National Anthems

[ratsapprentice]

I have been happy to see that at the football world cup they do not have a singer leading the anthems - they simply play the music and allow everyone to sing along.

Personally I think this is by far the best way to do it - whenever you have a professional singing the anthems they always sing it differently to the players and crowd and there are inevitable monitoring issues leading to a delay between the two.

At the RWC I hope they do the same... I had always assumed that most people felt this way - is that so?

 

[TRF_heineken]

To me, I don't really care who sings it.

But it's moments like this that gives me goosebumps.



Just as long as it's not Ras Dumisani

 

[jonny24]

I don't mind a singer. I find the better ones will sing it at a pace that people can match even with delay or whatever.

Actually, what I really like is when the singer will stop and let the crowd take over. Then everyone is in full swing and you get the full impact of the crowd, then the pro comes in with everyone and finishes is off.

 

[ratsapprentice]

That illistrates my point very well - how much better is it without that ***'s autotuned slobber on it?

 

[TRF_heineken]

That illistrates my point very well - how much better is it without that ***'s autotuned slobber on it?

It would be awesome if they could just get the anthem going, and then leave the rest to the crowd.

Like in Highschool days, we had a choir member to start off the National Anthem during every friday's assembly (as per law), without any music to assist us.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The closest you can get to that is by just playing the music relatively quietly and let the crowd belt it out.

like this:

 

[Big Ewis]

whichever, doesn't really matter. I would prefer that national anthems be contained, I suppose the current way is just fine for most nations, but for e.g. the Irish thing where there's 5 different anthems or things along that line should be cut down. It's good to love your country, but if it takes 10min, you've got a problem. Anthems are good for the players and crowds, but if it "leaks", it's problematic. I think of Yannick Nyanga for e.g. who shed tears during the Marseillaise in Paris against the Wallabies in November 2012, that's a pretty sight, but as long as the anthem is nice and concise and the nationalist feeling is contained, all is well.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Bit of an exaggeration there, as per usual from you, there's 2 played at home games and just the 1 at away games.
If you had any brain cells you'd understand why that's the case at home games.

 

[Peat]

I love those crowd versions.

I far prefer it when a man sings it as well tbh. Sure, it's all very lovely, but a good baritone is far more stirring.

 

[TRF_heineken]

whichever, doesn't really matter. I would prefer that national anthems be contained, I suppose the current way is just fine for most nations, but for e.g. the Irish thing where there's 5 different anthems or things along that line should be cut down. It's good to love your country, but if it takes 10min, you've got a problem. Anthems are good for the players and crowds, but if it "leaks", it's problematic. I think of Yannick Nyanga for e.g. who shed tears during the Marseillaise in Paris against the Wallabies in November 2012, that's a pretty sight, but as long as the anthem is nice and concise and the nationalist feeling is contained, all is well.

yeah, well, no.

Our national anthem has 4 of our country's 11 official languages. Every nation gets a chance to sing their anthem, I don't care if it's long or short, as it's a representation of that country.

For instance, Brazil's national anthem has a long intro before they sing, I enjoy watching the passion build up in the players before they start singing.

If a player/team feel that the other team's anthem is delaying the start, or makes the players become cold and stiff, I'm sure nobody will have a problem if they have a quick warm up just after the anthem...

 

[Big Ewis]

I disagree. I think a national anthem, like a prayer, like anything for that matter in life in general no matter the field, should have some form of respectful discretion. Shouldn't be demonstrative. When the Marseillaise is sounding, I don't want to shove it down others' throats. It's there, loud and clear, but doesn't last 5 minutes. If you're proud of your country, that's normal, but you needn't have a big celebration for it. That's why going along that notion, I feel it's very good when a country gets its one anthem, the crowd can sing along during that minute's time, and then that's that. Moving on nice and smoothly.

The things I call leaks are the examples aforementioned, but also things like a whole arena "singing" over the Haka, utterly stupid and boorish. Peasant like in fact. Or singing your own songs in another nation's stands. And yes both those examples happen to be directed at England but it's a coincidence. That kind of populistic, herd like, crowd mentality. Chauvinistic flocking, I call it. The very visceral depths of a country, with all the prejudice and mindless bias entailed. I'd be damned if I sang the Marseillaise in Twickenham with a bunch of friends, especially during a moment when France are beating England - that's just adding insult to injury and is both boorish and downright unacceptable. How else would the local crowd react to that ?? I'm amazed at how passive the French were when that happened last February in Paris.

Nationalistic pride is a very dangerous thing, although it is also necessary to a civilization's survival. But in sports in general, it adds more wood to the fire, and not out of necessity. This is accessory to the topic, but that's my point on that. Contain the masses, and keep all things nation-oriented under control.

 

[SelimNiai]

yeah, well, no.

Our national anthem has 4 of our country's 11 official languages. Every nation gets a chance to sing their anthem, I don't care if it's long or short, as it's a representation of that country.

For instance, Brazil's national anthem has a long intro before they sing, I enjoy watching the passion build up in the players before they start singing.

If a player/team feel that the other team's anthem is delaying the start, or makes the players become cold and stiff, I'm sure nobody will have a problem if they have a quick warm up just after the anthem...

Agreed.

Plus I thought it was a long running joke, if thats the word, that a 3pm kick off at Lansdowne Rd meant 3.15pm once the meet n greet and anthems was done.

In terms of singer or not I don't mind, as long as its played and sung correctly unlike our anthem last Saturday which was ruined in both tempo and language. I like how Scotland go half and half with music and just crowd. Think it helps if people know if a singer is actually involved with the game as a fan rather than just seeing it as a personal PR event.

Also, my final point

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Yep.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i do love it at murrayfield when they dont play the instruments for the second verse off the scottish anthem and you can hear the crowd around you singing and its a good feeling i'd love to be a player for scotland that feeling would get me so pumped for the game

 

[MauriSca7]

Not a big difference for me

 

[big ginger 8]

I love those crowd versions.

I far prefer it when a man sings it as well tbh. Sure, it's all very lovely, but a good baritone is far more stirring.

Yeah but eye candy.