General Music Chat

Can you explain what an Anthem is?
Structure wise - song writing

Zip an anthem is usually a song that can be used to pin point any sort of celebration. Sports or nations, anything. (modern view)

WE will , we will, ROCK YOU. That one line can be used as an ANTHEM.

An anthem can be as simple as one line or as complicated as our national "anthem" ( it is really a simple form song also)

Hope that helps a bit.

Zip, My Understanding is that an anthem is a "celebratory" type of music, (as Glen has described) , but it has its roots from the English Church..., Anthems were typically used for services (usually by a trained choir)

Structure: Typically Homophonic/ Hymn ... For example if you listen to the Star Spangled banner (Our national Anthem) the melody pretty much follows in tone and gesture the body of the song's instrumentation. Its hymn quality solves for the 3-4 part harmonization of the instruments... (Listen to the richer brass parts as they inter weave with subtle counter melodies.

For all intents and purposes, the structure of modern anthems have a Intro, an embellished Middle and an outro. Much like any other contemporary song.

Glen mentioned Queen's "We will rock you"... In that case, Mercury threw in some "oratorio" which takes the anthem back to a a time when anthems had the religious musical subtext (Oratorios are also famously used with operas)_

Because Anthems are typically homophonic, they work really well with John Q Public gatherings... where audiences are willing to sing along .. So the lyrics should probably be simple.

Another example of a modern day anthem,, was that guy who wrote "Proud to be an American" shortly after 911. Its a stretch but I feel it qualifies as a psuedo anthem

Or it might be any song that a group of people pretty much accept as their own and choose for their event theme. No?

(damn songwriters,,, they always take three words and turn them into a verse)
I put up 3 stupid lines and Dog just about turns it into a whole song!!!!

The name is Toby Keith -- Dog[/b]

Zip, My Understanding is that an anthem is a "celebratory" type of music, (as Glen has described) , but it has its roots from the English Church..., Anthems were typically used for services (usually by a trained choir)

Structure: Typically Homophonic/ Hymn ... For example if you listen to the Star Spangled banner (Our national Anthem) the melody pretty much follows in tone and gesture the body of the song's instrumentation. Its hymn quality solves for the 3-4 part harmonization of the instruments... (Listen to the richer brass parts as they inter weave with subtle counter melodies.

For all intents and purposes, the structure of modern anthems have a Intro, an embellished Middle and an outro. Much like any other contemporary song.

Glen mentioned Queen's "We will rock you"... In that case, Mercury threw in some "oratorio" which takes the anthem back to a a time when anthems had the religious musical subtext (Oratorios are also famously used with operas)_

Because Anthems are typically homophonic, they work really well with John Q Public gatherings... where audiences are willing to sing along .. So the lyrics should probably be simple.

Another example of a modern day anthem,, was that guy who wrote "Proud to be an American" shortly after 911. Its a stretch but I feel it qualifies as a psuedo anthem

I need to correct myself.. Oratorio is not Opera... And I mis-stated. Oratorios stand on their own in lieu of opera, and they usually depicted scared /religious undertones. The Reference to Freddie Mercury was to illustrate that he did approach the style. (Not being religious though)

The name is Toby Keith -- Dog[/b]

Are you sure it wasn't Lee Greenwood?

Or it might be any song that a group of people pretty much accept as their own and choose for their event theme. No?

Yeah Pretty much... It ranges from fight songs to Chorals. Depens on the crowd, the cause, and the spirit.

there's nothing wrong with having musicologists on hand

Would this qualify??
It certainly is 'sing along' driven on the chorus part after one or two listens...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjiWb1O_L4

Would this qualify??
It certainly is 'sing along' driven on the chorus part after one or two listens...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjiWb1O_L4

Ehh prolly not... Its a hook -driven song (the chorus is catchy)...but I personally would not rate it as an anthem.

If you listen to a song like Iron Butterfly's Inagodadavida, that starts to approach it... I think its because that song is "tuneful" (The hook and subsequent development is unforgettable, repetitive and simple) Thus It has a potential to invoke a movement behind the experience.

Silver Bride kinda runs mono-tonal in comparison. It doesn't really express the sense of movement. Not to say its a bad "rocking out " song, if you are at the bars or throwing a party... I just dont see any revolutions starting at a bowl game with it ha ha!

A lot of ACDC songs have the knack for kicking up the dust, anthem style...

Sorry if I'm rambling... I'm typing out loud to myself ...

I think the anthems all share a few things in common...
1) Tuneful
2) Homophobic (Simple melodies/paralleling the musical structure of the peice)
3) Tempos are forward moving and not down beats (I could be wrong)
4) They have an "epic" feel to them.

SOrry Zip, I wish I could be more helpful...

Eh... I'm just dead brained today.
I'll come back and re read after I recharge...

Toby keith was after 9/11
Lee greenwood was before.
Same type songs though.[/b]

Oh, Parallel.
Like that damned "everybody must get stoned" song.
Eh?