In the American coverage of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, at one point there was a interview between Ryan Seacrest and Michael Phelps. I just found out today that NBC decided to cut the song "Abide With Me" so we could hear this interview. Apparently, "Abide With Me" was part of a tribute to those lost in the bombings in London in July 7, 2005. This is only what I have read, as we in the USA, did not see any of it.
Thank goodness they didn't cut that song from the Opening Ceremonies coverage here in Canada! She did a spectacular job of singing it. I think it is also appropriate for the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic because apparently it was the hymn played by the orchestra as the ship sank. At least, that's the legend.
ReplyDeleteHey Debra,
DeleteI figured it would have been a moving and memorable performance from the opening ceremony.
One of the orchestra players on the Titantic was from Eastbourne and they have a plaque for him on the Eastbourne seafront. And they truly did play for as long as they possibly could, it makes me cry to think of it.
Hi Kay, first of all, I love your flowers in your header pic, they are gorgeous. I enjoyed listening to the old song, "Abide With Me", she sang it beautifully. It's so sad to me that America has become such a Godless Nation that we can't even hear an old hymn on TV. Thanks for sharing, Dorothy
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dorothy! Those flowers are from ENGLAND! They are from Richard's parents for our wedding anniversary that we celebrated on the same day as the Queen's Jubliee!
DeleteAnd you know, even if we didn't know how popular this song is in England, couldn't the powers at the networks realize that we could appreciate it for a beautiful hymn? It does make me wonder why the decision was made to cut it....
i read about this. what a horrible decision. i wonder who made that decision and why. what would be any reason not to cover a hymn honoring a tragedy?
ReplyDeletethanks for posting this, kay. i'm glad you don't miss things like this.
love!
kj
Hey kj,
DeleteSince I wanted to hear this song, I was wanting to share it with others.
What a ridiculous thing to cut out. Apart from anything else it has been sung at every major sporting occasion in this country since the twenties and so is a vary major part of British sporting tradition. Despite my team (Liverpool) winning the only Football Cup Final I went to live, it is the singing of Abide with Me that is one of my ABIDING menmories of that occasion. I suspect for many of the youngsters at the opening Ceremony it will be one of their abiding memories when they are old.
ReplyDeleteInstead, we got the profound exhange between Ryan Seacrest and Michael Phelps which I am sure all Americans have now promptly forgotten anything that they said.
DeleteThanks for your comment and sharing that with me. I knew that was sung at football matches and I think "You'll Never Walk Alone" is another favorite. (Here, I am not looking this up, this is from my memory...are those words actually at the gate to the Liverpool Football Club? I might be getting this mixed up with something else. Might be a different place in England, I can't remember everything!)
I agree with Scriptor Senex. But we're used to that over here -- the powers-that-be at the networks regularly decide that we Americans don't need (or won't understand) the importance of the music chosen for such things. Which is why, whenever I can, I watch things like the Olympics coverage on the nearest Canadian Broadcasting affiliate -- Vancouver, BC's CBUT. Only this year the greedy advertising execs at NBC refused to allow the feed to be sold to CBUT, so I don't have a choice! It's NBC or nothing ...
ReplyDeleteI suppose that you have been lucky in the past that you could enjoy the Canadian side of it. I am sorry that you couldn't this year. Greedy NBC, shame on them.
DeleteWhat a shame you missed it. She sang it beautifully, all the more impressive because she was unaccompanied.
ReplyDeleteDear Tracey,
DeleteI knew you would love it and appreciate it. Thanks for your comment. Perhaps I will get to hear it one day.
I hadn't heard of Emeli prior to this, but it sent a shiver down my spine.
ReplyDeleteScriptor Senex is right: the song is,rightly, so prevalent in the UK that it could almost be regarded as a secular folk song.
Henry
A secular folk song? Oh dear, Francis Lyte would not be pleased to know that! But hey, I must tell you, I read a comment from someone about this song and it said, "I'm an atheist but when I conk it, I want this played at my funeral". That made me giggle a bit for some reason, and it should also make you laugh to know that it's so hard for me to think of an atheist, that I had to look up the spelling!
DeleteI also had never heard of Emeli Sande. She sings beautifully. They didn't cut that song from the opening ceremonies coverage in Canada, and I'm not quite sure why they did that in the States. They obviously didn't think it was important.
ReplyDeleteThey cut the song for the USA just because they could.
DeleteHave you ever seen the movie "Quiz Show" which was directed by Robert Redford? If you get a chance, watch it and you will see why this reminds me of that movie.
A lousy decision, but typical, and sad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link, when i get to a computer that plays it, i will enjoy it thoroughly.
Dear Mimi,
DeleteSo very typical.
And when you do get to hear the song, tell me if you don't think that we Americans would have enjoyed hearing it!
There's a fair bit of criticism about NBC. The opening ceremony; and that you have to have a certain television cable/satellite dish package to watch events via streaming. They don't show a lot on tv, so streaming is a great alternative way to see things like Field Hockey, my own particular favorite. But no, you have to get MSNBC in your tv package to watch. The internet is supposed to be for everyone but NBC is kind of the ruler just now.
ReplyDeleteDear Nan,
DeleteI read on one of the comments that NBC stood for NEED BETTER COMMENTATORS!
They talk, talk, talk so very much. There must be a fine balance, you may tell me something, but not try to sandwich every single word into the time space that you have.
I read somewhere that people were able to figure out how to see the opening ceremony live on the internet but I wasn't one of those lucky people!
Morning Kay
ReplyDeleteWith the substitution of 'agnostic' for 'atheist' that quote is almost identical to what I said to Joy and H 40 years ago, and to Sair more recently. The other hymn that might make the playlist is 'The Lost Chord' by Harry Secombe.
Speaking of Secombe (Sir Cumference) his rendition of 'Abide with me' (Sacred Songs-1962) is one of my favourites. Another is by The King's College Choir Cambridge on 'Abide with me 50 favourite hymns'.
The latter is a prized possession. It is the music I was soaked in as a child and which has remained with with ever since: along with the definitely more secular Captain Beefheart, Country Joe,Grateful Dead etc.
If I hadn't read your post I would have never known about this. What a beautiful rendition of this wonderful song. Emeli has a lovely voice. I am still mad at NBC for dropping Ann Curry from the Today show! :o
ReplyDeleteI know I hate they dropped Ann Curry too! Insensitive clods.
DeleteThanks for your comment, I am only now just seeing these last comments in December!
I just read about the omission yesterday - I wonder what else the American audience didn't see. People seem more disappointed in coverage this year, it seems to me. Seacrest is now interviewing sports figures? I think I've been away from the US too long :)
ReplyDeleteI would more than happy to ship Ryan Seacrest to England, they can have him!
DeleteOur coverage was really poxy, in my opinion!
"Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
ReplyDeletethe darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me."
"Abide with Me" is a Christian hymn by Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte, most often sung to William Henry Monk's tune "Eventide."
Lyte wrote the poem in 1847 and set it to music while he lay dying from tuberculosis; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
Oh, thank you so much, for having this whole song here!
DeleteI really appreciate it.
"Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies", I
would be one happy woman if I could write words like this.