Singer Opts for 'Black National Anthem'

[Demonpenz]

A jazz singer shocked some Denver residents after replacing the words to the national anthem with those of the "Black National Anthem" during the annual State of the City address this week.

Rene Marie was asked to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper delivered the annual address on Tuesday. Instead, she sang the lyrics of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" — a hymn commonly referred to as the "Black National Anthem" — to the tune of the national anthem, MyFOXColorado.com reported.

"If anyone has got a right to be angry it's probably me," Hickenlooper told the station. "I guess what I feel most is just deeply disappointed."

The mayor said only Marie, her husband and a musical adviser knew what the local jazz singer had in mind.

"What she said was that she was very sorry, that she meant no disrespect, that she was trying to make a creative expression of her love for the country," Hickenlooper said.

But the change in lyrics angered many residents, including City Councilman Charlie Brown.

"I was mad," he told MyFOXColorado.com. "I almost walked off the stage."

Brown said the matter needs to be addressed. "There is no substitute for the national anthem."

[chasedude]

Maybe they should have called Rosanne?

[stlchiefs]

I would have definitely walked off, in a VERY loud fashion. That is bs, the national anthem is not your song of choice, it is an established song. Focking bullchit.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

I would have definitely walked off, in a VERY loud fashion. That is bs, the national anthem is not your song of choice, it is an established song. Focking bullchit.

Exactly. You should hear all of these assholes say "Chiefs" at the end, instead of brave. It is an established song!!!1

[Demonpenz]

She probably did it to up her sales.

[Donger]

Nice.

Marie said she deliberately chose to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" to the tune of the traditional anthem because she doesn't relate to the lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner.

"I wanted to express how I felt about living in this country as a black woman," Marie said.

[mcan]

Yeah, it's pretty rude to take a chance like that when the function isn't really about you. If it goes over well, then you're golden. If it doesn't go over well, then you've ruined some other poor guys' night, but not your own. It's a selfish act of expression at an inappropriate time.


BUT!


Let's not get all high and mighty about it. It's times like these where a little bit of understanding and open mindedness can take an awkward situation and turn it into something positive. Only useless negativity and resentment result when two people get into a battle of pride and principles. Nobody died here. Nobody was trying to hurt anybody. In fact, nobody got hurt at all.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by mcan

Yeah, it's pretty rude to take a chance like that when the function isn't really about you. If it goes over well, then you're golden. If it doesn't go over well, then you've ruined some other poor guys' night, but not your own. It's a selfish act of expression at an inappropriate time.


BUT!


Let's not get all high and mighty about it. It's times like these where a little bit of understanding and open mindedness can take an awkward situation and turn it into something positive. Only useless negativity and resentment result when two people get into a battle of pride and principles. Nobody died here. Nobody was trying to hurt anybody. In fact, nobody got hurt at all.

You expressed my point much more eloquently that I did.

Totally agree this was inappropriate given the event and occasion. However, I'm glad I live in a country where someone can do something like this should they choose to do so and not get stoned for it.

Everyone might not like it (myself included), but I would hope that everyone would keep an open mind and fight off the immediate urge or negativity towards the woman or the choice she made.

See the councilman who said, "I almost walked off stage". fucking please. Grow up, be an adult and afford that woman the same rights you take for granted and enjoy yourself.

I'm sure there's been times when Mr. Charlie Brown said something that not everyone agreed with and he wasn't berated for it.

Some folks across the country don't agree with the Arrowhead faithful inserting "CHIEFS" at the end of the anthem - BUT we in KC don't consider it disrespectful, just a tradition and part of our expression of not only the anthem, but how we relate to it as part of our homefield advantage.

What this woman did isn't so different from what we do at every Arrowhead home game if you think about it in those terms.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

You expressed my point much more eloquently that I did.

Totally agree this was inappropriate given the event and occasion. However, I'm glad I live in a country where someone can do something like this should they choose to do so and not get stoned for it.

Everyone might not like it (myself included), but I would hope that everyone would keep an open mind and fight off the immediate urge or negativity towards the woman or the choice she made.

See the councilman who said, "I almost walked off stage". fucking please. Grow up, be an adult and afford that woman the same rights you take for granted and enjoy yourself.

I'm sure there's been times when Mr. Charlie Brown said something that not everyone agreed with and he wasn't berated for it.

Some folks across the country don't agree with the Arrowhead faithful inserting "CHIEFS" at the end of the anthem - BUT we in KC don't consider it disrespectful, just a tradition and part of our expression of not only the anthem, but how we relate to it as part of our homefield advantage.

What this woman did isn't so different from what we do at every Arrowhead home game if you think about it in those terms.

Seems like berating someone or walking off a stage in protest is free speech, too. . .

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Seems like berating someone or walking off a stage in protest is free speech, too. . .

It most definitely is - my point is that EVERYONE (including some on this board) have used there own rights to say or do something that probably wasn't the most popular thing to do at the time.

I'd venture to bet that if someone else reacted to their actions by berated them or took a similar act akin to "walking off stage" they'd defend said actions as their "freedom of speech.

In other words: Some folks like freedom of speech when they use it themselves and expect others to respect their rights. They don't so much when the shoes on the other foot.

It's akin to someone seeing a news story about a murder and wanting to "fry" the suspect on the spot without due process, but then crying "I HAVE RIGHTS" when the local PD tries to strong arm them on a speeding ticket.

[Micjones]

Bad decision on her part.
I'm not as anal about the SSB as some, but I do think she owed it to the organizers of the event to tell them what she had in mind.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Bad decision on her part.
I'm not as anal about the SSB as some, but I do think she owed it to the organizers of the event to tell them what she had in mind.

Agreed. Especially bad if she intentially deceived them as the mayor indicated.

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

Everyone might not like it (myself included), but I would hope that everyone would keep an open mind and fight off the immediate urge or negativity towards the woman or the choice she made.

Open mind? Was she invited to sing the Star Spangled Banner or not? You don't accept an invitation to do something specific and then just do whatever the **** you want.

If you invite Bob Dole over for dinner and he cleans out your liquor cabinet and bangs your wife, Bob Dole hopes you'll keep an open mind about it.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

Open mind? Was she invited to sing the Star Spangled Banner or not? You don't accept an invitation to do something specific and then just do whatever the **** you want.

If you invite Bob Dole over for dinner and he cleans out your liquor cabinet and bangs your wife, Bob Dole hopes you'll keep an open mind about it.

Feel free to hit the liquor cabinet, but based on the photos I've seen I can almost guarantee my wife wouldn't occupy the same room with you.......

[Demonpenz]

How do you explain this to kids. Now son treat everyone the same exept for black people.Dad that black woman sings whatever she wants.
Well son that is because we put a whippin in the 80's on the guy from reading rainbow