Monday 7 February 2011

God bless America, God Save the Queen

I watched a bit of the Superbowl the other night. I’m not really interested in American Football and it’s about as popular here as our Football (soccer) is over there.
But I love the whole show that they put on. In particular I love the way that they aren’t as precious about their national anthem as we are with ours.
God save the Queen is possibly the most boring drone of a tune ever written and sends me to sleep every time I hear it, god forbid anyone should Jazz it up a bit.
But every time I hear the American national anthem they give it their all and don’t seem to be frightened of turning it into a full blown patriotic masterpiece with over the top singing and swaying.
Whenever you see someone singing our national anthem it looks like a funeral is taking place and most people are just miming or whistling to it.

I’m on facebook but don’t bother trying to look me up. I rarely post anything on it. It’s just close family and friends. I don’t accept anyone outside that circle. It’s just to keep in touch with what they are doing as far as I am concerned. I block all my pictures from any outside viewing and I only post fun or humorous stuff knowing that it’s going to family.
But there are people I know who seem to take the bloody thing seriously and are always posting stuff that makes me cringe.
Not being sexist or anything, but it’s usually the women who do this. They get drunk and change their status to “feeling really low, why doesn’t he love me the way i love him ?” or “felling really angry, all men are bastards”.
Then all their female friends write comments like “what is up darling ?, hugs and kisses, you know you deserve better” bleeaarkk!
Save it for your chat offline, don’t post it to the whole fucking family!.

Over the weekend one of our family wrote a really sad poem and posted it for all to see. Several years ago she lost a child three weeks after birth and it was coming up to the anniversary, So the poem referred to the death of this child and how she weeps for her lost son. However, not everyone knows about this sad death years ago and misread it that her 4 year old had just died. The result was like something from an Orson Wells War of the world radio play. Panic!. Phone calls, text messages, and someone actually calling round to see she was ok.
Ridiculous.

4 comments:

naturgesetz said...

IMO American football has to be one of the most ridiculous games in existence, but I guess the surroundings can be entertaining. Some people thought this year's commercials weren't up to standard.

I do find "Amhrán na bhFiann," (or, in the original, "The Soldiers' Song") "Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau," and "Flower of Scotland," more stirring than "God Save the [Sovereign]." And that even though the Welsh and Scottish anthems don't have very lively tunes. But if the tempo is slowish, the melodies move up and down a bit more.

PSR said...

Actually:
a) before 1931 the (de facto) US national anthem had the same tune as the British one.
b) The tune to Star Spangled banner was written by a Brit.
but I agree, our anthem is rubbish and we should choose another as soon as we are a republic. In the meantime I'd be happy to use the EU anthem - at least its by a real composer.

drew said...

I have heard that our national anthem is very hard to sing. There have been numerous times when lines were left out (like last night) and other screw ups. Many have said they wish our anthem was changed to Glod Bless American which is probably more popular. Unlike you I don't like the variations offered by various artist. I usually don't watch the super bowl but I was at a party with family and I do like the Packers and were glad they won. We can't be your friend on Facebook?? That really hurt my feelings... ;-)

Michael said...

Wow Naturegesetz & PSR, you certainly know your stuff. You know more about my national anthem than i do anyway.

Drew

I'd like to hear Christina Agriculture sing god save the queen. Perhaps with a disco beat and some rapping from Kanye West.

P.s. Who won again ? ;-)