What are your favorite patriotic songs that are rendered unconventionally?

Cafe Society
1

This applies to all nations. As a US citizen, we have a pretty rich history of Sousa marches, military cadences, songs, etc. Many are written for big bands or even symphonies…but what national patriotic songs do you like that have been transposed for a single instrument that otherwise wouldn’t be used to play these songs? Or a capella?

I offer acoustic guitar renditions of “The Stars And Stripes Forever”

Doug Smith plays a pretty good version here (and I love his comments about being a “longhaired son of a Marine Dad”: Doug Smith perform Stars & Stripes Forever by Sousa - YouTube

And then of course, Chet Atkins chimes in on the same song (video seems kinda crappy): The Stars and Stripes Forever Chet Atkins - YouTube

I do have to say though, that this transposition of this song for guitar looks incredibly difficult to play. Anyone ever tried to play this?

2

Uncle Bonsai’s a capella rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. They worked out this version when they were asked to sing the anthem at a Sonics game.

3

That’s a folk trio? I need to give folk another chance. That was awesome. (Thought it was going to be hokey for a bit, but then it wowed me.)

4

Queen (well, mostly, guitarist Brian May) has a version of “God Save the Queen” (many Americans think of the tune as “My Country 'Tis of Thee”) on A Night at the Opera; it became the band’s signature final song at concerts (usually accompanied by Freddie Mercury taking his bows while wearing a crown and a fur-trimmed cape).

May still plays the song, including at Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.

5

I fully expected Jimi Hendrix Star Spangle Banner" to be the first example given. O.K. I feel old now…

6

Ray Charles’s “America the Beautiful” will always stand out for me: RAY CHARLES AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL - YouTube

7

These were exactly the two and only songs that came to my mind when I read the thread title.

8

Another vote for Hendrix.

9

Hendrix.

I keep lobbying for my school to play that one every Monday morning instead of the crappy versions they have now.

10

I dislike all of them except one: the transcription by the virtuoso pianist Vladimir Horowitz (who left Russia in 1925 and became a US citizen) of The Stars And Stripes Forever, played here by another famous Russian pianist at a Polish music festival. And he gets a standing ovation.

11

Somewhere around here I have aCD with a very nice version of that, done by not just a guitar, but a bluegrass band…

12

I can’t do the linky thing on my phone, but find ‘Madison Rising’ on YouTube & check out their version of The Star Spangled Banner. Good stuff.

13

Branford Marsalis & Bruce Hornsby, “The Star-Spangled Banner”

14

I can’t get to that link. I’m just getting “video is private”. But I’m dying to see it.
Uncle Bonsai is awesome! Get their CD Myn Ynd Wymyn. It’s a masterpiece IMO.

The Star Spangled Banner by Bela and the Flecktones

The Grateful Dead’s take.