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A stirring anthem

We sometimes wish they would do away with singing the National Anthem at all sporting events, especially when some famous pop singer tries to see how many extra notes he or she can toss in there.

But then we watched the video of the Boston Bruins fans singing the National Anthem at the beginning of Wednesday’s game at the TD?Garden. It was the first NHL game since the bombing of the Boston Marathon, and Boston fans sang their defiance and resolve. Professional singer Rene Rancourt started the anthem, with the Boston Fire Department Color Guard standing at attention. After a couple of lines, the crowd took over. Rancourt lowered the microphone and swung his arm to keep time. The crowd stood and sang in full voice, every word, every note ringing to the rafters. It was an emotional, unifying exeperience. Just Google “Bruins Fans Sing Anthem” to find a video of the event.

The Star Spangled Banner is considered a tough song to sing, with its demanding range and high notes, but it is a powerful anthem, one that is now infused with another bit of history to make it stronger and more evocative.

“Boston Strong” is the rallying cry for the city following the terrorist bombing a the Marathon. Boston proved it Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented forensic investigation is going on to track down those responsible for this attack. We hope people realize this is real life, not “CSI,” where DNA results are available in a matter of minutes. The nation’s top investigators are collecting and sifting a mountain of information, and we are confident they will put together a compelling case against the bombers.

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