Actually I've been thinking about anthems in general. It all started when I realized that my high school's song (Hail to Thee O Clayton Valley)... is a retooling of the German national anthem. I sang it for Ed once, and he was sure I had got the tune confused. But you see, I had never heard Deutschland Deutschland Uber Alles, and I was a part of Women's Ensemble, and I knew that song pat. And yup, listening to it on Youtube, I could sing right along...only instead of
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, (Hail to Thee o Clayton Valley) Über alles in der Welt, (With your colors, Red White and Blue) Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze (Hail to thee o Noble Eagle) Brüderlich zusammenhält, (Soaring high with honor true) Von der Maas bis an die Memel, (Future built on Faith and Loyalty) Von der Etsch bis an den Belt - (Strength and Spirit shall prevail) Deutschland, Deutschland über alles (Clayton Valley, Clayton Valley) Über alles in der Welt. (To thee our hearts shall sing "All Hail!")
Apparently it was not the noble -bald- eagle but it the BLACK eagle I had honored. Part of me is mad (did they honestly think no one would notice?) nd the other part of me is sad (damnit, no one noticed).
Honestly I'm not too surprised. America is really big on co-opting popular melodies (for example My Country, Tis of thee is God Save the Queen). We might as well call ourselves the Plagiarists.
But what I don't understand, what with our lack of scruples about lifting other better songs, is why did we settle on the Star Spangled Banner as our anthem? Does anyone even remember what it is about, why the rockets were shooting off those red glares? It was not about the American Revolution, Francis Scott Key was writing about the 1812 War. You remember that war, right? The one where we invaded....Canada? What, not ringing a bell?
Yeah, the Star Spangled Banner replaced the previous (unofficial) anthem in 1931, before that it was Hail, Columbia. Which is now the Vice President's theme song (like Hail to the Chief is to the President). Have a listen. It's a little poncy but still, dignified. And better yet, it's not about a war that people have forgotten existed.
But I suggest that we change it up again, and use some Souza. Nothing makes people feel more patriotic that a good march (except for musicians who have to play those marches, I understand that many of them hate John Phillip). And I have the perfect version of the song, too.
What could be better than this?
posted by Amber at 2:39 PM
lol! my mom found my clayton valley year books, so now i have all three of mine! i forgot there was a dvd in one of them and i'm on one of them?!!?!?!? WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? i havent watched all the videos but if you sang the anthem at all in tenth grade i'm sure you're on it too!
