Libera- America The Beautiful

[FreeThinker]

Libera has a new video tribute to immigants, particularly the Irish immigrants who came to America during the Great Famine of the 1840's. I don't know if American school children are still taught this song, but every child of my generation learned and sang it and this is the most beautiful version I've ever heard. There was a movement back in the thirties to make this the national anthem rather than The Star-Spangled Banner because it was less militaristic.It's a beautiful piece of music and Libera perform it with their usual skill and emotion.

[dude]

Oh, my God!

[Cole Parker]

Very, very impressive. Yes, we learned and sung that song, too. I always have loved it.

C

[Merkin]

Music, the universal language.

[Chris James]

Just talking with a fellow AD author the other night about this posting. Libera did their American tour in 2014 and the live performance of this song was on their Angels Sing, Libera in America album. This video is something else entirely.

Any of us who have been following Libera over the years will note that the sound of the choir has not diminished even as the small circle of star performers from a few years back have moved on. The new seeds of musical talent will grow from this current group as they age and I look forward to some major talent.

As for the song, America the Beautiful has always been a favorite, far more than the Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem. How many times have we heard that song mangled during sporting events with embarrassing frequency? Granted, the anthem is a bitch to sing and no one in their right mind would expect a rap star to do it any sort of justice.

But I suppose it takes an English boy's choir to remind us that there is some beautiful patriotic music we often overlook. I suggest we have another referendum to have this song replace our current national anthem.

[colinian]

I went to a Catholic elementary school through the fifth grade. We sang 'America the Beautiful' to end our weekly music lesson. I'd forgotten about this. It should definitely be sung more often.

The word in this song that stand out for me is "Brotherhood." We sure need a lot more of that!

Colin