My friend Jonathan posted a link on his Facebook page to a good article about the singing of the national anthem at the Superbowl last Sunday. His comment on the link, melismatica diabolica has delighted me beyond measure, and I hereby adopt it as my new archvillain name. Melismatica Diabolica. But you may call me "Meli" for short.
Not that there will be any "short", because in my evil Meli persona I take fiendish pleasure in what Jerry Wexler called "oversouling". I sing every possible note on every single syllable, and the National Anthem, even though no more than one verse is ever sung, lasts into eternity, or next year's playoffs, whichever is longer... and beyond.
Personally, I don't think Christina Aguilera deserves all of the abuse that has been hurled at her since the game. Folks have even called her treasonous, for heaven's sake! There has been loud railing about two things: Christina dropped a lyric, and she embellished the melody. Let's take a look.
Ms. Aguilera did fumble a lyric in the second A section, repeating "what so proudly" (from the first A) instead of "o'er the ramparts", and carrying on with "at the twilight's last gleaming" instead of "were so gallantly streaming". Carrying on, when there is a problem, is what a pro does. Drop a line, keep going. Mess up a move, keep going. She is not the first singer to dry up on the star-spangled lyric, and not even the first to do it at a huge televised event. Macy Gray, Michael Bolton, and Steven Tyler come easily to mind as members of that club. Nor is she the first singer to mess with the melody and the feel. That box was opened by Jose Feliciano in the late 60s, but the template was set, I think, by Whitney Houston in 1991 (ten years ago, and here we are, still dedicating the anthem to our troops in the Middle East!). Whitney had an orchestra behind her, and wore a jogging outfit. She did a good job (in spite of the outfit). And she took some liberties with the melody, which opened a Pandora's box. It is now expected that every singer will try to inject more passion, more patriotic fervor, and more notes into what is, in my opinion, a not-very-good-song. So yes, Christina flowered and embroidered, but she is not the first, and alas, will not be the last. At least she stayed in the same key all the way, and, with the kind of delay a singer must wrestle at such an event, that is no small accomplishment. With no orchestra, by the way, to help (or to make things worse, depending).
I have sung the anthem many times, most notably at the new Comiskey Park in Chicago, and at the old Chicago Stadium for a couple of Bulls games. It's a V.I.P. invitation to over-sing. The teams are out on the field. The atmosphere is sizzling with electricity. Everyone is ready for the game. But first, you, the singer, step forward to center court or home plate or wherever, to "lead" the singing of our national anthem. Forget leading. Most folks in the stands do not sing along, because they can't. It's a difficult melody, covering a wide range (an octave and a half), so for most folks it is going to be too high, too low, or both.
Back to what actually is sung: "Oh say...?", you as singer/leader ask (because the whole first verse is a question), and all around you folks are, for the most part, standing and holding their right hands over their hearts. They have to do that. It's a law: Part 301 of chapter 3 of Title 36 of United States Code. But - at this writing - no one is being arrested for not doing it. You sing on. By the time you get to somewhere around "so proudly we hailed" you are hearing your voice, which has been blasted through the sound system out into the stadium, and is finally bouncing off the back wall and returning to your ears. That voice is singing, "O say can". What you hear will never catch up to what you are doing; for the whole song, you will be singing contrary to what you are hearing. Actually, it is not unlike singing at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, something I think I do very well precisely because of my stadium experience. Send Anglican choirs to the Superbowl for some larnin', say I.
When you reach "the rockets red glare" you start to hear a rumble from the crowd. It sounds like they are really getting into your singing. That rumble increases as you forge on. Let me tell you, it feels good. Tens of thousands of people are cheering, and you can really hear them because you have paused for a big breath before "the land of the free". They love you! They are wild for you! They want you to sing more! They can't wait till you get to the high note and really show them what you've got!
Not really. They actually want you to finish singing so the game can begin. They are cheering because you have almost finished. They are cheering for the game. It's all about the game. So the temptation to unleash a flurry of brilliant vocal stylings is actually your naughty angel, whispering in your ear. Your good angel is somewhere racketing around the stadium on that 10-second delay. Will conscience kick in, or ego? Flip a coin.
I love my country, and have decided many times to stay here rather than go back to Europe. But I think our national anthem, as a song, is a stinker. The lyric is not about the nation, not even about the colonies, the land or the Constitution. It is about one particular battle in the War of 1812. An alarming number of us have never heard of the War of 1812, much less why it was fought. The original title was Defence of Fort McHenry. How many of us can find Fort McHenry on a map? The entire first verse is a question: "Can you see the flag in the daylight? It was there last night. Can you see it this morning?" The second verse asks the question again: "Is it there?" and goes on to say "yes, I think I can see it." We rarely hear that verse. The third verse says, "Yes, it's there, and the bad guys are toast." But no one ever sings that verse. Musically, "The Star-Spangled Banner" lacks the drive of "La Marseillaise", the gravitas of "God Save the Queen", and the sweetness of "O Canada". It should have been deposed a long time ago, like the tyrant it is, and the gorgeous and singable "America the Beautiful" elected instead.
You, like "America the Beautiful", are a treasure. I still tear up when I hear Ray Charles sing that beautifully written song.
I do believe Miss. Christine is owed an apology.
bob
Posted by: segarini | February 09, 2011 at 02:11 PM
Laurel,
Everything you write is such a delight, whether it be entertaining or poignant, a thought provoking,learning experience or a combination of all. You make me use my brain while at the same time smiling through your humor & wit, your unique writing style.
I don't think mere words can do justice to describe the magic of your writing any more than they can the magic of your performing.
Kathy :)
Posted by: kathy edmonston | February 09, 2011 at 02:49 PM
Thanks, Bob. Yes, Mr. Charles definitely did it right.
Blessings, Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | February 09, 2011 at 03:07 PM
Thanks, Kathy. I appreciate your regular presence here, and your lovely comments.
Blessings, Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | February 09, 2011 at 03:09 PM
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Posted by: Account Deleted | February 11, 2011 at 05:07 AM
Laurel: I agree with everything you said about the National Anthem, having grown up with the himno nacional of Cuba, which is a truly stirring anthem. Also, every kid who grew up in Maryland knows exactly where Fort McHenry is, as they all went there on a field trip at least once in their lives. It's a proud part of Maryland heritage, but you're right, we are a small population!
There is ONE thing that I do like about The Star Spangled Banner: it's a metaphor inside a question. The flag is America, of course, but it asks, no, insists, (as Thomas Jefferson would), insists that we continually ask the question, is America still there? The REAL America, the good America that we grew up believing in. If not, then we have to get that America back, because without that we don't have much of anything. I especially like the folksy question, "O, say, does that star spangled..."
I ALWAYS cry when it's sung well, and I cried when I wrote this, remembering all the times I've cried. And I was born in Cuba! Explain that!
Posted by: Carlos Cardona | February 11, 2011 at 03:59 PM
Oh boy ... national anthems can be a real challenge. I feel great sympathy for Ms Aguilera as I am never sure about the lyrics for my own national anthem ... Oh Canada! First, the anthem has both English and French lyrics that are completely different in terms of meaning. Often we sing part of the anthem in French and then switch to English (or vice versa) and the entire meaning of the song changes. Then at some point when I was in school part of the English lyric was changed ... yikes! At that point in the country's history of singing the anthem in school at beginning of the day, the practice was discouraged and I never did really learn the new English lyric. So I have great empathy for Ms Aguilera as when I have to sing the anthem I feel like I cobble together lyrics and hope for the best. Most of the time, I just hope to avoid singing in public gatherings.
Posted by: Brian | February 12, 2011 at 01:48 PM
Carlos, I think American national anthem affects you deeply precisely because you were born elsewhere. That, along with your natural curiosity, may also explain why you have given more thought to what the lyric can mean than most folks ever do. We are lucky to have you here.
Long may you wave!
Blessings, Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | February 12, 2011 at 05:05 PM
Brian, I was not aware of the dual nature of the "O Canada" lyric. How confusing! Nevertheless, the melody is much easier to sing than that of the American anthem, and I still think you have a better - though perplexing - song. I should learn the French lyric - my great-grandparents were Québecois.
Blessings, Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | February 12, 2011 at 05:11 PM
I'm ashamed to admit that my Super Bowl viewing friends and I didn't even notice Christina's lyric fumble! Maybe I was too caught up in HOW she was singing—not what—and having issues with that. I'm fine with melody embellishment and singers doing their own take on a well-known tune. But when Christina hits high notes, they sound very strained to me, as if the only way she can get them out is to scream them in a thin, straight tone (esp. "and the rockets' red glare" and OMG, "home of the BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE"!!). It kind of hurt to listen. And I wondered, "What would Laurel think of this performance from a technique standpoint?" I'd love to know!
Posted by: Reilly Tillman | February 14, 2011 at 08:32 PM
How wonderful that your grandparents were Québécois. I presume that they were part of the early 20th century migration out of Québec to the industrializing towns and cities of the US northeast. Not so many years ago I did some work in Lowell, MA and found there is still a Quebec club in the city -- amazing.
Given your grandparents' history, it might also be good to learn the lyrics to "Gens du pays" by Gilles Vigneault. This is the unofficial anthem of Québec, & it is never good to be caught in a gang of Québécois unable to sing the song.
Cheers,
Brian
Posted by: Brian | February 15, 2011 at 02:24 PM
Reilly, though I didn't care for what how she was singing that day, I can't make the assumption that Christina has poor technique. I have never heard her unamplified, and never heard her voice "dry" (without technical effects). In a sense, I have no idea what she really sounds like.
All I can say is that I didn't care for her choices. And, of course, that's very subjective.
Blessings. Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | February 16, 2011 at 05:26 PM
Thank you so much for the smile I now wear this morning weeks after the Super Bowl, having been away from your blog for far too long. When I was sixteen years old our choir director was asked by the leader of the local Fourth of July fireworks show/singalong to provide a small group of students to lead the local songfest, and I still have a fading snapshot of the six of us like tiny patriotic ants on the football field of the University of Colorado Stadium. It was very likely the largest crowd I ever performed for, and thankfully we made it through the national anthem without any of the usual disasters. A fellow singer's stepfather, the late composer Cecil Effinger, wrote a gorgeous arrangement of "America the Beautiful" retitled "An American Hymn," speaking volumes for the argument to change our national anthem. That said, I must admit that "the Star Spangled Banner," much like my favorite Christmas song "O Holy Night" always makes me smile inside with guilty pleasure as I wait for the last chorus wondering not only "will she go for it?" but moreover "if she does, will she hit it or crash and burn?"
Posted by: Patrick | March 19, 2011 at 08:52 AM
Oh, yes.
O Holy Night.
"O night deeevine."
Oh.... No.
Thanks for the comment, Patrick, and thanks for revisiting!
Blessings, Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Massé | March 19, 2011 at 10:02 AM