What would be some good replacements for The Star Spangled Banner as the U.S. National Anthem?
I was wondering what could replace "The Star Spangled Banner" as the US National Anthem?
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Answers ( 1 )
There was talk for a few years about replacing "The Star Spangled Banner" with "America the Beautiful." It's a lovely song but it has "God" in it, and that has I think been a sticking point. I always had issue with the anthem, it's hard to sing, especially those last notes, that require a jump, not steps-up which many singers do, and it just grates my nerves that they can't do it right.
There's several other songs that are considered as national anthems, and often are sung in replacement -
"America" - My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty...
"God Bless America" - God bless America, land that I love….
and Woody Guthrie's - "This Land is Your Land" - which is in one part bit of a protest - ...I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me...
For anyone who might be over 50 or 60, and with a good memory as well, singer Kate Smith was known so very well for her magnificent rendition of the Irving Berlin song, "God Bless America" and couldn't hear it without getting goosebumps or shedding a tear or two. Berlin wrote it during WWI, and updated it before the beginning of WWII. But the right and left both had objections about that song as an official anthem for a variety of reasons.
So, ultimately, there isn't a good song - yet. Personally, I liked and preferred "America the Beautiful."
Here's Kate's performance - (you may have to copy the link and put it in the browser)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOAH2lv3H0&ab_channel=rpf16mm