FGR, do not bring anything Red into this conversation unless it includes white and blue. I don't want you coming in and trumping my arguments with bombast from the east dammit!

Anyway, I got into a small physical altercation some days ago on the subject of the Star Spangled Banner. My contention was;

Spook:Jimi Hendrix's woodstock version was ****ing amazing

Redneck:**** you hippie he was tearing down my country!

(thats what the conversation boiled down to anyway).

I then went on to talk about how much I loved Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem. I think he was double pissed because that was two ******s I thought were awesome that he thought were attacking his patriotism.

Now, IMO, Hendix's version is incredible because to me it speaks of unabashed patriotism. Not the kind of patriotism where you are all "support el presidente cuz hes the presidente no matter what bizzle" but the kind where you love the idea of the society and the freedoms it is supposed to allow, despite what problems it may have. Not a piece of dirt or some ****, but the commitment to maintain a free society, with no illusions that such a society cannot exist in other places. It's awesomely lyrical, to me, and paints a picture of this ideal coming through all the bull**** people heap onto it.

Mr. Marvin's version is awesome because it was one of the first (I was afraid to mention Jose Feliciano because I knew this dude hated anyone who looked like they might be from south of Texas) famous renditions that had cultural flair to it other than traditional "white" influences". I mean, come on, that's the point of this country you stupid mother****er, diversity? Remember that ****?

What are your thoughts on the national anthem and it's variants?

non Yankeesassians feel free to comment on how much you wish your currency was failing like ours.

The National Anthem is actually a pretty cool piece of poetry. A shame it's so abused.

Not going to expand, I assume?

I had never heard Marvin Gaye's version, and now I'm sold. Holy zell, everyone else sucks at it.

And no. I don't want to expand. I think people abuse the national anthem, and don't actually think about what it's saying at all. At all.

Edit: Please log on to MSN more often and message me.

francis scott key was a drunken jerk who got ran out of his town of Frederick, MD because everyone hated him. true story.

I'm totally indifferent.

All the Canadian\American dollar jokes are reversed now.
****ing amazing.

Man, why do people have such a negative expectations of me

Jimi Hendrix's version is pure awesome, I just love the guitar gimmicks... yet the sound quality could be better. Oh well.

As for some of your fellow countrymen's obsession towards the anthem, man you are nuts.

The quality is bad because it's a live recording from Woodstock in 1969.

You can tell that there is some passion behind the two versions that Spook mentioned. If there is some passion from the artist and they are genuine, then I am all for people doing things like Jimi and Marvin Gaye. That artist can do so exemplifies what the US is supposed to be all about.

It wasn't a song to begin with.

Exactly. Declaring that the national anthem can only be performed one way precludes any artistic license. It condemns the piece to atrophy and stagnation.

Well there are far better recordings from Woodstock, though.

God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols.
It's ugly and terrible and it's still the best version of the British national anthem I've ever heard.

Agreed.

Oh, and Hendrix > *

I've no particular attachments to other renditions, but, then, I've no particular attachment to our national anthem.

(I honestly think it sucks as far as music goes)

.

And Wales and Scotland still never use it.

When the Star Spangled Banner was first sung to a tune, they chose a popular drinking song called "The Anacreontic Song". The reason for this was because that song was already really popular in America, and everyone knew the tune of it. (That tune is still pretty much the same tune that the song is sung to today).

Heh, I was gonna give Hendrix some credit for being in the Military. But I just read his bio and it says he was a ****bag Soldier.

Seems like a strong opinion to me rather than fact.

He learned to play guitar in the military.

Fister is just mad because the only thing he learned how to do in the millitary was get cheated on and lied to.

meh i like the national anthem. and i like most of the variations that i have heard of it. i think the guy you got into a spat with was really closed minded about what this country is about. i may not agree with what a fellow citizen has to say, and i may even argue with him, or her about it. but they still have the right to say there piece.

It all starts at the recruiting station.

Also remember that things were different in the 60s. Back then, the hippies were right.

Do you think they're any less right today?

I think each generation should decide on its own national anthem.

well in THAT case i call "NWA - **** the police"

I'm sure you'd love it when the national anthem gets changed to a My Chemical Romance song.

Imperial march would make the best anthem ever.
**** words.

I like tasteful renditions of the anthem. Not familiar with the ones Spook referenced but I continue to be irritated that slurs like "redneck" are condoned here when others can get you banned.

But everyone knows I slur everyone equally.

I would list them all here but I might get banned just for the sake of irony.

May I ask what tasteful means to you?

Would you prefer I use the phrase ignorant honkey?

Should I start calling "mullets" "ape drapes?"

Redneck is a slur now?

rednecks aren't even a race. They're just dumb people who watch nascar.

Hail, hail Freedoooonia

LAND OF THE BRAAAAAAAVE AAAAAND FREEEEEE

Frankly, i'd prefer no stylization whatsoever as opposed to the atrocities that some singers perform at events such as the start of the baseball season. Good God they need to be shot.

Yeah, a lot of singers butcher the anthem instead of singing it in a classic manner.

No, you're just ignorant.

If anyone can say redneck, then I should be able to say ****** (n-word), wetback, **** (c-word), etc. just as freely (not to to say that I would).

See this is what gets me. Some singers to butcher it because they are unable to sing, but IMO, there is no "classic" manner. There is the manner in which the song was originally performed but it is in no way inherently superior.

Unless, you know, you're white.