Are you supposed to stand for any song other than the National Anthem?

Factual Questions
1

I was at a baseball game last night and before the National Anthem, they sang “God Bless America.” Everyone in the stadium stood for “God Bless America” but me. I didn’t stay seated out of disrespect, but because (unless I’m misremembering from my days in the Air Force Honor Guard) the only song you’re supposed to stand up for is the National Anthem and standing for any other songs dimishes the importance of the Anthem.

So am I right that a person should stay seated for “God Bless America” or is the etiquette now to stand up for any patriotic song that is played?

(Of course, this being America and all, I know that I don’t have to stand up for any song, it’s my right to keep my ass in my chair no matter which song is playing, but what is the proper etiquette on this?)

FTR, when the National Anthem played, I did stand up, remove my ball cap, and faced the flag.

2

Hymns, at least at the church I go to.

And, IIRC, everybody stands for Hail To The Chief, but that has more to do with the President entering the room than the actual music.

thwartme

3

The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah:

From here:

Of course, the last time I saw the Messiah performed, only about a third of the folks bothered to stand. The rest were uncultered heathen.

4

When you’re at a concert or ballgame where they’re playing two national anthems, I usually stand for both out of respect to the visitors. I’ve seen people stand at Yankee Stadium for ‘Yo Canada’ :wink: and they can’t all be 1/4 Canuck like me.

5

Nor half as witty. :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue:

Made my day, for some reason.

6

I understand standing for another country’s Anthem and standing for hymns in church. I’m asking about non-National Anthems in public venues.

So “God Bless America” is not a song for which one pries his butt from his $12 stadium nose-bleed seat?

7

Hmmm…I wouldn’t, unless it was being accompanied by some 9/11 firemen carrying the flag onto the field for the national anthem, like I’ve seen it done at Shea (I know, I know, I was on a date!) Patriotic songs in general, no.

8

At least I know I’m not the only one. It’s just when 30,000+ stand for “God Bless America” and I’m still seated, it makes me think “Gee, I can’t be the only guy in this stadium who knows the etiquette. Maybe I’ve got it wrong.”

If it was a tribute or something, and you’re paying respect to those who’ve fallen in the line of duty, yeah, I get up, but just for the song itself I stay seated, which was the case at last night’s game.

9

Guys, this is an easy one. It was the 7th inning strech. Since the 2002 baseball season, MLB has been playing God Bless America in addition to Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning strech.

The playing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame would have seen people rising at any ballgame before the 9/11 terror attacks.

As an aside, I eagerly await the day patriotism isn’t shoved down our throats to “honor” 9/11

10

It wasn’t the 7th inning stretch. The first line of the OP is, “I was at a baseball game last night and before the National Anthem, they sang ‘God Bless America.’” This is before the game. In fact it’s before they sang the National Anthem to start the game.

11

You misremembered something. I don’t know about God Bless America but there are other songs you stand for. If you are in the military you have to stand at attention when the song of each branch is played (ie The Army Song, The Army is Rolling Along, “over hill over dale … and the Army is rolling along”). No salute though.

12

I am told that it is now considered somewhat declasse to stand for the “Halleluja Chorus”.

13

You can stand for any song you want to stand for – what’s this supposed to BS? If the crowd wants to stand for an entire medley of Souza marches, then they’ll do that, and more power to 'em. Me, I draw the line at “Freebird.”

14

I guess you missed the bit when I speak of etiquette. I know they have as much right to stand as I have to sit. I was asking about the etiquette of the situation.

Maybe I should word it differently…

Was it disrespectful to stay seated during “God Bless America” at the baseball game when they sing it before the National Anthem? (And not in any remembrance sort of way or in tribute to anything, just singing it to be singing it.)

15

The correct etiquette for “Freebird” is to stand on your chair and play air-guitar. Didn’t your mother teach you anything? :stuck_out_tongue:

16

I thought the proper etiquette for “Freebird” involved a lit cigarette lighter. But then I’m not a concert-goer, so perhaps that’s some other song…

17

Does baseball have a rule that says the national anthem(s) must be played before a game? I know in hockey that sometimes God Bless America has been substituted and the crowd stood up.

Is standing for anthems so important that you’ll stand for it when you hear it on TV?

18

I wonder if some ball clubs are moving God Bless America out of the 7th inning strech? Before 9/11, ballclubs used to play Take Me Out to the Ballgame and then do some sort of fan promo. In many stadiums, this is their last chance to sell beer, so I think they want the fans to have one last chance to hit the concessions.

19

I guess the post where I mentioned “in public venues” got missed.

You know, people seem to be making this more difficult than it is. Is it the way I worded the question?

20

Okay, school band director here with a few hundred (or so it seems) football games under his belt.

Of course, anyone not actually performing the national anthem of any country should stand. The band performing the piece does not stand. (We, however, play from a standing position on the field, so we’re standing, too.) It is customary in these parts to stand when the visiting team’s school song (or Alma Mater is played. Likewise, everyone stands when the home school’s song is played (the band playing may be seated, however).

Then, nothing quite gets the home stands jumping like a roaring rendition of the “Leopard Fight Song”!!! :smiley: