I know this has been out for a while now, but I just saw it today for the first time and I'm impressed, which surprises me greatly. I have always hated hearing our National Anthem butchered and abused by showboat artists or people who just can't sing, but for some reason I can't explain, this version by a group called Madison Rising has me very impressed even though I'm pretty much a country music fan (with a few exceptions). It's not something I'd like to see at the beginning of a game or a ceremony, but I like it enough that I'm going to download it when I get home. I wonder how many other people have The Star Spangled Banner on their iPhone or iPod? Oh yeah, not that it matters, but the lead singer is a Navy veteran. So, tell me what you think of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8C7i9kdEf8&safe=active
Agreed. However... that version was not the Star Spangled Banner. It was another lame attempt to say "Look at me and what I'm doing and forget the song". Can't stand it when they butcher the song. You want to do something your way....write your own damn song.
i like it the "normal" way also.... for what its worth, really dont like it on Sunday's when the talent singing it does it "their" way. but to each their own... this guy is my fav!!!! does it for the Blackhawk games too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIO9DLe_-rY i dont much like the fans cheering during it either....
no i hear ya, i guess its the 25 minute long ones that i cant stand... and really to be honest the only time i ever hear the anthem anymore is before a game.....
Until they come up with something better that can stir my soul like the original... it is a sin for these "ME" people to butcher OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM. You want to sing some other song... fine...do it. Write your own song. Leave ours alone. Modernize my ***. That's a bunch of crap.
It's funny David, but somehow I knew this would be your reaction to this video. For the most part I agree with your opinion on our National Anthem. When performed in a ceremonial setting it should be left alone, not "jazzed up", "souled up" or ad-libbed. But this isn't a situation where you're at a game or a ceremony where you have no choice but to listen to someone butcher the Star Spangled Banner. This group came up with their own arrangement and recorded it and no-one is involuntarily subjected to their performance. Whether we like it or not there is an entire generation of young Americans out there who are totally disconnected from your generation and mine, and so many of them feel no pride at all in our Country, our Flag or our National Anthem. I'd bet that the majority of them don't even know the words to the first verse that we're all so familiar with, let alone the fact that there are actually four verses. What in Gods name is wrong with a group like this using a different arrangment in a musical genre that appeals to them to instill a little patriotism and American pride in a younger generation? Lord knows that most parents in this day and age aren't doing that. Before you are so quick to judge them you should check into who these guys are, what they stand for, what their political views are and what their motivation was for recording this arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner. It wasn't, as you said, them saying "look at me". It was a lot bigger than that. Their hearts are in the right place and I think they did a hell of a job.
