Fuck you, Christina Aguilera

Roseanne says that was one of the most regrettable things she has ever done. She was absolutely mocking and disrespecting, she admits it herself and still gets asked about it today. All she has to say is she’s sorry about it and regrets it.

Sung like that, it brings tears to my eyes.

Same cop, next day:

“You have a right to an attonammuffaly, anything you say will be afforded to your silementos. Your court of law is a silence and everything will be held against your knowkslelp of a slgroffffoppft. Do you unnecessarily stand these rights?”

No, Thailand’s got America beat. When it comes to anthems here, it’s like a throwback to Nazi Germany. The national anthem is played at 8am and 6pm every day on the radio and TV and over loudspeakers nationwide. Even in a bustling metropolis like Bangkok, if it’s not being drowned out by the street noise, everyone stops and stands at attention. It’s quite amusing to watch everyone suddenly stop except for the clueless tourists who keep on going with a look of bemusement on their faces while looking around them wondering just what the hell is going on.

It is often reported that the Thai national anthem is played before movies here. That is completely incorrect. What is played before each movie is the king’s anthem, NOT the national anthem. But everyone still stands at attention while a montage of the king’s life is displayed while the anthem is played. From time to time, some Thai will try to make a point and not stand. They usually get the holy shit beaten out of them by many if not most if not all of the other audience members. They’ve even been reported and arrested despite there not actually being a law on the books requiring anyone to stand; the cops, as usual, don’t care if there’s no actual law, you’re going to get the treatment. This has even happened to the occasional tourist who figured this standing up didn’t apply to him.

Not being a sports fan, I can’t remember if it’s the national anthem or the king’s anthem played before local sporting events, but it’s one or the other.

I’m a singer. I understand that people often don’t understand how difficult it is. But singing is not a competition in the same way football is. There are no surprises coming in that can throw you off, especially when singing a capella. There’s no one actively trying to mess you up. When you are in a competition, you are just being the best you can be, and hoping that your best is better than someone else’s best.

I actually find I agree with Vinyl Turnip, actually, that she was being lazy. It sounds like she’s showing off, but I know from experience that heavy melismatic singers get to the point where they can do it effortlessly and without thought. So it’s actually worse than what people think: she just didn’t care.

It’s fine for you not to like the anthem, but then you shouldn’t sing it at a professional gig.

BTW: The anthem is purely metaphorical now. It just basically means that America will, triumph through adversity. Though we are attacked, we will still triumph. Though things are bad, good will come.

And, with the one verse version, the question at the end is clearly rhetorical. You’ve just got through saying that the flag is proven to still exist. So of course the answer to the question is yes. Heck, I bet most people don’t even think of it as a question, but rather a poetic turn of phrase, since is honestly makes no sense to question what you’ve just said to be proven.

  1. “To Anacreon in Heaven” is an 18th-century drinking song. Doing weird crap to it and hamming it up is what you’re supposed to do to a tune like that.
  2. The US tradition of gospel music, and for that matter jazz, is replete with embellishments. It’s part of singing in this country.

If you don’t like it, a) you need a different tune, & b) you’re rejecting American musical culture.

I suggest you emigrate.

“To Anacreon in Heaven” is NOT the US anthem, the US anthem is based on it. What is acceptable in a bar room full of drunks is not suitable when singing a national anthem in from of 100 million people.

She wasn’t singing “gospel style” or “jazz”, she was singing in that screechy, crappy “pop” style. Liking it or not liking it is not a test of citizenship, it’s a matter of preference.

– italics mine.

So it’s worse than what I originally thought, huh? Thanks for explaining that to us. Now my outrage is going through the roof! I mean, that America-hating slut, how dare she?!

How does one call the line repeated at the end of each stanza, then ? A callback ? A stinger ?

I agree that it’s not a good performance (it’s only a G at the end, guy! You’re supposed to be a tenor!), but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that it was an off day, and that it’s really hard to sing well in the open air with a raucous crowd around. One doesn’t get accepted into the Chicago Lyric training program without talent.

I concur. We should change the song to the “Star-Bedazzled Banner.”

Plus, the President will have the first person to stop it shot.

If the halftime show was any indication, they can’t sing, either.

Pigskin.

The Star-Blinged-Out Banner?

Already been said but I’ll cast my vote for, “So what? She fucked up. Shit happens. Get on with your life.”

Yeah as a professional you expect better but even professionals are human and fuck up. She should be embarrassed but hardly Pit worthy IMO.

I agree I dislike the endless ways singers feel the need to adjust the song but then that is old hat too (how many version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah are out there [as an example]). As such hard to get overly fussed about that either.

No, I’m imagining it as the product of The Bedazzler.

The Star-Vagazzled Banner?

Eh…no.

After your first comment, I wasn’t sure. I tried singing it, and the plural majesties seemed right, but you know how it is when you hear something different and then you wonder? That’s why I looked. :slight_smile:

As a matter of fact, I AM special. As are you and every other living human being.

You seem to be a little bit confused about the meaning of the word “special.”

So educate me. What does it mean?

Definition of SPECIAL

1: distinguished by some unusual quality; especially : being in some way superior <our special blend>

2: held in particular esteem <a special friend>

3a : readily distinguishable from others of the same category : unique <they set it apart as a special day of thanksgiving> b : of, relating to, or constituting a species : specific

4: being other than the usual : additional, extra

5: designed for a particular purpose or occasion

It would seem then that I didn’t deserve to be singled out by Guin as being special, wouldn’t it?

I could have told you that.

:wink: