US National Anthem in Spanish

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Elok
They're better off with a more liberal translation that doesn't sound like their version of Engrish.

I'd say that they'd be better off with either the State Department translation or going the Negro National Anthem route. Still smakes of slothful behavior to me. But as much as I like discussing mole hills as if they were mountains, I'd have to say that this is a short lived contraversy. It'd take a miracle to give it legs. I'd say that it would take it being played before sporting events or something like that to make it longer lasting.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
whats the meaning of spangled?

Covered with sparkly things.

[Dis]

I'd rather hear it sung in german.

hey now, if these people still claim allegiance to mexico, then I can still claim allegiance to germany.

I'm a minority. I demand benefits.

[Straybow]

What seems to be bothering a number of people is that the last line was translated "...and make the white man pay."

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Covered with sparkly things.

Like stars?

Originally posted by Dis
I'd rather hear it sung in german.

Put me down for Klingon.

[Q Classic]

Honestly? Might mean more to me if

a) it wasn't in Spanish. While yes, lots of immigrants do speak Spanish, not all of them do. Indeed, while there are lots of illegal Latinos here, there are also plenty of illegal slants here too--whose plights are, well, ignored. The fact that it's in Spanish smacks of a sort of prideful exclusion, with them trying to make it a cultural argument rather than an argument about rights.

b) it wasn't the brainchild of a British Jew. Were these Latino artists not bright enough to come up with this idea on their own? Did they not care enough?

c) it didn't take so much artistic liberty with the melody. While the strains of the original anthem can be heard, they're buried under all these "Latin" rhythms. Again, while I'm more than willing to make concessions to artistic interpretation, such remixing can only go so far before it becomes an entirely different song.

[Vince278]

Here is the English text of the Spanish version:

By the light of the dawn, do you see arising,
what we proudly hailed at twilight's last fall?
Its stars, its stripes
yesterday streamed
above fierce combat
a gleaming emblem of victory
and the struggle toward liberty.
Throughout the night, they proclaimed:
"We will defend it!"
Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave
above the land of the free,
the sacred flag?
Its stars, its stripes,
liberty, we are the same.
We are brothers in our anthem.
In fierce combat, a gleaming emblem of victory
and the struggle toward liberty.
My people fight on.
The time has come to break the chains.
Throughout the night they proclaimed, "We will defend it!"
Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave
above the land of the free,
the sacred flag?

My first impression is that it was a half-*ssed attempt by someone who has a poor command of both languages. Morally equivalent to flag burning.

[Dis]

that song sucks. defending a flag? flags are meaningless. how about defending the nation.

I think I'll create my own version. A death metal version.

[SlowwHand]

The flag represents the nation.

[Barnabas]

It sucks, I bet I could make a better translation.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
The flag represents the nation.

So does the Constitution, but Bush has no qualms about taking a dump on it .

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Interesting post from today's Salon letters column:

National Anthem Sung In Spanish At First Bush Inaugural

On Friday, President Bush blasted the idea of singing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish. But Bush’s highly-scripted 2001 inaugural ceremony actually featured a rendition of the national anthem sung in Spanish by Jon Secada. From Cox News Service, 1/18/01:

The opening ceremony reflected that sentiment. A racially diverse string of famous and once famous performers entertained Bush, soon-to-be First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President-elect Richard B. Cheney and his wife, Lynne, who watched on stage from a special viewing area.

Pop star Jon Secada sang the national anthem in English and Spanish.

Apparently, Secada singing the anthem in Spanish was a regular feature of the Bush campaign. From the 8/3/00 Miami Herald:

The nominee, his wife Laura, erstwhile rival John McCain and his wife Cindy joined Bush on a platform where children sang the national anthem - in “Spanglish,” Secada explained.

This morning, ThinkProgress revealed that, according to Kevin Phillip’s book American Dynasty, Bush himself sang the national anthem in Spanish. Looks like Bush’s conviction that “the national anthem ought to be sung in English” was something he acquired very recently.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Nice find!

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride
whats the meaning of spangled?

It's what they did to the Star Spanglish Banner.

[Q Classic]

Oh, Bush. You're such a Washington Insider. A flip-flopper, if you will.