The Black National Anthem Controversy
Published by imaG July 8th, 2008 in anythingBlackTell me what you think..
Singer Opts for ‘Black National Anthem’ Over ‘Star-Spangled Banner’
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.”
She messed up. I think she should’ve just stuck to custom. The worst thing about it is she said sorry after she had done it already. There are many other places she could’ve sang that song and expressed equal amounts of love for her country…Oh well. What do you all think? Did she mess up? Was it a bold, daring move or just plain stupid?
Councilman Charlie Brown
You know he’s mad ahaha
4 Comments to “The Black National Anthem Controversy”
- 1 Trackback on Dec 13th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Yeah, she messed up, not a big deal though. What performers like this need to realize, is that they’re not performing for themselves to be famous, they’re performing for everyone to unite around a single song, if you are hired to sing the national anthem, you sing it. It’s supposed to be NATIONAL, and culturally universal, and she, sort of, just remixed it. She had good intentions, but really shouldn’t have done it. At least she apologized right?
i would be mad all the time if my name was charlie brown…
i don’t think this was a big deal… am afro caribbean - 1st generation british… what do i care.. we don’t sing the national anthem at every meeting we have.. i don’t even know all the words..
bovvered..
Would have to agree with Blackdude above. I don’t think it was that big of a deal, but at the same time, just stick to what you were paid to do. And yeah, at least she apologized.