Nuestro Himno

[Irvine511]

[q]An Anthem's Discordant Notes
Spanish Version of 'Star-Spangled Banner' Draws Strong Reactions

By David Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 28, 2006; Page A01

Oh say can you see -- a la luz de la aurora?

The national anthem that once endured the radical transformation administered by Jimi Hendrix's fuzzed and frantic Stratocaster now faces an artistic dare at least as extreme: translation into Spanish.

The new take is scheduled to hit the airwaves today. It's called "Nuestro Himno" -- "Our Anthem" -- and it was recorded over the past week by Latin pop stars including Ivy Queen, Gloria Trevi, Carlos Ponce, Tito "El Bambino," Olga Tañon and the group Aventura. Joining and singing in Spanish is Haitian American artist Wyclef Jean.

The different voices contribute lines the way 1985's "We Are the World" was put together by an ensemble of stars. The national anthem's familiar melody and structure are preserved, while the rhythms and instrumentation come straight out of Latin pop.

Can "The Star-Spangled Banner," and the republic for which it stands, survive? Outrage over what's being called "The Illegal Alien Anthem" is already building in the blogosphere and among conservative commentators.

Timed to debut the week Congress returned to debate immigration reform, with the country riven by the issue, "Nuestro Himno" is intended to be an anthem of solidarity for the movement that has drawn hundreds of thousands of people to march peacefully for immigrant rights in Washington and cities across the country, says Adam Kidron, president of Urban Box Office, the New York-based entertainment company that launched the project.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/27/AR2006042702505.html

[/q]

 

[verte76]

I think this is great. It's a community of people with a shared goal coming together to try to accomplish something. I think one's view of illegal immigration is beside the point here. Both sides have made some good points, and I'm confused about the issue myself. I'd love to hear it.

 

[Irvine511]

i was told that this was mentioned in another thread, but this was a very fleshed-out article, so i thought it deserved it's own thread.

but mods, merge if ye deem the need.

 

[stammer476]

I think it's a great idea. America is made up of what's inside of it, and currently, a large portion of that is spanish speaking people.

However, this section made me a little uncomfortable. If you're going to translate it, then translate it. Don't edit out what you don't like:

In the Spanish version, the translation of the first stanza is relatively faithful to the spirit of the original, though Kidron says the producers wanted to avoid references to bombs and rockets. Instead, there is "fierce combat." The translation of the more obscure second stanza is almost a rewrite, with phrases such as "we are equal, we are brothers."

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Beautiful idea. A country belongs to its people.

 

[Justin24]

Here is the text to the Anthem! I cannot believe they changed the words around!!!

"Lyrics to 'Nuestro Himno' ('Our Anthem')
Amanece, lo veis?, a la luz de la aurora?

lo que tanto aclamamos la noche caer?

sus estrellas sus franjas

flotaban ayer

en el fiero combate

en señal de victoria,

fulgor de lucha, al paso de la libertada.

Por la noche decían:

"Se va defendiendo!"

Oh decid! Despliega aún

Voz a su hermosura estrellada,

sobre tierra de libres,

la bandera sagrada?

Sus estrellas, sus franjas,

la libertad, somos iguales.

Somos hermanos, en nuestro himno.

En el fiero combate en señal de victoria,

Fulgor de lucha, al paso de la libertada.

Mi gente sigue luchando.

Ya es tiempo de romper las cadenas.

Por la noche decían: "!Se va defendiendo!"

Oh decid! Despliega aún su hermosura estrellada

sobre tierra de libres,

la bandera sagrada?

English translation:

By the light of the dawn, do you see arising,

what we proudly hailed at twilight's last fall?

Its stars, its stripes

yesterday streamed

above fierce combat

a gleaming emblem of victory

and the struggle toward liberty.

Throughout the night, they proclaimed:

"We will defend it!"

Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave

above the land of the free,

the sacred flag?

Its stars, its stripes,

liberty, we are the same.

We are brothers in our anthem.

In fierce combat, a gleaming emblem of victory

and the struggle toward liberty.

My people fight on.

The time has come to break the chains.

Throughout the night they proclaimed, "We will defend it!"

Tell me! Does its starry beauty still wave

above the land of the free,

the sacred flag?"

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5369145

 

[melon]

Changing some words is not uncommon when dealing with any translation from one language to another--especially when dealing with songs.

Melon

 

[nbcrusader]

I'm sure there are plenty of other versions out there.

 

[the rockin edge]

that's cool, but no way it can live up to the Hendrix version





and the illegal immigrant thing shouldn't have anything to do with this, there's many perfectly legal immigrants whose first language is spanish.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Changing some words is not uncommon when dealing with any translation from one language to another--especially when dealing with songs.

Yes that's true, and that's how they explained it on the news stories I saw. I don't understand why that's a problem for some people

As for disrespecting our anthem I see so many Americans doing that at baseball games, etc.by talking, talking on cell phones, leaving their caps on, and in other ways. If you're going to do that well what right do you have to criticize anyone else?

 

[BVS]

and the illegal immigrant thing shouldn't have anything to do with this, there's many perfectly legal immigrants whose first language is spanish.

Exactly, but common sense doesn't always prevail in these types of discussions.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I couldn't find the thread that mentioned Bush allegedly singing it in Spanish. His English isn't all that bueno either

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush likes to drop a few words of Spanish in his speeches and act like he's proficient in the language. But he's really not that good, his spokesman said Thursday.

"The president can speak Spanish but not that well," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "He's not that good with his Spanish."

McClellan's comment was noticeable because presidential press secretaries usually boast about a president's ability rather than talk about any shortcomings. McClellan is in the last days of his job, leaving the White House next week.

McClellan made his remark in response to a report that Bush had sung the Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish during the 2000 campaign. Just last week Bush said the national anthem should be sung in English, not Spanish.

"It's absurd," McClellan said of the report, suggesting that Bush couldn't have sung it in Spanish even if he had wanted to.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

 

[indra]

"It's absurd," McClellan said of the report, suggesting that Bush couldn't have sung it in Spanish even if he had wanted to.