"So with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten - straight up, no styling. "Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don't make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love - not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from your costume, makeup and your entourage. Sing 'The Star Spangled Banner' with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you. And please remember, not everything has to be sung as a Negro spiritual. We're getting a little weary of that. Francis Scott Key does not need any help." Semper Fi !
14 comments:
86 year olds would have been 7 year olds the day WWII ended.
Maybe this was written more than 12 years ago?
No, my father is 86 and he was in WWII.
Amen!
Amen Colonel.
12:32 go get a life.
Maybe 12:32 thought WWII ended in 1935?
Save the vocal heroics for your next album. Sing it as an honor, NOT as a chance to show everyone how many notes you can hit in 3 seconds.
As a veteran, you are pissin' me off.
Amen, Amen, Amen. So very tired of hearing our national anthem being ripped to pieces by these pop stars.
Nicely Stated!
According to the US Veterans Affairs office, there are still just over a million WWII vets left but sadly dying off at the rate of about 500 per day. I recently lost my father who fought bravely in the Battle of the Bulge. He was 94. But this isn't just about WWII vets, it's about all the vets of all the wars since and those serving bravely today and their families who love and are proud of them and our country.
glad someone in the military has the balls to speak up and ,hopefully, hear no flack from his superiors SEMPER FI AND GOD BLESS AMERICA
My math is correct, I just failed to add that yes, I agree with the Marine and have nothing but respect for our Veterans, Dad was 96 last year when he died, and he was in Luzon at the end of the war.
It was just a math thing I was pointing out, sheesh!
Stop nitpicking about dates...the message is simple and on point.
If my grandfather was still alive he'd be 119 this year, born in 1895. He served in WW1 and WW2. My father as well as many young Americans that weren't even 18 yet used false documents to support our country in WW2.
Thank you for your comment, it makes me angry when any singer screws up our national anthem. Sing it right or don't sing it at all. This goes for all sporting events.
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