Onward Christian Soldiers - I shared Lauren's music with my 25 year old granddaughter who now lives in CA (once again - she was born there and has lived in 3 other states--but prefers Cally--to my dismay). My granddaughter actually thanked me for sending her Lauren's YouTube album saying it lifted her spirits (she has not been given a Bible-based heritage--even though her Dad (my son) was reared in the teachings of the Holy Scriptures--her Mom is all about "shallow, surface Hollywood style stuff". I hope she listens to more of Lauren Daigle--her songs are filled with praise to our Holy Creator God!
DANKE! I'm listening to it right now, Elaine (that's my middle name).
I am heartened to learn that Lauren praises our Creator God throughout her music career....I honestly had never heard of her until I saw her "tunes" on YouTube and clicked on the link--could be a Holy Spirit happening!!!
I pray Daigle has matured some as a Christian in a secular atmosphere. Several years ago, she was asked in an interview, if being gay/homosexual was a sin, and she basically said that she was searching for an answer herself and not really sure. That really turned me off about her. One thing is to not be prepared to answer the question, another is to take a pass at what God has already decreed as sin... no question about it.
Sounds like Lauren needs to be more courageous in her Christian dogma - all activities and thoughts that separate us from a Holy Creator God are sin - and the only remedy for that sin is to turn from it and turn TO our Savior - Jesus Christ the Lord. As I wrote earlier, I didn't even know who Lauren was - just saw her tunes on YouTube and clicked on the link and thought my granddaughter would appreciate her style of music. I'm glad I shared it with her!
She did an excellent jazz version of "The Christmas Song" ("chestnuts roasting on an open fire"). [Corrected from my earlier post noting it was"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."] She's got the perfect voice for it--almost Billie Holiday-ish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1LhXgvgG4A
I grew up in LA and am well familiar with the shallow surface Hollywood style stuff you mentioned. It is ubiquitous, unfortunately. But there are also many Christians in CA and hopefully your granddaughter will Make many Christian friends there
That’s right! Jesus Freaks were coming out of the closet, the Crystal Cathedral was bursting at its seams, Up With People was populated with Christians, and Orange County was as red as Central Texas minus Austin. The SoCal spirit was highly optimistic and an unfortunate example of how good times make soft people. I would love to see LA and San Fran cleaned up and making California great again.
Only a few miles from where I now live... We've been blessed to have had Chuck Smith teach and shepherd so many leaders that have taken up the baton and continued the race.
That is my earnest prayer, Monterey (what state do you live in now?) I am a native PA resident and moved to Palm Springs, CA right before my granddaughter was born (she was my first grandchild and I had been yearning for grandchildren for so many years). But Palm Springs ended up being not a very good idea - my hubby and I returned to PA within 2 years...couldn't take the Cally mindset--the geography is wondrous (except for the fires in the late summer that rain "cinders/soot" on the Coachella Valley where we lived at the time).
Yes...that's who bought our condo when I put it on the market - a gay man (who was a former NASA astronaut no less). I used to empathize with homosexuals - but since they have become rabid and so militarized--my empathy has faded away!
@Sharon- NONE of my gay friends and family are militarized. NONE. IDK who you see but mine arenot rabid at all. They live normal lives which is what anyone wants.
We have our share of gay in the family. One female wanted a child, with her female partner... they attempted a biological child with the partner's brother... didn't work out. Opted to purchase sperm and through IVF had a boy. (try explaining that to Grandpa!)
The child grew up calling the non bio-related female "dad" and that was awkward at every family gathering. "Dad" is no longer in the picture, and now that the child is a teenager, everyone wonders if he knows about his origins ...needless to say the other teenagers ask questions behind his back and we just glance a "don't even think about saying anything" at every gathering....
Yes. Why can't people just sing it straight? Don't mess around with it. Don't try to hyper-stylize it. It is hard enough to sing as written (which I think is why you have so many people insert vocal melisma into it). I get that they were trying to highlight the musical traditions of New Orleans, but the national anthem is not the song for it.
I spent my career as a military musician. I really care about the anthem and hate the "artistic" embellishments. Especially the extra note in "banner."
I’d visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier several times before attending a wreath laying. Every soldier’s motions were precise, the exception being the bugler who had an almost imperceptible hitch in his stride. I assume you can put the soldier in a musician, but you can’t take the musician out of a soldier. Thank you for your service.
As a singer I think the Anthem is a terrible song. as a piece of music it leaves much to be desired . And the subject , the lyrics are not that interesting or compelling.
How about a song that celebrates peace, abundance and LIBERTY!
How about as a song that helped birth this nation, you simply leave it alone, except to sing it beautifully as it was composed, and be happy it helped birth and build the nation!
It is unfortunate you come away thinking that way. For the last 100 years or so MOST of America would not consider any other song or any other lyrics and LOVE the hard to reach LOWS and HIGHS. Doing so accentuates the striving for perfection against all odds that has made the Country Great.
We don't need a "modern anthem". We need to understand the context of when the National Anthem was written. "The Star-Spangled Banner," was written during the Battle of Fort McHenry, which took place during the War of 1812, when Francis Scott Key witnessed the American flag still flying over the fort after a night of British bombardment in Baltimore, Maryland. Had not the flag still been flying in the morning it might have resulted in the eventual defeat of our fledgling country.
This is not to say Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" is not a wonderful song. I love hearing it, I love singing along and I appreciate the version you posted.
But nothing should ever replace the National Anthem and what it stands for, why we sing it, why we are forever proud of it.
A lot of people paid the ultimate sacrifice during the battle, and in doing so, helped preserve the new country. Does anyone actually think the British were here, battling and killing our forefathers in that war, not to utterly destroy the country and re-impose their crown on us?
Ahh . . . I must be the one lone person who thought it was great. As noted, it was New Orleans and I liked the take on the anthem. It's the words that have meaning. (It wasn't screamed out like Rosanne did it years ago, which I'm sure she now regrets.)
So far I’ve not seen any mention of the atrocious half-time debacle. That was a cultural finger in your face, not a sign of cultural shifting in the least. Are they ever going to bring real entertainment back? Dressing it up in red, white and blue does not make a garbage performance patriotic.
Why can’t we just sing the National Anthem together, as one people at an event together? Why turn it into a spectator event/concert performed by an elite? We could start some healing this way.
We don’t sing it to showcase anybody’s musical talents. Agreed it is difficult, but citizens can just “make a joyful noise” celebrating their citizenship. We won’t be graded on it.
Lauren Daigle performed America the Beautiful actually ❤️
She's a “weapon to society!” No question about that, and it’s about time. Prayers up, let’s go!
Onward Christian Soldiers - I shared Lauren's music with my 25 year old granddaughter who now lives in CA (once again - she was born there and has lived in 3 other states--but prefers Cally--to my dismay). My granddaughter actually thanked me for sending her Lauren's YouTube album saying it lifted her spirits (she has not been given a Bible-based heritage--even though her Dad (my son) was reared in the teachings of the Holy Scriptures--her Mom is all about "shallow, surface Hollywood style stuff". I hope she listens to more of Lauren Daigle--her songs are filled with praise to our Holy Creator God!
Several years ago she recorded a Christmas song, "Noel," that I play all year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vwu-t7QRaE
DANKE! I'm listening to it right now, Elaine (that's my middle name).
I am heartened to learn that Lauren praises our Creator God throughout her music career....I honestly had never heard of her until I saw her "tunes" on YouTube and clicked on the link--could be a Holy Spirit happening!!!
My favorite Lauren Daigle song: Thank God I Do. Her voice and those lyrics are soothing to my soul.
I'll check that out on YouTube, MaryAnn!
I pray Daigle has matured some as a Christian in a secular atmosphere. Several years ago, she was asked in an interview, if being gay/homosexual was a sin, and she basically said that she was searching for an answer herself and not really sure. That really turned me off about her. One thing is to not be prepared to answer the question, another is to take a pass at what God has already decreed as sin... no question about it.
Sounds like Lauren needs to be more courageous in her Christian dogma - all activities and thoughts that separate us from a Holy Creator God are sin - and the only remedy for that sin is to turn from it and turn TO our Savior - Jesus Christ the Lord. As I wrote earlier, I didn't even know who Lauren was - just saw her tunes on YouTube and clicked on the link and thought my granddaughter would appreciate her style of music. I'm glad I shared it with her!
She did an excellent jazz version of "The Christmas Song" ("chestnuts roasting on an open fire"). [Corrected from my earlier post noting it was"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."] She's got the perfect voice for it--almost Billie Holiday-ish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1LhXgvgG4A
That is truly beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Oh I love this! Thank you for sharing! 💟✝️
I grew up in LA and am well familiar with the shallow surface Hollywood style stuff you mentioned. It is ubiquitous, unfortunately. But there are also many Christians in CA and hopefully your granddaughter will Make many Christian friends there
The Jesus Revolution, circa 1970’s, started in Cali. God knows ❤️
I remember seeing it play out in front of me as a child
That’s right! Jesus Freaks were coming out of the closet, the Crystal Cathedral was bursting at its seams, Up With People was populated with Christians, and Orange County was as red as Central Texas minus Austin. The SoCal spirit was highly optimistic and an unfortunate example of how good times make soft people. I would love to see LA and San Fran cleaned up and making California great again.
Only a few miles from where I now live... We've been blessed to have had Chuck Smith teach and shepherd so many leaders that have taken up the baton and continued the race.
That is my earnest prayer, Monterey (what state do you live in now?) I am a native PA resident and moved to Palm Springs, CA right before my granddaughter was born (she was my first grandchild and I had been yearning for grandchildren for so many years). But Palm Springs ended up being not a very good idea - my hubby and I returned to PA within 2 years...couldn't take the Cally mindset--the geography is wondrous (except for the fires in the late summer that rain "cinders/soot" on the Coachella Valley where we lived at the time).
Palm Springs is awful with its major gay push. Its like san fran all over.
Yes...that's who bought our condo when I put it on the market - a gay man (who was a former NASA astronaut no less). I used to empathize with homosexuals - but since they have become rabid and so militarized--my empathy has faded away!
@Sharon- NONE of my gay friends and family are militarized. NONE. IDK who you see but mine arenot rabid at all. They live normal lives which is what anyone wants.
Depends on what one considers normal I guess.
@SPH- just to live quietly, go to work, have a nice home, good food to eat, decent vehicles. You know- normal.
We have our share of gay in the family. One female wanted a child, with her female partner... they attempted a biological child with the partner's brother... didn't work out. Opted to purchase sperm and through IVF had a boy. (try explaining that to Grandpa!)
The child grew up calling the non bio-related female "dad" and that was awkward at every family gathering. "Dad" is no longer in the picture, and now that the child is a teenager, everyone wonders if he knows about his origins ...needless to say the other teenagers ask questions behind his back and we just glance a "don't even think about saying anything" at every gathering....
Yeap, just your average "normal"!
Yes, it surely IS a different mindset. I'm told LaQuinta is the conservative desert town.
Currently in the beautiful state of WA
That is so sad. You should also share music by Ann Wilson! She is an amazing role model and makes some incredible music.
Thank you - I will check out Ann Wilson, Lisa!
Jon Batiste sang the anthem awfully
Yes. Why can't people just sing it straight? Don't mess around with it. Don't try to hyper-stylize it. It is hard enough to sing as written (which I think is why you have so many people insert vocal melisma into it). I get that they were trying to highlight the musical traditions of New Orleans, but the national anthem is not the song for it.
Right??? Just sing it. No need for the embellishments! 🙄
I spent my career as a military musician. I really care about the anthem and hate the "artistic" embellishments. Especially the extra note in "banner."
I’m with you!
I’d visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier several times before attending a wreath laying. Every soldier’s motions were precise, the exception being the bugler who had an almost imperceptible hitch in his stride. I assume you can put the soldier in a musician, but you can’t take the musician out of a soldier. Thank you for your service.
Yep. Our band leader sang it for the Daytona Beach race week, parade and meet at the north turn, and did it perfectly.
THIS is how you sing it. I always get goosebumps.
https://youtu.be/mualqVqJPTE?si=7ptWaI1sKci88Ywl
I don't think anyone can top Whitney! Goosebumps!
She is TOPS!
Both wife and I got goosebumps listening.
Thank you.
The guy who sings the anthem for the Chicago Blackhawks, Jim Cornelison, is The GOAT. Brings tears every time. His “O Canada” is pretty awesome too.
@NAB, responding to your OP....AMEN & AMEN! Just sing it as written. The embellishments make me want to scream.
As a singer I think the Anthem is a terrible song. as a piece of music it leaves much to be desired . And the subject , the lyrics are not that interesting or compelling.
How about a song that celebrates peace, abundance and LIBERTY!
How about as a song that helped birth this nation, you simply leave it alone, except to sing it beautifully as it was composed, and be happy it helped birth and build the nation!
Perhaps you missed US History 100 and 101?
Amen, brother!! Not hard to do, if folks weren't focused on their "artistic" license to sing it anyway they want and remember what it means.
America....God shed his grace on thee....
It is unfortunate you come away thinking that way. For the last 100 years or so MOST of America would not consider any other song or any other lyrics and LOVE the hard to reach LOWS and HIGHS. Doing so accentuates the striving for perfection against all odds that has made the Country Great.
Well said!
suggestions??? certainly YMCA or Macho Man have a chance under the new Admin.
"America the Beautiful" emphasizes beauty and abundance, as opposed to war. Brings tears every time I hear it. Is a perfect anthem.
Not hardly but the words of this one would certainly make for a modern Anthem. BTW it was written in 1984!
This version with the different people is AMAZING.
https://youtu.be/0Japc8M8RQw?si=9h8UieJwxxzaEoqc
We don't need a "modern anthem". We need to understand the context of when the National Anthem was written. "The Star-Spangled Banner," was written during the Battle of Fort McHenry, which took place during the War of 1812, when Francis Scott Key witnessed the American flag still flying over the fort after a night of British bombardment in Baltimore, Maryland. Had not the flag still been flying in the morning it might have resulted in the eventual defeat of our fledgling country.
This is not to say Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" is not a wonderful song. I love hearing it, I love singing along and I appreciate the version you posted.
But nothing should ever replace the National Anthem and what it stands for, why we sing it, why we are forever proud of it.
One version of the story said that there were people sacrificing themselves to keep that flag flying through the night.
A lot of people paid the ultimate sacrifice during the battle, and in doing so, helped preserve the new country. Does anyone actually think the British were here, battling and killing our forefathers in that war, not to utterly destroy the country and re-impose their crown on us?
Chills and tears. Absolutely beautiful and flawless. Thank you.
True! But heaven forbid marginalizing strong women. 🙄
Macho TransMan could be more inclusive to some
No.
Springsteen? No? OK, Lee Greenwood's unofficial anthem it is then...see we could do A LOT WORSE than The SSB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAyCFrwH0LA
Will this work for you? Gavin Newsom style?
They should forget the performers and blast the stadium with recording of Whitney Houston singing it so absolutely beautifully.
Actually, Whitney’s version is what started all of this … everyone trying to out-Whitney Whitney. Not gonna happen.
Ty.
Whitney's rendition is wonderful, magnificent!
Anyone who cares to hear it as it was sung on 27 Jan 1991, relive it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAYKTMQl7MQ
I'd be happy if they would simply play her singing it year after year. The Anthem deserves it and she does too. Of course that wont happen.
I like the version at the "Welcome Home Heros" concert a little bit better.
100% agree!!!
Felt like he didn’t care about the song… it didn’t come from the soul. I wish Harry Connick Jr would have sang it.
"...would have SUNG it."
It was awful, just as almost every other single ruins it somehow. Why can't we have an operatic tenor sing it?
Ahh . . . I must be the one lone person who thought it was great. As noted, it was New Orleans and I liked the take on the anthem. It's the words that have meaning. (It wasn't screamed out like Rosanne did it years ago, which I'm sure she now regrets.)
Thank you! I came here to say this as well.
Yes, me too.
I came here to correct the oft-repeated error of this newsletter too.
Yes she did, but sorry Jeff it is not our national anthem
I kept thinking this as I read the post. I even said it out loud at one point!
Although we LOVE some Jeff. And Lauren!
I would prefer that it be the national anthem however , only because we'd all be able to sing it. 😁
I was going to make that comment. Jeff, I hope that was just an oversight in your otherwise brilliant efforts!
So far I’ve not seen any mention of the atrocious half-time debacle. That was a cultural finger in your face, not a sign of cultural shifting in the least. Are they ever going to bring real entertainment back? Dressing it up in red, white and blue does not make a garbage performance patriotic.
Happy to say that I missed the whole thing, and then watched a bit of the second half until I got bored with that.
Might be the last of the afro-DEI bullcrap that they have foisted upon us for a LONG time.
Goodell should be... "removed".
I did not see it. I had better things to do at halftime.
Why can’t we just sing the National Anthem together, as one people at an event together? Why turn it into a spectator event/concert performed by an elite? We could start some healing this way.
Because it is unsingable by most people - the vocal range is too great. It was originally a drinking song, you know.
We don’t sing it to showcase anybody’s musical talents. Agreed it is difficult, but citizens can just “make a joyful noise” celebrating their citizenship. We won’t be graded on it.