How It Should Be Done...
Folks,
THIS is how the National Anthem should be done.
The beauty and symbolism of this rendering brought tears to my eyes.
Among other things is the disparity between the cadets and the athletes. All to often I hear sports casters praise those football players as being "heroes." That's one of the reasons I'm not at all interested in professional sports. They're highly paid professional entertainers. Gifted athletes, yes. But entertainers first and foremost. "Heroism?" For being a pro ball player? Even in a realm where hype is expected, calling a pro-athlete a "hero" for playing a game is pretty damn demeaning to that term.
Most days the contrast is not so glaring. On this occasion however, it was.
Those kids singing the anthem have a far, far greater chance of being actual heroes than any of those multi-millionaire athletes will ever come close to. They also stand a far, far greater chance of dying in their service to our country than any of those pro-ball guys face when they take the field. The cadets are volunteers all, and they've all had to be superlative individuals to even get in to those academies.
I place a whole lot more stock and value in those cadets than any of the jocks waiting to play their game that night.
On top of all that, the cadets rendered the song beautifully. Touchingly, achingly, beautifully. This, putting to shame the other professional entertainers - the singing ones - who usually do the anthem performance.
I'm really thankful that this clip is still out there on YouTube and still making the rounds.
This truly is how the National Anthem should be sung!
Madoc
THIS is how the National Anthem should be done.
Click to viewThe beauty and symbolism of this rendering brought tears to my eyes.
Among other things is the disparity between the cadets and the athletes. All to often I hear sports casters praise those football players as being "heroes." That's one of the reasons I'm not at all interested in professional sports. They're highly paid professional entertainers. Gifted athletes, yes. But entertainers first and foremost. "Heroism?" For being a pro ball player? Even in a realm where hype is expected, calling a pro-athlete a "hero" for playing a game is pretty damn demeaning to that term.
Most days the contrast is not so glaring. On this occasion however, it was.
Those kids singing the anthem have a far, far greater chance of being actual heroes than any of those multi-millionaire athletes will ever come close to. They also stand a far, far greater chance of dying in their service to our country than any of those pro-ball guys face when they take the field. The cadets are volunteers all, and they've all had to be superlative individuals to even get in to those academies.
I place a whole lot more stock and value in those cadets than any of the jocks waiting to play their game that night.
On top of all that, the cadets rendered the song beautifully. Touchingly, achingly, beautifully. This, putting to shame the other professional entertainers - the singing ones - who usually do the anthem performance.
I'm really thankful that this clip is still out there on YouTube and still making the rounds.
This truly is how the National Anthem should be sung!
Madoc