Header photo by Cameron Strandberg from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
I like my potatoes crispy whether they are french fries, hash browns or chips.
But when they’re in the ground in places like California and Colorado, I’d like them to get a little water. That could become harder in the years ahead, especially since NASA researchers now say a “megadrought” may be ahead in the western and central plains states.
This is all connected to climate change and our unfortunate habits of consumption, which we (including me) can’t seem to shake.
Somehow it has me thinking about the poem Katherine Lee Bates wrote in the summer of 1893 after drawing inspiration from the view atop Pikes Peak in Colorado – one of the areas destined to suffer under the coming Great Dehumidification.
We know her words today as the lyrics to “America the Beautiful,” though by 2050 it might make more sense to change it up a bit.
O beautiful for cloudless skies,
for parched and scorching sands,
for burning mountain tragedies
for cracked and blistering hands!
America! America!
There’s no place dry as thee!
We’ve earned a good Sahara-hood
From L.A. to D.C.
The land at first was green and lush
Indians, thanks a lot!
But after shove had come to push
It started getting hot.
America! America!
We filled the air with gas.
And made the rate exacerbate.
De-moisturized! Alas!
O Mega-drought! The experts say
if we eschew our cars,
we might, calamity delay.
But that’s not who we are!
America! America!
We’d rather face the thirst,
than pay the toll through self-control
so prepare for the worst!
What’s your favorite anthem?
You mean that there’s more than one?
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La Marseillaise
“Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !
Qu’un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons”
A highlight of Casablanca and a good enough reason to learn some French.
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I think I should – we’re going to France in late April…
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April In Paris. Not only a great song but a really good time of year to visit.
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I’m jealous.
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I confess to weakness for Anthem from Chess.
We also have one set to Finlandia in the “new” Lutheran hymnal that celebrates the fact that we can all love our homelands without having to one up someone else’s.
Stil can’t link on the phone :(.
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Also exceedingly fond of O Canada.
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I have had O Canada as an ear worm for months. I have no idea what it means. it is getting annoying.
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Better than the one I have had — It’s all about that bass,bout that bass…..GRRRR. Fun song but tired of the ear worm!
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No treble… She plays it at my Dancaerobics class and I’ve got it too, Jacque!
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Looked up Anthem from Chess and found a new musical I didn’t know existed.
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The music from ‘Chess’ is wonderful.
Would love to produce it… but it’s central plot of US vs. Russia and chess is rather dated.
But thanks for reminding me of it.
Anthem:
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I have been a fan of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Was Made for You and Me.” Tinged with a bit of socialism, a cry for social justice, a dash of subversiveness (especially when you get to the trespassing and the relief lines)…about the most patriotic song I know. Got me in trouble in 4th grade when I picked it as the patriotic anthem for the day (okay, it’s not really an anthem – but it doesn’t have to be “rah rah we’re #1” to be patriotic and asking tough questions about a land that Woody clearly had an affection for). Given Dale’s re-write of “America the Beautiful” this verse from its dust bowl origins seems a bit prescient:
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting
This land was made for you and me
We may see more dust clouds and fewer wheat fields soon. Guess I better get into my fossil fuel driven climatechangemobile and go see those wheat fields while they’re still there.
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“L’Internationale”, naturally, unless “The Red Flag” is in the running. I think this should be the Billy Bragg version of “The Red Flag”, with the catchier original Irish tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEKYQ4GOqmk
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I have always love L’Internationale.
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I was not familiar with The Red Flag. Thanks for mentioning it, Crow Girl.
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Billy Bragg is awesome. And this is a great tune.
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Good morning.
Some of the great rock songs might qualify as anthems. I like this one by The Grateful Dead.
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Yeah!
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Rise and Sing your Heart Out in Patriotism or Whatever, Baboons!
I am still composing the response about apples which I never got to yesterday, and now I must respond to Anthems? I am behind.
Anthems seem to need some rhythm and marching potential, not to mention parody potential. That leaves only the old saw, “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The words are actually way too, too, too warlike and angry for me, but the parody potential while marching to school singing is quite excellent. I never got over the fun of that …
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of
Wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible
Swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
[Chorus]
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
Right now, of course, I cannot come up with a single parody that I so loved.
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Well, come back later if you remember one…
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I only remember the first two lines, but my cousin taught me:
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured every teacher, we have broken every rule…
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Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured every teacher – we have broken every rule
We plan to hang the principal and secretary too
Our troops are marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler
Met her at the door with a loaded .44
And she bothered me no more!
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now teacher dont teach no more
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I can remember several rousing anthems when in church as a child – one that comes to mind at Easter was “Holy Holy Holy”. I’ll think of something more current and get back later…
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Your lyrics are brilliant Dale, I hope you’ve copyrighted them! I stand in awe. It could be the anthem of 350.org.
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It’ll probably not come as a surprise that I’m fond of the Danish national anthem.
Also very fond of the Indiana state song. It’s wonderful to sing in the car. Hans and I often do.
Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see
The gleaming candle light, still shining bright,
Through the Sycamores for me.
The new-mowed hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam.
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash
Then I long for my Indiana home.
[ piano ]
(When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash
Then I long for my Indiana home
Back home again in Indiana…
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Either no one posted a comment today, or the site’s malfunctioning again?
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OOPS – comments finally show!
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mig mentioned the Finlandia Hymn, which I love; here is one version:
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.
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That’s the one!
Sadly cannot sing it as I get too teary.
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We used to end our last singing session at my beloved camp with Song of Home (Finlandia) or Song of Peace (from the New World Symphony). I’d look around through my tears and find I wasn’t the only one crying. The beauty of the song and the emotion of the end of the week were too much.
More lately, we’ve been closing with something more upbeat like Honey in the Rock or one of the African songs. Here is one we sing in English (our translation We Are Marching in the Light of Love). We don’t have the staid beginning (or the costumes or choreography) but we do have the spirit after about 1:00.
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I’m now looking up the definition of an “anthem” just in case l have anything to say
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Like others, anything to Finlandia is good for me – we do one at First UU that I like a lot.
This is a song that always chokes me – I think it fits into my definition of anthem.
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From the same era, Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock has always been something of an anthem for me.
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I love the “Black National Anthem” – so majestic with major/minor, loud, soft.
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The South African national anthem is so beautiful, perhaps my favorite of them all.
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I had never heard that before. Beautiful. I like that they honor several of the languages spoken there.
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And then there is this:
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Fanfare for the Common Man, which has no words, but the title itself is an anthem, but the high-toned classical music folks are currently turning up their nose at Copeland, especially the Fanfare, and insisting on pronouncing it Ro-DAY-oo, even though Copeland made it clear it’s Ro-DEE-oo. But then today I am told among the many things in my life for which I am supposed to hide in shame, is now added having been an AP teacher.
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I love the Fanfare for the Common Man, and I don’t give a hoot what anybody says.
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The classical elitists can pry Copland from my cold dead hands…or something like that. Copland is one of my favorite orchestra composers (second only to Beethoven, and sometimes that changes with my mood).
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yes to common man. love copeland and that one in particular
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In the same league, this:
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I know I would have Liked this if it didn’t come back “This video does not exist”.
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What are you using? A so-called smartphone? It works just fine on my laptop.
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On my PC, the one Sherrilee posted (above the Dvorak) says it doesn’t exist…
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OT – The Penumbra Theatre’s current production is “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” written by Lynn Nottage. It’s very, very good. Tonight there’s a free event related to it::
It’s cold outside so join us, alongside the University of Minnesota’s English Department, in what is sure to be a delightful and interesting discussion with playwright Lynn Nottage.
Coffman Union Theater – University of Minnesota East Back.
7:30 pm tonight – FREE!
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Just in case anyone is interested in the above talk, here’s a link to more details:
https://events.umn.edu/Playwright-Lynn-Nottage-Talk-and-Rea…
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OT: As long as we’re talking free stuff:
Viva Verdi! Verdi’s Requiem
Presented by Wayzata Symphony Orchestra/Edina Chorale
and Two Rivers Chorale
When: Sun, February 22, 3:00pm – 5:30pm
Where: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (map)
Description: The Wayzata Symphony Orchestra announces
VIVA VERDI! Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem is a musical setting for four soloists, double choir and full orchestra. Marlene Pauley, Music Director
FREE, NO TICKET REQUIRED
Donations gratefully accepted
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Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is the anthem for the Suzuki music method, and I tear up everytime I hear it.
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Daughter attended the Montreal Suzuki School Summer Institute several times and played on that stage, conducted by the gentleman in the video leading the twinkles.
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Awwww!
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paul simon has two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3kKUEY5WU
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Excellent.
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Yes to the song. I can’t watch it, though.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco
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this and the next are two of my favorites. cant you just visualize the country that would make this their anthem. i like them as my personal anthem
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i want this one to be played when my country wins the gold metal and have all the people its ok to sit during my national anthem
the united timerates
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Here’s a song that could stand next to This Land Is Your Land and be able to hold its head up:
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Linda, you’ve done it again. Wonderful, thanks.
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