“NATIONAL ANTHEMS”(AS THEY SHOULD BE SUNG) – By Des Kelly

It was the “Australia Day” The Cricketing Test Match between Australia and Sri Lanka, held at the Adelaide Oval in 1996, a memorable year, in that, it was also the very first time a “Visiting Team” National Anthem was both played and sung at a sporting event, on Australia Day, a practice that has now become a tradition.

     This was where this British Singer, Brian Gilbertson comes in. He first sang the Australian Anthem (of course), & then, started on the Sri Lankan one, which brought the entire Sri Lankan & Australian teams to attention. They could not believe what they were hearing, this Englishman singing in Sri Lankan, better, it seems than most Sri Lankan Singers had done before. After he had finished singing, an excited Sri Lankan Cricket fan(and there are millions of them), came up to Brian and hugged him, telling him, 
“Sir, you sang that better than I could do, and this is MY LANGUAGE!!.

     Folks, this “post” was sent out to various people, by yet another famous Sri Lankan Musician, Dallas Achilles, who is a “Trumpeter” of no mean repute, and this being the case, I decided to listen to Brian on the channel without further delay. Ladies & Gentlenen, this is what I heard.

His voice, and enunciation, especially on the Australian Anthem was perfect. On the Sri Lankan Anthem, the voice & tonal quality, again, perfect, the enunciation of the Sinhala lyrics, naturally, were near-perfect. Yet, as that Sri Lankan fan said, I have YET to hear anybody sing that Anthem better. Brian just stood there, like the Professional he is, looking smart, confident & totally at ease, singing his heart out, & it was indeed a pleasure to watch, so my thanks, firstly to Dallas & secondly to the VERY BEST RENDITIONS of two great National Anthems, by BRIAN GILBERTSON.

     I am very proud to present “National Anthems” (as they should be sung),.to all Australians,.& Sri Lankans, 
be they Cricketing fanactics or not. Your FLAGS, your NATIONAL ANTHEMS, your CULTURES, & your HERITAGE, should NEVER be treated lightly. 
In America, I know for a fact, that even if their National Flag is “dropped” accidentally, as it is being reverently “folded”, the penalty of the person, Serviceman, or otherwise, is harsh. So, let it be, for Australia and Sir Lanka.