Tag Archives: band

Air Force Band Celebrates Christmas, Flash Mobs Smithsonian

2 December 2016 JD

The US Air Force Band continued its annual tradition of a “flash mob” performance of holiday songs. This year was less “flash” and more “mob,” given the use of prepositioned stages, but, in a refreshing surprise, the “holiday” songs clearly referred to the “holy” day:

This year’s event featured two Christmas carols: “Patapan,” which the vocalists sang in French and English, and “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” which is based on a French dance tune originally by Jehan Tabourot, with the text being written by English composer George Ratcliffe Woodward.

From the two songs, which are clearly Christmas carols: Read more

Government and Religion

Chris Rodda Criticizes USAF Band Because ISIS

18 December 2014 JD

It didn’t take too long for Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s research assistant, Chris Rodda, to pen a diatribe criticizing the US Air Force Band’s “flash mob” kick-off to the Christmas season. As is her typical style, she wrote an 800 word passive-aggressive narrative without ever really saying why she was writing it, other than a vague objection to “religiosity” on the part of the Air Force.

Near the end, though, she finally cut to the chase:

I’ll bet there are some Islamic extremists out there who are also being quite “inspired” by these viral videos of mobs of uniformed U.S. military personnel belting out lines like “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!,” “Joy to the world! the Savior reigns,” and “This, this is Christ the king!”

Way to go, U.S. Air Force Band!

Ah! So the MRFF thinks that if Islamic extremists will hate America Read more

Government and Religion

AF Band Flash Mobs Smithsonian with Christmas Songs (Video)

4 December 2014 JD

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.

Continuing a tradition begun last year, the US Air Force Band “flash mobbed” the Smithsonian and performed What Child is This? and Carol of the Bells, to the delight of the crowd:

The Air Force Times Flightlines blog noted that the official Air Force Band website said the first song was Greensleeves. While Greensleeves is the same tune as What Child is This?, the vocalists were clearly singing the lyrics to the latter.

Military members can Read more