Off topic: Super Bowl National Anthem
 

You think that Christina Aguilera could get the words right.

Maybe I shouldnt get wrapped up in it. but after all some of us have sacrificed you think she could have spent a little time making sure she got it right.

The gal from Glee would of been better

As I was listening to it I thought something sounded a bit odd......and then, my brother called to discuss the issue......blech.

Hey Christina, don't lock in those lyrics.

Wayne Bradey says.....
 

Me likey!

And for thsoe who may have missed it......below is from the "inter-web" (Thank you Mr. Gore!)

Well, at least we know she sang it live?

The National Anthem at the Super Bowl is typically pre-recorded, but Christina Aguilera chose to sing it live for the Packers vs. Steelers game on Sunday night... and she probably shouldn't have. Yes, Aguilera messed up the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," singing "what so proudly we watched" instead of the correct words, "o'er the ramparts we watched."

Oops.

It's the Super Bowl. They couldn't have hooked her up with a prompter?

Especially since the Bears weren't in it and the 'prompters' were available.

I appreciate your sentiments. However, the great thing about this country is even though some bottle blonde (she looks SOOO much better as a brunette) can screw up the words but a) Isn't wearing a burka and b) won't be beheaded or have her tongue ripped out for screwing up the lyrics.
Having said all that, I think it was awesome that they did a live shot (can't remember the award or who won it) from overseas. Now THAT guy shows commitment!

The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. For 2010 it was Madieu Williams, Vikings.

Thanks, I just watch the game for the commercials and occiasional 1/2 time. (The Who, Prince, U2). I think it really justified the award that he was with our troops. How easy would it have been for him to be at the "Big Game". Class act!

Don't Know If She's Single, Or A Mom, But She's Still Hot ...
 

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Meh...I thought she looked about as good as she sang.

+1 Much hotter as a brunette!!

Sing the song like it is our National Anthem...it is not up to your personal interpretation...I hate singers who stray and use notes that aren't even there. Give the song the respect it deserves.

Sometimes Cover Bands Are Boring ...
 

I believe that Francis Scott Key would also think that she was hot.

As long as they keep it under 1:25 or so. It's not a funeral dirge. We had a band last week that finished it in about a minute. I want to take them from school to school with me.

And I thought Aguilera was trying to look like Cyndi Lauper. Terrible look, terrible voice. Too bad, cause now we'll be forced to go back to lip synching both the anthem and the halftime show (which is getting terrible reviews cause of the sound quality -- hey, at least they were actually singing! It's not a sound studio and isn't going to sound like one).

Actually, Christina is a natural blonde, though probably not that tint we saw yesterday.

Solid mechanics, bad execution.

she messed up the lyrics...big deal...it's was a mistake...and things happen.

let's not read into it things like: she's "un-american", she was disrespectful to our troops, she should learn the words because she clearly doesn't know them, etc.

she knows the words...of course she's embarassed...it was an honest mistake obvious to the nearly 100 million people watching.... let her be....

instead, she should REALLY be criticized for they way she looked....:) yikes! age has not been kind to her...;)

Must be personal preference. I actually came out impressed by her voice. Yeah, she missed a line, but it's not the end of the world and she wasn't trying to make some sort of political point (a la Black Eyed Peas) with it. I give her a pass.

Was the rendition a bit too personal for my taste? Yeah, a bit; but not so much that I'd fire her or make them lipsync it in the future.

And You Know This, How ???
 

Reminds me of a quote by Bond, James Bond:

<object width="459" height="55"> <param name="movie" value="http://ecdn0.hark.com/swfs/player.swf?1292974220"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&dataPath=http://www.hark.com/clips/jsffljxxhq.json"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://ecdn0.hark.com/swfs/player.swf?1292974220" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="autoplay=false&dataPath=http://www.hark.com/clips/jsffljxxhq.json" width="459" height="55" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><span style="font-size: 9px; color: #ddd; display: block; width: 440px; margin-left: 5px;"> (<a href="http://www.hark.com/clips/jsffljxxhq-collars-and-cuffs-match" style="color: #aaa;">Link</a>) View more <a href="http://www.hark.com/collections/pdmpvkvqcy-jill-st-john" style="color: #aaa;">Jill St John Sound Clips</a> and <a href="http://www.hark.com/collections/vpghyqvnyf-tiffany-case" style="color: #aaa;">Tiffany Case Sound Clips</a></span>

Billy is now embedding sound clips in his posts. :eek:

2012 is right around the corner, right?

Especially For You Guys That Can't Read ...
 

Cool, Huh?

+1, although I still like how she looks.

I saw a sign at a game last weekend:

Class of 2012:
The Last Class

Spot on with funeral dirge..........and she is looking like Cyndi Lauper!!

Good catch

Unfortunately.

and they know the words...
 

They should have had the Cactus Cuties do it. They are right there in Texas, and sing better.

YouTube - The Cactus Cuties sing The National Anthem Original Video

No wonder she screwed up....check out the audition video...

YouTube - National Anthem USA

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! +1+1+1+1+1+1+1!!!!!!!!

Peace

Get in, get done, get out.....:D

That was probably the worst anthem since Rosanne Barr. Utterly irritating.

The best in recent memory...the 2009 Orange Bowl by Arturo Sandoval. His performance was both stunning and chillingly gripping, not an "everybody look at me" performance.

YouTube - Arturo Sandoval National Anthem, 2009 Orange Bowl.

Personally, I'm quite fond of the rendition done by Philadelphia Flyers anthem singer Lauren Hart.

She's the daughter of the long-time (now deceased) voice of the Flyers Gene Hart, she's a breast cancer survivor, and she's easy on the eyes, too.

Bonus material, she sings O Canada before the anthem here.

YouTube - O Canada / Star Spangled Banner sung by Lauren Hart

Cool Ending ...
 

Watched the video. Thought, "This is good", until I got the the end of the song, and changed my mind to, "This is really great". Thanks for sharing.

You Don't Have to Be A Flyer's Fan To Appreciate This ...
 

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She should be. She was wandering around looking for pitches. She actually changed key twice. YUK! My middle school students sing it better than she did. IMO performers that try and make singing the Star Spangled Banner more about them than about those who have sacrificed for our country ARE being disrespectful. :(

I disagree.

1. It's not disrespectful. It may not offer sufficient respect, but that's different and even then up for debate.

2. If the networks wanted the standard versions, they'd simply go out and hire a local middle school chorus to sing it.

A competitive middle school chorus?

Varsity :rolleyes:

Well of course. They're much better than the recreational middle school chorii.

I disagree with you Snags but I can respect your right to your own opinion. If you read the post - I didn't make a universal statement, I prefaced it with IMO. My opinion is no more right or wrong than yours or anyone elses.

Nope - My chorus is just your everyday variety of middle school kids.

Yes it's true that some some places do go out and get these kids to sing various renditions of the Star Spangled Banner. Our MS and HS kids have successfully sung at professional basketball games numerous times.

My personal favorites are the local high school kids that perform; even if they end up changing keys. :D

Maybe the NFL (and broadcasting network) should hold some sort of competition every year to choose a high school chorus local to the Superbowl location for the anthem.

I just wonder, because they always seem to bring someone in who wants to make it their own.

I remember when my group was practicing to sing it for my graduation from basic training, our instructor had four words for us.

"Don't #*@& it up."

LOL :D I've had my share of key changes over the last 25 years but - as a group we've managed to not mangle the words ................ yet. :)

Yeah, that's like missing a layup or dropping a would-be-touchdown pass in the endzone.

+1

Elite even.

I agree on both counts. The clip you posted by Sandoval was very good - the octave jump at the end was nothing short of stunning.

One of my personal favorites is the performance by Josh Groban at a Lions/Packers game - Thanksgiving of 2001 if I remember correctly. I was less enthralled with the version he did at the 2010 Rose Bowl, accompanied by the base guitarist from Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Minor variations to fit a particular performer's vocal style don't bother me, but I really hate it when they butcher it. That said, it's not an easy piece of music to perform. Speaking as one who in years long past has had the honor and privilege to perform it a number of times (including 1 NBA and a couple WHL hockey games), I have always done it straight.... the way it was written.

When I was in marching band, our director would always remind us the two songs we were never allowed to make mistakes on were the Anthem and the fight song because everyone would notice.

Ewwww!

Please, please, don't use Latin plural endings on Greek-rooted words. :mad:

"chorices?" :D

Xenophon's Anabasis
 

Nope. Probably "Xopoi", transliterated in its first declension nominative plural form. ;)

Reminds me of what Safire once wrote about the plural of 'octopus', which confronts the same issue. He said that 'octopi' is wrong (uses a Latin ending), 'octopodes' is pedantic (uses the proper Greek ending), and so the best choice is to make a regular English plural with 'octopuses'.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming, despite the fact that I'm wondering how the forum's resident plumber is so knowledgeable about Greek...

I Don't Follow
 

Need the two be mutually exclusive? Then again, all my psyche is divided into three parts. ;)

Not mutually exclusive, just a rare combination. It's ok, as my plumber is a sociologist. ;)

Shoulda Seen it coming.....
 

Tonight's game, the announcer asks everyone to rise for the National Anthem, and then says, "And, no Ms Aguilera is NOT singing!"

Slightly off-topic from the off-topic thread - I was at a school last night where the National Anthem was performed by only the band's tuba and euphonium players. I didn't know what to expect when they first came out, but the instruments sounded very good together. The rendition was straightfoward, with harmonies, obviously, but the 4 of them did a great job. It was unique, but very cool.

I'm late to the discussion... but...

Same thing happened to me. I was like... ummm, I think she skipped a line.

Either way, she did a very, very poor job - which is an extreme understatement.

Similar in my game. Announcer asked everyone to stand and join in the singing of the national anthem. He then adds, that if anyone is having problems with the words - they are printed on the wall. (and they are) :D

National Anthem Thoughts
 

Various Points, not all of which may be universally accepted:
1. The National Anthem, such as it is, is best "presented", not "performed"
2. Any singer doing this in order to call attention to him/herself deserves to be sent to Guantanamo or somewhere
3. As cherished as our nation's anthem is, we really need to update it to something that really rocks. Canada's anthem, now that can get a crowd joining along, cranking it out at the tops of their lungs. "God Bless America" can offer that rousing spirit better than the time-worn tune of the national anthem we have before games today.
4. The pledge of allegiance, perhaps led by a local veteran, would be a more effective call to patriotism than the aged tune and lyrics of the National Anthem, as much as I cherish it personally.
5. Varsity girls' game last Friday had a harmonica player doing the anthem. Ho hum. I'm sure his parents are proud of his performance.
6. Only one school around here has fans who actually sing along. I recall when, at an away game, the CD player broke, but it didn't matter because the visiting fans from that school, singing at the tops of their voices just kept on singing. By that time, even the home fans joined in.
7. Sadly, for most people the national anthem is a time to review the league, conference, and state championship dates on the banners on the wall next to the flag.
8. I'm as American as they come, just observant enough to detect the obvious, that our national anthem needs some real help, and self-serving performers calling attention to themselves don't cut it. Here in the land across from Rut our state had a year-long "Attention for the National Anthem" project whereby the assembled crowd were specially invited to join in singing. No one really did.
9. Don't call me a commie for these opinions. Just stating what is obvious to many besides me.
10. Don't have a #10. Yes I do: If a performer seeks a stage for artistic individualism, let 'em get in line to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for WGN's seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field.

The anthem is just fine. The band tonight at my game was incredible and their version was interestingly different yet respectful and beautifully performed. I could have listened to it again.

The bigger problem is that a lot of mediocre singers attempt to sing a highly difficult song and just can't cut it....they just don't have the range that it covers.

It cracks me up when people say "it is disrespectful to make the song their own." For one every song that is sung is someone's own. Not everyone has the range for this song as it has a lot of ups and downs in tone and pitch. The best version I have ever heard of the song has been was from Whitney Houston back in 1990. If she did it as a conventional song it would not have been as special.

It is a hard song to sing (ask Carl Lewis :D). And Jimmy Kimmel proved that the average person likely does not even know the words to the song. Heck we have people that crack in officiating when they have a couple of thousand watching them, there was millions watching this. I am sure it was a little overwhelming.

Peace

+1

I would agree with you on some of these things, #10 for example, and I think #6 is great. I don't agree that we need a National Anthem that 'rocks'. I think that 'God Bless America' is a great song and it would make a good National Anthem. However, I suspect that the reason our present anthem is only 'tolerated' by many is the lack of historical perspective, something I believe is not being taught in our schools today. Most people probably don't think about what was going on when Mr. Key wrote those words while standing on the deck of a British warship as it bombarded Ft. McHenry. They probably don't think about the prisoners below deck who asked throughout the night, "Is it still there? Is it still flying?" and the only way Mr. Key could tell was by the light provided by the bombs and rockets that were shredding his fellow countrymen. I frankly don't know how they held out. I've been in a rocket attack with 14 to 16 rockets and it seemed to go on forever. (I don't say this to brag. I was just a rabbit hiding in a hole hoping, praying it would end soon.) I can't imagine how they endured through 1500+ bombs and rockets. Our National Anthem was born in fire and blood. All other suggestions pale in comparison. No, I think the one we have now is just fine. May God bless our flag, the country it represents and those who serve under it.

I will have to chime in here..

The National Anthem is not s spirit song

By definition anthem:
1.A hymn of praise or loyalty.
2. A choral composition having a sacred or moralizing text in English.
3. A modern ballad accompanied by rock music instrumentation.

# 3 above might be able to stretch to a spirit song but ...

Aged tune and lyrics?

The tune....The connection with Anacreon, along with the "drinking" nature of the lyrics, have caused many people to label "The Anacreontic Song" a drinking song...The song was commonly used as a sobriety test: If you could sing a stanza of the notoriously difficult melody and stay on key, you were sober enough for another round.

I think that would still apply today....If it is a raucous song sung in early America then it is perfect. The country was founded on rebellion...

The orginal name was Defence of Ft McHenry. It clearly outlined how the flag stood through terrible bombardment and stood for the free colonies.

For those who dont know the other verses

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The lryics are still as appropriate today as they were in 1812. What was displayed first at Iwo Jima, what was displayed at the Twin Towers. A US Flag..

I have stood in the place between my home and war's desolation. To me as someone who has served in the military for over three decades, the words of all stanzas ring true for me.

We were started in war, we continue to battle for freedom... as long as we do that, the words are time honored...

On Target
 

Well stated, Kelvin green. If the points of your post became widely known, then the help I remarked that the National Anthem needs would be aptly supplied.
I went to watch games tonight at that school I mentioned where, when the band plays the National Anthem, the entire home crowd sings the entire anthem loudly and proudly (in truth, it's my alma mater, and I don't get there much as I'm assigned elsewhere most nights). It's presented by the pep band, not performed by an individual. It's played with a nice, singable pace, and sure was a good experience for all there, as it is each game there.
Again, your words and insights provide the help needed. Not sure how it could become more widespread, as that kind of gratitude and understanding deserves.

Off topic:

Does anyone know of any other nation states that play their national anthem before every domestic athletic contest (at every level)? I enjoyed the tradition until we doubled up with "God Bless America" in most cases.

Now it just feels jingoistic and bizarre...

Cameron,
Thanks for posting that! Incredible! Now on to the other ones posted in this thread.