Goes double when the lyrics are your National Anthem...

Ouch! and then Ouch Again!!

Poor kid. Forgetting the words bad enough then falling ....yikes.

I sang the National Anthem once in a large arena at a college basketball championship game. I'd been sick as a dog with the flu but didn't cancel. It was simulcast on the radio. The place was packed. Out came the drill team all in their stance with flags flying and you could hear a pin drop when I started singing. It's very disconcerting because every note you sing echoes round and round. You really have to focus on what you're doing because you are hearing what you've already sung still echoing while you're singing.

Well, I remembered the words just fine but when I hit the high "free" my voice cracked really bad. The most bizarre sound came out of my mouth which then echoed for what seemed like an eternity. The drill team or color guard whatever were trying to keep their composure. Some people in the audience couldn't help it and just laughed out loud. I finished the song and walked off that floor with my head held high then slipped out the nearest exit.

Back at my local gig, I was so relieved when time went by without anybody coming up and saying well you screwed the National Anthem or pointing and giggling. So I have great empathy for any one singing it at a sports event. And I always have a good laugh at myself when anyone else messes it up.

Sundance

Yes, the Banner is well-known for its octave-and-a-half range, which is a problem for just about everybody, even those singers who are blessed with a large range.

Hard to sing, but beautiful.

(Am recalling another way to blow it, doing the broadcast TV gig audio right after the production company had made the switch from analog to 16-bit digital audio. Everything going very nicely until "free" -- that same note -- overdrove the ADC. Over the air they heard, "and the la-and of the thwaaaack!... )


--Mac

Mac, My wife & I had to learn your anthem for an appearance, about 10 years ago, for a "Burn's Night", at the Hilton in Chicago..............no chance of prompts there! That appearance was memorable in another way.....we were marched into the ballroom behind a small kilted 'piper'.......who just happened to be the Japanese Ambassador to USA!! A charming guy who had learned the bagpipes over in Edinburgh. Regards, Joe G

Well, if I know our Joe, the performance was strong.

For one thing, knowing the song is what we are hired to do.

Joe knows that.

You can tell by listening to anything Joe does.


--Mac

But who was this Jose it mentions?

They just wanted to make sure that Jose could see before the game starts...

Jose Canucy?

Everbody know of him...
and Bythe Dawns, Earl Lee Light, ... all of them are quite well known
surprised you haven't heard of them..

Very funny!

I didn't post this to make fun of the poor lady.

Thought it better to view as a learning experience in the hopes that others might understand why I'm such a stickler for memorization of songs and lyrics. (Note that I did NOT say that I always conform to that myself. But I should. We all should. Our audience is worth it. Maybe there wouldn't be a dearth of gigs out there if there were less people reading the chart onstage and instead were focused on entertaining. Maybe. )


--Mac

I have to 'second' the point Mac makes about concentrating on 'entertaining' in a live musical performance of any kind! IMHO.... breaking contact with the audience by....... (obviously)....... reading charts is a 'No-NO'. It's hard enough getting their attention in the first place!
In concerts, we have to play & sing 2 hours worth of material......remembering lyrics.....keys....guitar intros & solos etc.......No charts....live backing.... With our background in stage shows over here.....headline artistes were expected to be able to perform (at least) 12 -16 completely different 20 minute spots in a Variety Show Summer Season! Hard graft at the time, rehearsing....but you can reap the benifits later, when the material has been absorbed musically & lyrically. I've just spent 3 weeks preparing 2 x50 minute spots on Banjo & Vocals, for the Edinburgh Jazz Fest. As I don't do all that many Jazz Gigs on Banjo, I'm out of my comfort zone......so in order to be able to perform to any standard....I'm memorizing the whole programme......it also means I don't have to use my 'specs' to read the charts! Like many of us, Mac has learned the hard way! He is obviously an intelligent guy & very talented musician in many, many, ways.......& always willing to share his experience.......so whenever Mac gives advice....LISTEN!....I always do! Joe G.

So Joe, fess up, is that the 4 string celtic banjo or the 5 string Yank one?

The father in law has deep roots in Scotland and modifies guitars for 4 strings, claimed all his family played them....

John, I play a restored Weymann Plectrum (1930) Banjo......with, strangely enough..."Chicago Tuning".....same as top 4 guitar, but the technique is totally different.....& chord voicings too.RE the 'Celtic side'.....I also use the Banjo in some shows to play Jigs & Reels.....we have to keep the Scottish Standard flying! .....meanwhile....have to get my 'Jazz Head' on again for Thursday! Regards, Joe G.

I know I don't have the words to 'O Canada' memorized. Based on the logo on the jerseys of the players and the maple leaf on the boards, I'm guessing it was a hockey game held in Canada and a US team was the opponent. Probably a local Canadian gal who was selected to sing it.

Now, if I ever had to sing the Canadian national anthem on invitation, I would have the words memorized - but seeing as I don't have a powerful voice, I'll not have to worry about that situation ever!

-Scott

That happened at an international game in Quebec City. To be honest not many people there speak english at all. In the end she sang neither anthem, but did it on ABC TV in the US without problem a few days later. She said she was just very very nervous.

The worst part of the Canadian Anthem is that you are expected to do it in both languages, switching around the middle, French first in Quebec, and English first elsewhere.

And yes the tune of the Anacreontic Song which dates to 1760 England, has a tough range. I have both that version, and a subsequent version that dates to an Irish printing where the words hail the creation of orphanges by English Masons.

If anyone needs the Candian National Anthem in Band in a Box format I have that somewhere here, I ususally just play the piano or organ and as it is usually for men I drop the key from Eb to C or Bb.

Forgetting your lines is one thing (but with your own national anthem...... anyway)
Not being able to get out of the situation and not being able to recover yourself is a whole different story.
A real musician has to handle these situations. I mean, how many of you can claim 100% faultles gigs anytime? (I certainly can't )The art is to get on, not letting the audience know there was a hickup in the first place. Chances are they'll never know anyway

Giving up like the girl in the vid did is simply not an option!

Sure but remember, in Canada there is a hockey game starting almost all the time. Even in the summer every city has some arenas operating. I think we have 4 on the go now, plus the big 11,000 one downtown is running an international tourney. It is tradition that if someone sings well, they might get asked to sing. For good or bad, that might be the first time they ever did that. Plus, depending on the arena, the sound is bad. Add in the jitters, nerves, embarassment, and you get disaster. Imagine your first gig, and there in Quebec City, she's singing in English, her second language, in an arena with 18,000 people, and an international match to boot. Tough gig, and you don't get paid.

Citaat:

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It is tradition that if someone sings well, they might get asked to sing. For good or bad, that might be the first time they ever did that.

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Ah, I didn't know that. In that case we'll have to give her a lot of respect for having the guts to do such a tricky gig. Go figure: singing a tough song acapella without any support from a melodic intrument. And all that in a noisy stadium.

Citaat:

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Tough gig, and you don't get paid.

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Sometimes you'll have to do some things that don't pay up........at first.
Performing great on such a gig will generate publicity, and that might get you more (paid) gigs.
Throw out a small fish to catch the big ones, so to speak.

And apart from the money: I can imagine this kind of gig will give a great kick to the performer.