The National Anthem

The 3rd graders started learning about our national anthem last week, before the Super Bowl. They learned about the origins of "The Star-Spangled Banner," (link has all sorts of neat things about the SSB, including lyrics to all 4 verses) including the fact that although it was written in 1814, it wasn't officially adopted as our national anthem until 1931.

We talked about some disrespectful ways to sing the anthem (making it about you instead of the USA, not removing hats, being goofy instead of reverent and respectful, not singing the right words), and practiced singing it the proper way after watching a short compilation of what not to do.

For more information, listen to musicologist and University of Michigan professor Mark Clague discuss the history of the national anthem on Michigan Radio.

The following video is an example of a large group of high school musicians, all gathered at a hotel for the Kentucky State Honors Choir. They spread out on the balconies of all 18 floors to sing the national anthem. (Apparently, it's a KY State Honors Choir tradition.) How neat are the acoustics in this open space?!

This is a video of what some people consider the best Super Bowl performance of the national anthem. Whitney Houston (1963-2012) sang it for Super Bowl XXV in 1991.

This year (2014) was the first year an opera singer was invited to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Renee Fleming (1959-  ), American soprano, was accompanied by professional military vocalists and a recording of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.