YOU SING, I SING, WE ALL SING: ROCKING THE ANTHEM

Who would think that this year I would be writing my third post about the National Anthem

But this is a good thing. The anthem has been around for over one hundred years and during that time people really haven't thought much about it, beyond Oh crap they're playing that song and I have to put down my beer and stand up

Or: They're playing that song I will make my uniform secure and salute and remind myself why I serve

Some people want to update the anthem by changing the gender preferences in the lyrics. Some people wonder why a deity is mentioned, a very specific deity, a deity who's name was often invoked to justify the violation of the civil and human rights of the people who actually "founded" this country and people who are never mentioned in the anthem

No matter whether you agree or disagree with these sentiments it seems that for many people, this anthem is not just outdated, it may not be significant or representative or relevant

An anthem of a slightly less ponderous began with Canadian singer Nelly Furtado. At a sporting event, Nelly changed the anthem's arrangement, to suit her voice and to suit her singing style. And that style is more 21st century than 17th century. In essence she was trying to make the anthem relevant

Oh golly gee wiz I guess we can't have that. Nelly pissed off a lot of people "It's the anthem,  you can't change the anthem that's unpatriotic" Usually intoned by people who never gave much thought to the anthem, to what it means and what its intent may be

A knee jerk reaction: Someone taught these people that the anthem was something sacred, something inviolate, something that, well, we should worship

Tsk tsk. Whenever someone tells you to accept something without thinking about it, check your wallet and check your freedom

The other night at the World Cup of Hockey, Ontario band Walk Off the World stepped into Nelly's high heels and sang their own version of the anthem. It was a folksy, roots, acoustic version; leaving the lyrics intact but giving the funeral dirge a more organic, approachable singalong sort of vibe

In an earlier post I suggested this very thing. Canada has an inordinate number of skilled, talented, passionate musicians. Musicians. People who understand music, who understand its impact, who know how to use music to invoke emotions, who understand that music can make us think, cry, get horny or feel like hugging the person next to us .. in a totally nonhorny way. Usually

Moving on

I think this just makes total sense. If the anthem is the music of a country then it is indeed a thing, something obdurate and implacable and unchangeable. But that makes it something that becomes inaccessible by most of us, and yes something irrelevant

But if the anthem is our song, the song of the people, then let the people have a say in it. Let musicians interpret it, adapt it, transform it. Let these musicians do what they do, use music to invoke, move, bond. Music is something we all love to share. So let's share this piece of music, let's use it the way it should be used; not as a monument but as an actual song

We sing songs, we play them, we share them, we discuss them. That's how you make the anthem inclusive. By making it something organic and fluid and perhaps even something we learn to anticipate. "Hey did you hear, the anthem tonight is going to be played by Spit In Your Eye. I want to hear that and don't forget to bring a rain coat"

The lyrics are one thing and I'm not sure I actually care. But having musicians interpret the song, make it relevant and .. gasp .. make it something you'd actually want to sing? Count me in

Is Walter Ostenak still alive? I can't wait to hear his polka version