# Celine Dion singing "God Bless America"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107 "2003-01-26T23:15:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/41 "2003-01-27T14:57:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*I’m glad to see someone else mention the fact that CD is American. She didn’t have to become an American citizen, she was born that way. > \*\* Celine Dion was born an American citizen? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/42 "2003-01-27T15:15:36Z")
She was born a citizen of America. Which makes her an American citizen. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/43 "2003-01-27T15:16:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LolaCocaCola \* > \*\*Well, I wonder how Canadians would feel about Christina Aguilera singing “Oh, Canada” at say, a Maple Leaf game. \*\* **O** baby! What would she be wearing? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/44 "2003-01-27T15:24:41Z")
“I liked it. I really really liked it.” ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/45 "2003-01-27T15:33:04Z")
It was definitely a little wierd. I don’t really have an objection to it (besides the fact that it was _Celine Dion_), but I do wonder what the organizers were thinking. I liked the Dixie Chicks, though. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/46 "2003-01-27T15:35:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*She was born a citizen of America. Which makes her an American citizen. \*\* Maybe I’m just slow, but how was she born an American citizen? She was born in Canada. Her parents are Canadians. I believe. What legal construct gave her American citizenship at birth? Or am I wrong about her parents? Or is this one of those Canadians-can-call-themselves-Americans-because-Canada-is-in-North-America things? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/47 "2003-01-27T15:37:13Z")
**RickJay** you do realize that Canada is in America, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/48 "2003-01-27T15:40:27Z")
From [Rolling Stone’s web site](http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=540&cf=540): > [@](#): > > French-Canadian pop diva Celine Dion was born in Charlemagne, Quebec in 1968, the 14th child of a musically inclined family. She was born in Canada. Therefore she is Canadian. If a person is born in the United States, is he or she a United Statesian? No. Are they a United States of American? No. They are an American. I guess one could say they are a “United States citizen,” but I think we all would agree that saying “American” is a little easier. True, Canada is in North America. But I also think it’s pretty widely accepted that when someone says “American,” they are referring to something of or from the United States of America. Just as something of or from Canada is referred to as “Canadian,” or something from Mexico is “Mexican.” “American” is the adjective primarily used to describe something of or from the United States, which Ms. Dion most certainly is not. She is a citizen of Canada, she resides in North America, maybe even the United States. But she is still a citizen of Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/49 "2003-01-27T15:55:06Z")
You can lay claim to all of the Americas if you want, but when I heard CD sing that America was her home sweet home, I thought it was quite fitting. Note that I did make a distinction between her singing God Bless America and our national anthem. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/50 "2003-01-27T16:40:13Z")
I’ll go with **Biggirl** on her little technicality, but I still can’t abide the fact that it was friggin’ Celine Dion. [gag] And also for the record, I’m not a fan of the Dixie Chicks in any sense of the word, but I did appreciate their rendition of the anthem. ---
**Author:** ![Hrdygrdymn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Hrdygrdymn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrdygrdymn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/51 "2003-01-27T16:56:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > \*\*SuperBowl > Buffalo Wings > Canadian Celine Dion > Budweiser > Salsa > Pretzels > God Bless America > Star Spangled Banner > U.S Fighter Jets > John Madden > > Which one doesn’t fit? \*\* Let’s see… Football, derived from a British game. Buffalo Wings, done in a nice, tangy sauce from the west indies. Celine Dion, French Canadian Budweiser, from German Brewmeisters Salsa, Meso-American Pretzels, Austrian or Swiss invention I believe. God Bless America - a Middle-eastern deity offering Roman rite to an Italian eponym Star Spangled Banner, from the United States US fighter Jets, derived from British technology. John Madden, God only knows! And I’m sure some smart-ass will point out that salsa was invented in Upper Volta in the ninth century or something silly like that, but I think my point is clear. I do believe that what makes the US strong is its ability to unabashedly appropriate anything it sees as worthwhile. Shame so many don’t recognize that. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/52 "2003-01-27T17:01:23Z")
I don’t mind a Canadian singing “God Bless America,” or indeed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Here at The University That’s Half a Mile from Canada, at any college sporting event we always have both national anthems sung by one singer. Sometimes they’re from the US, sometimes from Canada. I don’t feel more or less patriotic either way. But I **do** mind Celine Dion singing it. What, Anne Murray was busy or something? ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/53 "2003-01-27T17:02:56Z")
Oh, and **Hrdy** , the Real Buffalo Wing is made with either Frank’s Red Hot or Tabasco (Louisana) sauce (opinions differ so I’m not going to alienate anybody), so it’s definately an all-American invention. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/54 "2003-01-27T17:08:26Z")
Isn’t she a **subject** of Canada, as opposed to a **citizen**? That whole Commonwealth thing and subservience to the Queen and all … ---
**Author:** ![Hrdygrdymn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Hrdygrdymn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrdygrdymn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/55 "2003-01-27T17:10:55Z")
Tabasco. Isn’t that a river in MEXICO ! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/56 "2003-01-27T17:26:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnugTheJoiner \* > **Anyone remember, back in the sixties, when (Canadian) singer Robert Goulet sang "The Star-Spangled Banner before a ball game and FORGOT THE WORDS? I think it was the World Series.** THANK YOU! Except it wasn’t a ball game it was a freakin’ HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT (one of the two Caly-Liston fights, I can’t remember which.) I remember listening to the radio with my brother-in-law, and when Goulet screwed up the lyrics we looked at each other with the classic “what the hell was that?” expression. So this question is being asked about 38 years too late. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/57 "2003-01-27T18:04:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spiff \* > \*\*Isn’t she a **subject** of Canada, as opposed to a **citizen**? > > That whole Commonwealth thing and subservience to the Queen and all … \*\* You can’t be the subject of a country. You can be the subject of a King or a Queen. But Canadians are citizens of Canada, officially, not British subjects. Canada’s a constitutional monarchy, not a straight-up monarchy. **Biggirl:** > [@](#): > > RickJay you do realize that Canada is in America, don’t you? Er, you said she was an “American citizen.” That’s a legal concept. You can’t be the citizen of a continent - my passport doesn’t say “Citizen of North America.” Your wording suggested she was, in fact, born a citizen of the United States. Oh, and no, my country is not located in “America.” It is located in North America, which is the name of this continent. Canadians generally use “Americans” and “American citizen” to describe residents of the United States. If you tell me I’m an American citizen, I would assume you were mistaken and would correct you; I’m a Canadian citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/58 "2003-01-27T18:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Hrdygrdymn_ > > Star Spangled Banner, from the United States Tune based on English drinking song, words by U.S. citizen And I have to say that I’m amazed that so many people think Dion singing _God Bless America_ is odd. It’s music for goshsakes, the international language, not an oath of allegience! ---
**Author:** ![jellen92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@jellen92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellen92)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/59 "2003-01-27T18:21:22Z")
Well, she is also doing ‘Chrysler’ commercials - which to my knowledge are not Canadian cars. I guess I don’t see anything wrong with other countries supporting ours. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107/60 "2003-01-27T18:22:28Z")
Hmmm, I guess I don’t listen to much of Celine which probably means I don’t care for her work generally. But I thought her rendition of GBA was quite beautiful – and that’s coming from an atheist. 🙂 Really, what was wrong with it? I didn’t even think about the Canadian aspect, but in hindsight I have zero problem with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celine-dion-singing-god-bless-america/151107.md?page=4)