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2006-12-05 05:30:40 · 17 answers · asked by wainwatkins 1 in Society & Culture Cultures & Groups Other - Cultures & Groups

By "the national anthem" I mean the American natinal anthem.

2006-12-05 05:34:01 · update #1

I learned that most Americans do not know the national anthem from the website www.nationalanthemproject.org. According to these folks two out of three American adults do not know the national anthem.

2006-12-05 06:20:38 · update #2

17 answers

the one we have is hard to sing because its really high notes and it's kinda long, but everyone I know, know's God Bless America and it's easier to sing because its not all high notes, so I don't know why that's not our song, heck I even know that song in sign language.

2006-12-05 10:09:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

I can think of several reasons, the main one being we don't 'have to' know it. Perhaps if we needed it to say, access our bank account, instead of a password that would give us motivation, (a 'reward', if you will) for remembering it. Plus it isn't something we are going to, in the normal course of a day, need to sing or recite, except if you spend everyday at a baseball game where it is sung before every game(for example)


Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight'
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen, thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;
'Tis the star-spangled banner: oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that has made and preserved us as a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust";
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

2006-12-05 13:43:20 · answer #2 · answered by kewtber 3 · 3 0

I was raised a Marine brat and my husband joined the Army and my brother in law is in the Air Force so I was taught the National Anthem by the time I could speak and I have done the same for my kids. Just hearing the song makes me cry and I am saddened by the fact that people in this country do not care enough about the country to learn it's history and our Anthem. Parents are not doing their jobs as well as they did 30 years ago I guess.

2006-12-05 13:40:06 · answer #3 · answered by freakyallweeky 5 · 3 0

I think the reason why most people don't know the words to the national anthem is our memories have a use it or loose it style. Since we almost never sing the national anthem outside of school, we quickly forget the words.

2006-12-05 13:49:08 · answer #4 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 0 1

We had to learn it in kindergarten. I used to have to sing it every morning in elementary school and then when I got in Jr high they just played a recording of it for us. My step sons tell me that they don't have to sing it every morning and they are in 5th grade...a recording is played. So if they don't have to sing it like I did...who knows if they really know the words either. I know I get them to take their hats off when it is played.

The tune is hard to sing. If you start out too high you are burned when you get to this one spot (land of the free). It also seemed to be written in "old english". It has words I know I don't use.

I think if they put it up for a vote I think most Americans would rater have "God Bess America". But then I was raised near Philly and any person in there 30's would remember Kate Smith would always sing God Bess America before a Philadelphia Flyer's hockey game instead of our national anthem. Every once in a blue moon they dig a recording out of her and play it when they need luck.

I like the Canadian anthem. I learned that buy watching sports. I think they have a song that is easier to sing and is sort of catchy.

2006-12-05 13:51:43 · answer #5 · answered by hard rock girl 3 · 1 0

What?? I hope this is an unsubstantiated argument or else i'm going to be very depressed! We used to have to read the anthem in print, and look up the words that we didn't know when i was younger. I still tear up sometimes when i get the image of bombs bursting in air. It's a beautiful poem in it's own right and i hope at least that's one poem a child knows.

2006-12-05 13:40:35 · answer #6 · answered by smm 6 · 2 0

Children are not brought up and taught the National Anthem these days.

2006-12-05 13:39:03 · answer #7 · answered by Big Mac 2 · 0 0

Do you mean all the words? Every verse? Or just the first verse?

The problem is, the music is just so messed up that you have to think about that, and you forget about the words.

God Bless America should be the national anthem, anyways.

2006-12-05 13:34:12 · answer #8 · answered by jinenglish68 5 · 2 1

Basically because we are lazy. I was taught the words in school back in the 50's . Sad to say but I sometimes flub them myself. I am rarely at functions that require the singing of our anthem but I should be able to remember those words as well as I remember the pledge of allegiance; but I don't know if kids are even taught the words of the national anthem today.


LL

2006-12-05 13:39:09 · answer #9 · answered by LeapingLizard 3 · 0 2

"we might sing it maybe 5 times in our lifetime"

I disagree with that unless you're very sheltered or don't go anywhere. For instance it's sung before every sporting event.

I agree it's laziness or ignorance if someone doesn't know it or teach their child it. The Pledge of Allegience also.

2006-12-05 13:39:37 · answer #10 · answered by M C 3 · 1 0

Who says they don't? Americans watch a lot of sports so I think most people know most of the words just because of that.

2006-12-05 13:32:39 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

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