range that makes it hard to sing right? aren't the intervals a pain in the ass?

the quar on drugs (Simon H.), Saturday, 1 August 2020 14:25 (five years ago)

The sentiment that "we all need somebody to lean on" is about the least American sentiment I can imagine. Is the hope that we'd help to shift the culture?

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Saturday, 1 August 2020 15:12 (five years ago)

that would be one case for it yes

the quar on drugs (Simon H.), Saturday, 1 August 2020 15:18 (five years ago)

right now, "Lien On Me" would be more likely to succeed

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 15:22 (five years ago)

when you're not solvent
i'll loan you cash
with a good APR

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 15:25 (five years ago)

Lean On In

rob, Saturday, 1 August 2020 15:32 (five years ago)

it's been a minute since I listened to TSSB attentively but it's not just the range that makes it hard to sing right? aren't the intervals a pain in the ass?

Not really. The intervals are all either step-wise motion or arpeggios within a major key. There’s nothing harmonically challenging in the context of Western/British music. In fact, “Lean On Me” has a larger leap in it where you have to go up a major 10th to transition from the verse to the chorus than anything in the SSB.

shout-out to his family (DJP), Saturday, 1 August 2020 16:00 (five years ago)

not to mention there's something to be said for a piece of music you've heard thousands to millions of times in your life making it easier to navigate the melody, regardless of how challenging it is or isn't.

most people bomb the National Anthem not because the song is challenging, it's because they either a) have bad internal pitch and change keys unintentionally throughout the song, b) pick a key too high which will result in a comedy finish, or c) just can't fuckin' sing.

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 16:03 (five years ago)

thanks for the breakdown I was coasting on iffy recall there xp

the quar on drugs (Simon H.), Saturday, 1 August 2020 16:04 (five years ago)

course, I'm the type of asshole who will yell "flat!" when a quartet is singing it out of tune before a soccer game

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 16:04 (five years ago)

I do think the aforementioned descending sixth followed by the raised subdominant in m.3 is more challenging than anything in e.g. "O Canada" or "God Save the Queen".

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 17:48 (five years ago)

Couldn't you just go up by a major third rather than a 10th from the verse to the chorus of "Lean on Me".

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 17:51 (five years ago)

?

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 17:51 (five years ago)

The only reason it has a 'wide range' is because of the registral shift, which can easily be left out without changing anything in the key or harmony. Some notated versions already do this:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/halleonard-pagepreviews/HL_DDS_12696710WwyADl52k.png

I voted keep SSB bc good btw; just don't agree that it would not be harder to sing.

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 17:58 (five years ago)

Yeah there's really no reason to sing the first verse in the same octave as Bill does - indeed, when I play it, I do all the verses the same way. But I am not like a muso dude who knows things

Gin and Juice Newton (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 1 August 2020 18:14 (five years ago)

song has a much greater impact starting in the lower octave, then jumping, for the first chorus.

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 18:19 (five years ago)

Surely but it seems like it would be much easier to adapt for amateur group singing.

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 18:32 (five years ago)

It’s definitely harder to sing just because there is a lot more going on melodically; the question was “aren’t the intervals trickier” and my answer is “not really, there are just more of them”

shout-out to his family (DJP), Saturday, 1 August 2020 19:09 (five years ago)

Haha OK

Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Saturday, 1 August 2020 19:17 (five years ago)

itt: several incredibly accomplished, knowledgeable, well-trained, and talented musicians exhibit very little sympathy for non-musicians

pizzagnostic (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 1 August 2020 19:41 (five years ago)

and then I posted some stuff too don't forget

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 19:57 (five years ago)

you are a very good singer tho

pizzagnostic (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 1 August 2020 20:00 (five years ago)

aw thanks. tbh i wasn't knocking what you said re: starting up an octave. it's just not my personal choice if I was singing it, but...you had a good point!

i'm mostly just catty about people who sing the anthems at sporting events but only cos I'm secretly jealous that I haven't been asked to do it yet!

XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 August 2020 20:05 (five years ago)

seven months pass...

A worthy addition to the anthem canon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vga0M4ia5Mc

Hello Nice FBI Lady (DJP), Monday, 1 March 2021 16:51 (four years ago)

lmao

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 March 2021 16:57 (four years ago)

star spangled banner shreds

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 1 March 2021 16:57 (four years ago)

I like it with the accompaniment even better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf0dcMH4N5U

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 March 2021 17:10 (four years ago)

i found my new favorite genre of music.

Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Monday, 1 March 2021 18:29 (four years ago)

cpac strangled banner

Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 1 March 2021 23:00 (four years ago)

let’s call em “red notes” from now on

Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 1 March 2021 23:04 (four years ago)

Sung in the key of Q flat.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 March 2021 23:18 (four years ago)

“Tomorrow Belongs To Meme”

mike t-diva, Monday, 1 March 2021 23:50 (four years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqEp-NMeMF8

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:07 (four years ago)

freeeee EEEeeeeeeeeee

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:07 (four years ago)

hahahahaha I knew just from the text which accompaniment video you had posted

Hello Nice FBI Lady (DJP), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:18 (four years ago)

AMERICA UNCANCELED ok lol

Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:33 (four years ago)

these guys are also great just from a "how did they sing this with a straight face" standpoint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ-O72WMRKo

Hello Nice FBI Lady (DJP), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:35 (four years ago)

jute gyte would approve

stimmy stimmy yah (Simon H.), Wednesday, 3 March 2021 21:44 (four years ago)

nine months pass...

chic “everybody dance”

STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Thursday, 30 December 2021 18:01 (three years ago)

earth wind and fire “sing a song”

STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Thursday, 30 December 2021 18:06 (three years ago)

most of the songs playing at this airport bar would qualify as great new national anthems to me

STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Thursday, 30 December 2021 18:06 (three years ago)

Most EW&F songs would be great new national anthems.

Max Hamburgers (Eric H.), Thursday, 30 December 2021 18:10 (three years ago)

otm

STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Thursday, 30 December 2021 18:12 (three years ago)

two years pass...

dying at the CPAC rendition upthread which I somehow missed. holy shit.

CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Monday, 15 April 2024 14:46 (one year ago)

It’s incredible

Cemetry Gaetz (DJP), Monday, 15 April 2024 15:51 (one year ago)

three months pass...

welp, the anthem is officially dead

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10128419-mlb-fans-react-to-viral-national-anthem-video-ahead-of-2024-home-run-derby

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 02:32 (one year ago)

i checked other live performances of her original songs and they're nothing like this, but the signs are there, she frequently pushes her larynx up and wavers off pitch, seems they autotune her a lot on record

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 02:46 (one year ago)

I watched this right before bed and kept my partner up for about 10 minutes with hooting laughter

Methuselah/Van Winkle ‘24 (DJP), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 09:45 (one year ago)

Did she record this backwards?

Mark G, Tuesday, 16 July 2024 09:56 (one year ago)

Best comment: "Tough week to be an ear in America."

Tough week to be an ear in America. https://t.co/V9JfYSr12L

— The Food Manufacturing Guy (@TipOfTheBanana) July 16, 2024

Millennium Falco (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 12:04 (one year ago)

AI not quite there yet.

il lavoro mi rovina la giornata (PBKR), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 12:12 (one year ago)

let this be another nail in the coffin for this style of singing please

dyl, Tuesday, 16 July 2024 12:58 (one year ago)

Unfortunately I don’t think bad singing is going anywhere

Methuselah/Van Winkle ‘24 (DJP), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 14:08 (one year ago)

of course they included a singing expert in the article saying "well this is difficult, this particular stadium has poor acoustics".

that would make sense if like, you were harmonizing with other people, singing with accompaniment that you could barely hear as you didn't have an inner ear monitor, or had an inner ear monitor blaring your own voice with a split second delay (which yeah, would fuck you up). but if you're singing an anthem a capella, like, how loud you can hear yourself or not is irrelevant, you're not supposed to adjust the way you sing based on how well you can hear yourself. by the time you hear your own voice, the sound has already been produced, it's too late to fix. you're supposed to use the same placement/technique regardless, overcompensating is a mistake karaoke singers make, not professionals. plus, your pitch is your pitch, again...once you hear your own voice, whatever came out has already been heard by everyone, if it was wrong, you can't go back and fix it. you shouldn't require to hear yourself loudly to stay on pitch. the Beatles couldn't hear shit at the Hollywood Bowl and managed to harmonize with each other.

(though as I mentioned above, harmonizing a different thing, as you're listening to how you fit in with the other voices, which does require being able to hear)

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 14:25 (one year ago)

otm, plus if you really really need to hear yourself, there's also the highly complex, elite-level technique of holding a finger up to one ear. but not sure a 4x grammy nominee could be expected to master that though

waste of compute (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 14:42 (one year ago)

my mother used to ask me why I was picking my ear when I sang barbershop

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 14:43 (one year ago)

I said "cos this music sucks"

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 14:44 (one year ago)

well it got sad :(

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/who-is-ingrid-andress-home-run-derby-national-anthem-singer/5601196/

rick beato meato manifesto (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 18:05 (one year ago)

https://i.redd.it/dgbbc4kyzwcd1.jpeg

papal hotwife (milo z), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 18:06 (one year ago)

That is both sad, and (in a way) refreshingly honest. She didn't blame having a cold, or the sound guy, or childhood trauma, or Jewish space aliens.

Millennium Falco (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 22:13 (one year ago)

A pretty good “apology” note, I agree

Stockton Asparagus Festival (morrisp), Tuesday, 16 July 2024 23:01 (one year ago)

golly it's almost like transparency is the best form of communication. (shockedpikachu.png)

on that note, good for her. whoda thunk that deflowering the national anthem could be such a great example.

interstellar anthropologist+music philosopher, (Austin), Wednesday, 17 July 2024 00:22 (one year ago)


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