National Anthem in Spanish

[NJCubScouter]

Then again, maybe only in English is the best approach

 

I don't see why whatever language people want to sing and/or listen to it in, isn't the best approach. Nobody is forcing anyone to listen to this new song... which from what I have read, is not simply "The Star Spangled Banner" in Spanish, but has lyrics "based closely on" The Star Spangled Banner. I have now listened to it, so I would know what everybody is talking about, and have read the lyrics. It has additional lyrics beyond what a simple translation would contain. And for Packsaddle, the tune is the same, more or less, though it is highly "stylized" and I was not sure right away that it actually is the same tune. However, music-wise it is no further from the "traditional" renditions than many of the versions I have heard sung at sporting events over the past 30+ years. It is definitely in the style of current Latino music that I have heard coming out of the car radio while tuning between my oldies station and my classic rock station.

 

By the way, it appears that the U.S. government itself has no problem with the National Anthem in other languages, as the government issued an official translation in Spanish more than 80 years ago. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner. The same article mentions that it has been translated into other languages as well. But I guess anything "foreign" is a hot political button right now.

[NJCubScouter]

The link in my last post seems to go to a non-existent article. I am not sure how that happened since I am creating the link the same way I am creating this one... but try this one:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Spangled_Banner

 

Disclaimer: Wikipedia has a lot of information, and at any given moment most of it is true, but you don't get to know which parts are true, which are just opinions, and which are completely false. This particular article, however, seems to be well-researched and does not seem to have been vandalized, taken over by adherents of particular ideologies, or any of the other things that happen to articles on Wikipedia.

[scoutingagain]

After reading much of the thread, and yes, hello again to our friend NJ, I find myself agreeing with OGE. Folks are free to translate and listen to the US National Anthem in any language they want. However, for me English is most preferred.

 

I recall the scene in Casablanca, where the Germans are singing and Rick asks the bar band, to strike up La Marseillaise. Now the entire movie is in English, for American audiences, but when the actors in the scene sing La Marseillaise, they all sing in French. I don't think the scene would have the same impact if they had sung the French National Anthem in English, even though the rest of the film is in English and most of us Americans who have seen the movie, don't understand French. I would have the same reaction to the Star Bangled Banner sung in a language other than English.

 

SA(This message has been edited by scoutingagain)

[packsaddle]

In addition to the language limitation, I'll wager that few of us (me included) know more than one verse of the anthem. Some of us don't know anything more than the tune.

Oh say can you see,

Any black bugs on me,

If you do,

Squish a few,

Save the rest for our dinner.

[Trevorum]

We'll always have Paris...

[Kahuna]

Speaking of Paris . . .

 

In the late 1950's, I was in Normandy at a time when Charles deGaulle was touring the invasion sites. In Cherbourg, there was a huge rally for him. He made a rousing speech (I think, I don't speak 5 words of French, everybody went wild anyhow), at the end of which he led the crowd in the French anthem (can't spell it). I knew the words in English, so I joined in the singing. The notoriously language conscious French folk around me undoubtedly heard me, but no one even gave me a dirty look. If they could stand that, I guess I can stand hearing ours in Spanish.

 

Having said that, I don't think it should become a standard practice for ceremonies and public events.

[Trevorum]

The Normans are famously free-thinkers. What the Academe' prigs in Paris say doesn't hold much weight in Normandy. I'd like to think that if the fellow next to me at the ball game was singing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish, no one would really care. After all, it's the thought that counts, right?

[Aquila calva]

La bandera de las estrellas [lyrics]

 

Verse

Amanece: no veis, a la luz de aurora,

Lo que tanto aclamamos la noche al caer?

Sus estrellas, sus barras flotaban ayer

En el fiero combate en senal de victoria.

Fulgor de cohetes, de bombas es truendo,

Por la noche decian: "Se va defendiendo!"

Oh, decid! Despliega aun su hermosura estrellada,

Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada?

 

Verse

En la costa lejana que apenas blanquea,

Donde yace nublada la hueste feroz,

Sobre aquel precipicio que elevase atroz,

Oh decidme! que es eso quen la brisa ondea?

Se oculta y flamea, en el alba luciendo,

Reflejada en la mar, donde va resplandeciendo.

Aun alli desplego su hermosura estrellada,

Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada!

 

Verse

Oh asi sea siempre, en lealtad defendamos

Nuestra tierra natal contra el torpe invasor!

A Dios quien nos dio paz, la libertad, y honor,

Nos mantuvo nacion, con fervor bendigamos.

Nuestra causa es el bien, y por eso triumfamos,

Siempre fue nuestro lema: "En Dios confiamos!"

!Y desplegara asi su hermosura estrellada,

Sobre tierra de libres, la bandera sagrada!

[Fuzzy Bear]

Listen Dollface, with all of the gin joints in all of the world why did you have to show up in mine?

[Aquila calva]

Que? In espanol, por favor.

 

Scouts can learn so much on this thread. A little Spanish and a pick-up line for the next time they are in a gin-joint.

[Trevorum]

I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

{Your winnings, sir. }

Oh, thank you very much.

 

 

[CalicoPenn]

If Aquila's translation of the Star Spangled Banner to Spanish is accurate (and I don't for a second doubt that it is) then anyone that can sing those words to the tune of that song deserves a medal, not scorn.

 

CalicoPenn

[SemperParatus]

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

 

For anyone that cares, here is the Mexico National Anthem (in English thank you)...adopted a few years after the US-Mexican war...talk about a bloody song!

 

 

Mexicans, at the cry of battle

prepare your swords and bridle;

and let the earth tremble at its center

at the roar of the cannon.

 

Oh fatherland

Your forehead shall be girded with olive garlands,

by the divine archangel of peace

For in heaven your eternal destiny

has been written by the hand of God.

 

But should a foreign enemy dale to

profane your land with his sole,

Think, beloved fatherland, that heaven

gave you a soldier in each son.

 

War, war without truce against who would attempt

to blemish the honor of the fatherland!

War, war! The patriotic banners

drench in waves of blood.

 

War, war! On the mount, in the valley

The terrifying thunder of the cannon

 

And the echoes nobly

resound to the cries of

Union!

Liberty!

 

Fatherland, before your children

Become unarmed beneath the yoke their necks in sway,

And your countryside be watered with blood,

On blood their feet trample.

 

And may your temples, palaces and towers

crumble in horrid crash,

and ruins remain saying:

The fatherland was made of one thousand heroes.

 

Fatherland, fatherland, your children swear

to exhale their breath in your cause,

If the bugle in its belligerent tone

should call upon them to struggle with bravery.

 

For you the olive garlands!

For them a memory of glory!

For you a laurel of victory!

For them a tomb of honor!

 

(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

[scoutingagain]

As I said, if folks want to sing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish or any other language, that fine by me. Their choice. I prefer the English version.

 

But I was thinking,(Dangerous I know.) Semper has done tremendous public service by posting the Mexican Anthem in English. I think that all those who really have an issue with a Spanish version of the US Anthem, should infiltrate Mexico or another Central American country of their choice and sing their National Anthems in English.

 

That would show 'em! I think that would be a great project for the Minuteman project. Turn about's fair play.

 

SA

 

SA

[Aquila calva]

The Spanish translation of The Star-Spangled Banner posted above was found by way of a Google search on the internet. This translation was published in 1919 and is attributed to Francis Haffkine Snow. There are at least three other Spanish translations available on various sites. One particularly detailed site begins with //usinfo.state.gov/esp etc....

 

Since this discussion had gone on for more than two pages over several days, it seemed helpful to at least post what it is was being discussed, or at least one version of the text.

 

While this translation comes to us from the year 1919, the English (American) poem (written in 1814), was adopted as our National Anthem only in 1931. So, at the time this translation was made, it was not the U.S. National Anthem.

 

This post comes to you from someone whose grandparents came to the U.S. from Poland, Germany, Ireland and Luxemburg (by way of Canada about 1895).

 

But today is May 5th so.

 

Viva! Cinco de Mayo

 

Have fun scouting!