The Star Spangled Banner - Free Downloads!!!!

[Trauma-san]

Alright! WHOOOO! Here's the hot newness, LOL.  

Anyways, one of the most beautiful songs ever to me, is the star spangled banner.  Of course yall know the story, Francis Scott Key wrote it while imprisoned on a ship, and all night he looked out the window to see if the fort he was stationed outside had fallen (can't remember the name of the fort or where it was, so sue me)... all he could see was when the bombs would explode, he could still see the old tattered american flag still flying, so he knew america hadn't fell yet.  

Lots of people have been lobbying to get the national anthem changed to "america the beautiful" which is a VERY beautiful song, and easier to sing; but for me, it just doesn't have the spirit, emotion, and history that the star spangled banner has.  I think people take this song for granted, but it's supposed to be what america stands for, and to me, very very beautiful.

Anyways, I have here for your pleasure 3 versions of it... by 3 great americans.  Lemme know which one you like the most.


Click Here - Leanne Rimes, Acapella - This is an acapella version, it just shows off what someone with an amazing voice can do... This girl was about 15 or so when she recorded this, it's amazing.  Really passionate and beautiful.  



Click Here - Whitney Houston, 1991 Superbowl XXV Live Version - Everytime I think of the Star Spangled Banner, these pictures (up top) run through my head, of Whitney Houston performing it in front of millions of people at the super bowl.  It was just 11 days after the gulf war had begun against iraq, and Man, she KILLED IT... she had so much emotion in it, and was just smiling and so energetic, I'll never forget the emotion behind that version of it... at the end, too, when she goes "Home of the brave" she ends it on a rising note, and it sounds like it's not the end, it's just the beginning...she was young, beautiful, a perfect voice, and the end of the song, with her standing there with her hand up in victory just hit you like a wave.  I think this version perfectly embodies america, here's an american woman putting everyting into singing this song, for the love of her country, she wasn't singing it like this because she's good, she was singing it like this because she loves america.  I'm serious, when I think of beautiful things, a lot of times I think of how beautiful whitney houston was singing that beautiful song... This is my favorite version, because it was just such a beautiful thing, people were crying watching this.  


Click Here - Marvin Gaye - live @ the 83 NBA All-Star Game - Wow... right? Unfortunately, one of the greatest voices that ever lived was murdered in 1984 by his own father... It's hard to overstate what a great voice Marvin had, and he represented a lot of things that are great about america to me... In 83, Marvin was battling a drug addiction, and had tons of personal problems he was dealing with.  The night of the show, he was even running late, and many people didn't think he'd show up, since he had no-showed performances notoriously, but then, the lights dimmed, and there he was.  People hadn't heard anything like it ever before, and his soulfull version to me, was genius.  Here's a guy who's a legend, putting his personal touch, on a great song... so you don't get just an idea of the beauty of a song, but this version reflects the beauty of marvin gaye, and also how he represented a large portion of the country.  BEAUTIFUL beautiful guy, the world lost a lot when it lost marvin gaye.  

what's your favorite?  

[Trauma-san]

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