We live in extraordinary times—times when the Internet has driven innovation and shared culture to previously unknown levels. And as with extreme performance in pro sports, we’re now treated to harmonization of the most tone-deaf renditions of the USA’s national anthem that are reimagining tonal harmony.
Of course, I refer to the growing scene of posting videos reharmonizing mangled out-of-key performances of The Star-Spangled Banner. I’ve posted to the work of technologists and music theorists working to expand our awareness of music beyond the Western classical tradition and its global colonialist empires.
This, presumably, is where Western classical concert music would ascend to the “next level.”
Let’s begin with the performance of Michigan native songstress Ingrid Andress, who said of this rendition that she was drunk and is going to rehab (and that she hears rehab is “super fun”).
If the work’s original composer, John Stafford Smith, could hear that, he might point out that the original work included some references to “Bacchuss’ Vine,” though I expect that would be followed by “what the hell is baseball?” and “What in the name of Olympus did you do to my bloody melody?” (Yes, the national anthem of the USA was written by a British composer for a gentlemen’s club called the Anacreontic Society, which did once host Joseph Haydn, at least.)
More to the point, I imagine that Bach manuscript collector would be stunned working out what is happening harmonically here, in a re-harmonization by West Virgina-born, LA-based Scott Simons:
Never let ‘em know your next move.
Posted by Scott Simons on Monday, July 15, 2024
Bonus irony: Scott Simons is a veteran of America’s Got Talent.
I think this phenomenon may have begun with electronic musician and pianist Zach Lapidus accompanying a Trump rally in Eugene, Oregon, nearly a decade ago. (I ran across Zach back when I lived in New York.)
The peak of this genre, has to be Kevon Carter accompanying the CPAC 2021 performance by Sailor Sabol. (That version had so many versions that Snopes stepped in to explain that there was not really a pianist trying to follow Sabol.)
Going even further, that version got its own a cappella version, which actually starts to sound musical. It’s the work of QW4RTZ who, fittingly enough, hail from Québec, safely over the border from whatever the hell is going on here.
There are transcriptions.
But I’m giving credit to Zach for what I count as the most modulations (16) and what as near as I can tell is the earliest of these videos. Feel free to correct me.
It is an extraordinary testament to how internet memes spread, and if you need a swan song for Empire USA, you can take your pick.
And… I think we’re done here now. It is possible to sing this a cappella but maybe we should retire the song or possibly the country. Good night.
