# Sing our National Anthem the right way! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471 "2011-02-07T01:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/21 "2011-02-07T03:33:50Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > I’m not watching the Super Bowl (freakin’ satellite signal disrupted), but I’m not much for watching football anyway. Browsing the web, I see that Christina Aguilera messed up the lyrics to the National Anthem. I played the video, and what struck me was the style of her singing. I don’t know what the correct musical term is for it, but I think you know what I mean – extending words and phrases into more syllables and expanding the range of each syllable as you go along. Our National Anthem is sacred, people! Get someone who can sing it properly! You can’t just pick a pop singer because he/she is popular and hope he/she gets it right! The National Anthem is not the song for fancy voice gymnastics (hey, I said I don’t know the terms); next time, a baritone or skillful tenor or even a soprano who can reach the high notes and low notes without embellishments. You left out the part where you say she should be arrested and charged with treason. Anyway, maybe you’d like[this version better](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMHJxSYhrS0). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/22 "2011-02-07T03:47:54Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Are you watching a rebroadcast of an old Superbowl? I was impressed by the relatively _conservative_ amount of [melisma](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melisma) the singer used. Which isn’t to say she didn’t use it, just not compared to most singers of the anthem these days. No. A version of the national anthem with conservative melisma is what [this woman](http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips/web-redemption---national-anthem-fail) does on Tosh.0 (starting at 3:44) I just recently heard this, and was very impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/23 "2011-02-07T03:48:20Z")
that utra-diva bullshit is the least classy way to sing anything. It sounds like shit. American Idol sucks because of ultra-diva bullshit. Where did the tradition come from that you have to BELT THE-HOLYMOTHERFUCK-Oooooooooo **uuuuuuuu** T the anthem? I wish John Mayer/Dave Mathews soft style became pop popular. It still sucks but is less abrasive. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/24 "2011-02-07T04:20:10Z")
They should get [this kid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCvMTGs2u8) to do it next year. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/25 "2011-02-07T04:20:29Z")
I wonder how many people are familiar enough with the lyrics to have noticed her flub. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/26 "2011-02-07T04:33:39Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I wonder how many people are familiar enough with the lyrics to have noticed her flub. She pulled it off (the mistake that is, not the song) well enough that for a second I thought I was wrong. I had to go on the internet and look up the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/27 "2011-02-07T05:08:55Z")
> [@Walmarticus](#): > > that utra-diva bullshit is the least classy way to sing anything. It sounds like shit. American Idol sucks because of ultra-diva bullshit. Where did the tradition come from that you have to BELT THE-HOLYMOTHERFUCK-Oooooooooo **uuuuuuuu** T the anthem? > > I wish John Mayer/Dave Mathews soft style became pop popular. It still sucks but is less abrasive. For better or for worse, celebrities performing it at sporting events have been doing it over the top like that for so long, I distinctly remember my sister and I joking about it as kids waaaaay the hell back in the early 90’s. Which was like, 20 years ago. I’m gonna go find a rocking chair and a porch now. In any case, as everybody knows, the only proper rendition of the National Anthem is sung by a large crowd. Preferably with fireworks or something exploding in the distance at “And the rockets’ red glare!” ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/28 "2011-02-07T05:21:41Z")
Whitney Houston '91 is the best version IMB. I read the music director changed the time signature from 3/4 to 4/4. Talk about sacred. I also notice whenever someone botches TSSB it’s usually gleaming/streaming order. I’ve rarely seen someone forget the words completely. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/29 "2011-02-07T05:25:04Z")
They should have Mike Rowe sing it. Seriously. He was a professional opera singer. He doesn’t sing it fancily, but turns in a proper performance of it and takes it quite seriously. He sang it on an episode of “Dirty Jobs” when he worked as a groundskeeper for the Bowie Baysox professional baseball team. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VTRJ2MeSG2Q/hqdefault.jpg "Mike Rowe sings National Anthem.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTRJ2MeSG2Q) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/30 "2011-02-07T05:47:29Z")
> [@Hades](#): > > No, it isn’t; not in any sense of the word. Just a quick glance at [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) and we see the following definition of sacred. > [@dictionary.com](#): > > reverently dedicated to some person, purpose, or object: a morning hour sacred to study. Looks to me like it is certainly sacred in some sense of the word. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/31 "2011-02-07T05:50:26Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I wonder how many people are familiar enough with the lyrics to have noticed her flub. I noticed it, and I’m Canadian. (I’ve heard it at lots of hockey games…) ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/32 "2011-02-07T06:07:22Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > They should have had Jim Cornelison do it right. For those who have never heard him: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wMmIKoC3DQQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC6AKKAgwIABABGGUgTShTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAbjxnRvaTTxtlZOQ6LqTM7g-vF1Q "Chicago Bears National Anthem-Jim Cornelison") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMmIKoC3DQQ) ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/33 "2011-02-07T06:23:04Z")
It isn’t MY national anthem so it’s more of a musical complaint. If you’re leading a group of people in a song, you’ve got to make it so that they can follow it. If you’re a spectator trying to sing, you can’t follow “ooooooooohhh saaaaaaayyyyyy can you ou ou ou ou seeeEEEee?” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/34 "2011-02-07T06:46:46Z")
That Chrysler commercial with Slim Shady was the most inspiring anthem of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/35 "2011-02-07T06:53:57Z")
If you haven’t figured out by now that a lot of people use singing the star spangled banner as an opportunity for fancy vocal work, you should feel bad. (Also, it’s a crappy annoying song anyway, so I don’t really care if you think someone butchered it.) Plus, that was possibly the least melismatic song I’ve heard Christina Aguilera sing so if you thought that was too much, I’d avoid pop music if I were you. ---
**Author:** ![beartato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@beartato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beartato)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/36 "2011-02-07T08:18:49Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > Hades: “No, it isn’t; not in any sense of the word.” > > Well, okay, you got me there; a bit of hyperbole on my part, but I think many patriotic Americans would confess to a lump in the throat and tear in the eye on hearing it. Granted, it’s a difficult song for most singers, but then, there’s the crux of it – get someone who can do it justice! Lump in the throat and a tear in the eye? Even at sporting events? Mostly I just see people shuffling from foot to foot, staring at the ground, waiting for it to be over so the game can start, boredom wafting off their bodies. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/37 "2011-02-07T08:31:06Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Sadly, Jimi Hendrix is dead. Yeah, that is my favorite version and I don’t mean that ironically, or sarcastically. I think that version is beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/38 "2011-02-07T09:59:39Z")
> [@beartato](#): > > Lump in the throat and a tear in the eye? Even at sporting events? Mostly I just see people shuffling from foot to foot, staring at the ground, waiting for it to be over so the game can start, boredom wafting off their bodies. 1000X this. I used to work for a minor league sports club and every time we heard, “Ohhhhh say…can you…seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” there was a collective groan. Whether you got an encore performance depended on remembering the lyrics, singing quality, and how quickly you got it over with. In practice, it was about 99% the last one. ---
**Author:** ![beartato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@beartato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beartato)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/39 "2011-02-07T11:10:22Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > 1000X this. I used to work for a minor league sports club and every time we heard, “Ohhhhh say…can you…seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” there was a collective groan. Whether you got an encore performance depended on remembering the lyrics, singing quality, and how quickly you got it over with. In practice, it was about 99% the last one. It seems rather pointless to me, the whole thing. I get the idea of having the national anthem played. I get the idea of cross-promotion, having a famous singer performing at a big sports event. But the singers seem to need to make themselves the focus of the whole thing, with the trills and the facial contortions and the dragging it out to thirteen minutes - it’s about as ‘respectful’ to the anthem as a stars and stripes bikini is to the American flag. Why not play the instrumental version right before the game starts - the instrumental is apparently good enough for the Olympics - after the famous singer does one of their own songs? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/40 "2011-02-07T12:00:59Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > > [@beartato](#): > > > > Lump in the throat and a tear in the eye? Even at sporting events? Mostly I just see people shuffling from foot to foot, staring at the ground, waiting for it to be over so the game can start, boredom wafting off their bodies. > > 1000X this. I used to work for a minor league sports club and every time we heard, “Ohhhhh say…can you…seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” there was a collective groan. Whether you got an encore performance depended on remembering the lyrics, singing quality, and how quickly you got it over with. In practice, it was about 99% the last one. This has to be a regional/subcultural thing. I’ve been to dozens of minor league ballparks, and anthem time has been taken fairly seriously at most of them. Beer and cash do not cross the counters. Few people other than veterans remain standing for a color guard’s departure from the field, but otherwise the tone is respectful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471.md?page=3)