01/19/2009
Historic First: Washington DC Gay Men's Chorus Performs At Obama Inauguration Concert
In a historic first, yesterday the Washington DC Gay Men's Chorus performed to a national audience in the live broadcast of Barack Obama's inauguration concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Backing pop stars Josh Groban and Heather Headley, the chorus performed My Country, 'Tis Of Thee wearing suits adorned with the red AIDS ribbon. The ribbon was the only indication that the chorus was gay, because like several other choruses that performed yesterday, their name was not announced or listed onscreen.
After the jump is a video clip of the chorus' performance, which starts at the 3:00 mark. The clip may have a short life on YouTube, as the concert was an exclusive production of HBO.
Posted 1:32 AM EST by Joe Jervis in Barack Obama, Inauguration, Music, Washington DC | Permalink
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An inspiring performance. But of course, the group was not identified because, like Bishop Gene Robinson whose invocation was also deleted, they're openly gay, and that wouldn't be appropriate for the troops who saw the festivities broadcast to Afghanistan and Baghdad.
Posted by: Paul Weidig | Jan 19, 2009 2:31:17 AM
Is it just me or does that song not sound an awful lot like "God Save the Queen" with different lyrics?
Posted by: Kyle | Jan 19, 2009 7:07:28 AM
After a Google or two...
I guess it's because it IS "God Save the Queen" (or King) with different lyrics. I had no idea that the same tune is used in several countries and/or churches as the basis for different hymns.
Posted by: Kyle | Jan 19, 2009 7:32:13 AM
when i was watching the concert in dc i was sad that they did not inform anyone that gene robinson or the mens choir were gay. throughout the day i heard wonderful speeches about civil rights that seemed to echo our very own struggle. i knew about gene and i could tell who the choir was because of the pins, but everyone else was probably clueless because it did not directly affect them. i understand that most of the choirs were not recognized, but the naval academy glee club was and when having such a strong correlation between the speeches they made of the past and present, it should of been necessary to address them, especially since this concert seemed to be an olive branch to the lgbt community after the whole rick warren bs.
Posted by: sergio | Jan 19, 2009 8:32:35 AM
the choir should have worn rainbow ribbons.
Posted by: our brand | Jan 19, 2009 8:57:34 AM
A friend of mine was in that choir last night. He told me that though it was only half of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, they carried cards with them that had the names of all the other members of the chorus who weren't there, including the many members who died from AIDs. They get to choose which ribbons they "should" wear.
Posted by: jno | Jan 19, 2009 9:09:00 AM
I think they should have held hands during the performance and made out with each other after the song was over. That would have driven the point home.
Who is Heather Headley? And why was she looking at Josh Groban at the end of that number like they were singing a love song?
Posted by: peterparker | Jan 19, 2009 10:40:03 AM
That was beautiful.
I agree with OUR BRAND that they should have worn rainbow ribbons. They are, after all, the Gay Men's Chorus and not the AIDS Men's Chorus. Besides, I get tired of the assumption, within and outside the gay community, that gay and AIDS are synonymous. It seems to me that with all that's going on these days surrounding gay rights and gay visibility, most especially with the controversial gay-related inaugural issues, that it is more important the the chorus be visibly identified as gay than it is to wear a red ribbon that has practically lost all meaning as a symbol of AIDS awareness or gay rights awareness in America.
Posted by: Zeke | Jan 19, 2009 10:54:47 AM
Heather Headley comes from Broadway. First Lion King then Aida she has also done the wonderful concert version of Dreamgirls.
Posted by: tommy | Jan 19, 2009 11:24:53 AM
Another comment...what is interesting about the Gay Men's Chorus being introduced by Queen Latifah is that, although she has never come out, most people believe she is a lesbian.
Posted by: peterparker | Jan 19, 2009 11:28:40 AM
The chorus was great but I do get tired of pop singers doing their own versions of a song - they should sing it as written, especially if it is the National Anthem or a national hymn as this "America" is. And,
shame on HBO for editing out Bishop Robinson. They will of course, say, it was for time constraints.
Posted by: Willard | Jan 19, 2009 11:30:55 AM
...not that she actually introduced them.
Posted by: peterparker | Jan 19, 2009 11:34:46 AM
I think it's embarrassing that they performed such a schlocked-up version of the song. You can bet you'll never hear anything like that at Westminster Abbey for the "inauguration" of a new king or queen.
Posted by: St. Theresa of Avila | Jan 19, 2009 11:45:25 AM
Yes it was imperfect. But they were there. Any way you slice it, it's an advancement. Is it enough? Certainly not. But I wept when I saw this, and it gave me just a little bit more energy to persevere.
Posted by: Christopher | Jan 19, 2009 12:00:56 PM
I was in the chorus, and we were all bummed we weren't announced on the screen or in the final credits. But we were announced in the radio broadcast by NPR, and mentioned by name in the The Washington Post. There were many other performers not credited by HBO including all the other chorus' so it appears poor organization played a part in that. We had nothing to do with the arrangment of the song, but were honored to sing the song Marion Anderson had sung.
Posted by: Giuseppe | Jan 19, 2009 12:28:24 PM
I was disappointed that they didn't say who the choir was. I saw the ribbons and the impecable dress and I was fairly sure. I'm glad they sang and sang well. Just because you want to sit in the front of the bus doesn't mean you get to do that without spending time in the back. It's wrong its unfair, but at least we are on the bus with ever increasing oppotunities to move forward.
Posted by: Ann McClelland | Jan 19, 2009 12:29:57 PM
Although I, too, was disappointed that the Gay Men's Chorus was not identified by HBO, I didn't see any of the many other choruses identified, either. None of the back-up singers were identified, including Jame's Taylor's, and that back-up singer had an exceptional solo.
It's good to be vigilant, but we must also be careful not to get paranoid and too ready to identify conspiracies that probably don't exist.
Only the "stars" were identified.
Posted by: BJ | Jan 19, 2009 1:34:27 PM
WHAT a bummer -- 'video removed because of copyright claims by HBO...' ??? geesh.
is this posted elsewhere guys?
thnks much!
Posted by: t in houston | Jan 19, 2009 2:18:38 PM
--i found it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uq2VR77R3s
~t
Posted by: t in houston | Jan 19, 2009 2:34:56 PM
Says Zeke: "I get tired of the assumption, within and outside the gay community, that gay and AIDS are synonymous."
I'm not sure how old you are, Zeke. But AIDS and gay, for a significant amount of time, WAS synonymous. Because we should never forget the havoc AIDS has (and continues to) wreak on the gay community, is why many gay people continue to wear the red ribbon.
I feel fortunate to have come of age sexually after the period of time that AIDS was claiming more gay lives than any other group. And at the same time, fortunate to have come of age sexually before the complacency that seems to have set in among many our community.
Rainbow ribbons would have been great, I agree. But I see nothing wrong with reminding the world (and our own community) that AIDS is still problem.
Posted by: PatrickPatrick | Jan 19, 2009 3:14:44 PM
The best inaugural coverage is always on C-Span. Anyway, what dreary singing! Patriotic songs sung by choir almost always tend to be as stiff as molasses in January. It's a style of singing I can't stand.
Posted by: anon | Jan 19, 2009 4:05:03 PM
Millions of people are going to be watching and there have been weeks to prepare and yet HBO doesn't identify who is on the screen singing? I always considered HBO gay friendly but obviously these continued orchestrated "mistakes" prove otherwise. Very disappointing to see such blatent incompetence and homohatred from HBO. I just cancelled my subscription since there is no need to give my money to those who pretend I don't exist.
Posted by: SFshawn | Jan 19, 2009 4:49:59 PM
I am a member of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC and sang at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. I was fortunate to be half of our chorus that actually got to sing (we are a chorus of 225 members but could only bring 100). We also had no control over the music selected. Like many of you, we were disappointed and frustrated that we were not mentioned in the credits. But I believe that we did make a difference yesterday, and that we, as a collective community, did change some hearts as well. It was an amazing experience. I hope that our presence on stage yesterday opens more doors for us to educate about the gay experience. We will continue to persevere and we will never give up.
Posted by: Dennis | Jan 19, 2009 5:50:59 PM
Wow, that's great. I wish I should be one member of the Gay Chorus there. well, I am still a member of LGBT, bisexual. it's great. I feel a proud for those gays. One of my LGBT friends known from Bimingel.com told me that he had been there. It's really great, and make us LGBT moved. I have check the vedio online. Anyway, I am proud to be one member of LGBT
Posted by: Wendykon76 | Jan 19, 2009 11:07:58 PM
Wow, that's great. I wish I should be one member of the Gay Chorus there. well, I am still a member of LGBT, bisexual. it's great. I feel a proud for those gays. One of my LGBT friends known from Bimingel.com told me that he had been there. It's really great, and make us LGBT moved. I have check the vedio online. Anyway, I am proud to be one member of LGBT
Posted by: Wendykon76 | Jan 19, 2009 11:08:32 PM