# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Apollo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@Apollo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/41 "2011-02-07T12:38:50Z")
[US National Anthem by the Academy Choirs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE) The definitive version. ---
**Author:** ![Hrududu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Hrududu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrududu)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/42 "2011-02-07T13:09:35Z")
> [@beartato](#): > > 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? Yeah I don’t get the appeal of a famous singer at all. Although this is coming from a foreign perspective. I love hearing the anthems played before sporting fixtures, for example before a Rugby match. Nothing tops 70,000 odd people singing the anthem with gusto to get the blood up before the game. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/43 "2011-02-07T13:29:46Z")
I was wincing and cringing through that whole thing. She was hitting about seven different notes on each syllable, and sometimes none of them were the right notes. ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/44 "2011-02-07T13:30:16Z")
Just chiming in to say I agree with the OP. Some songs just sound better in their original version. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/45 "2011-02-07T14:12:48Z")
> [@silk1976](#): > > Just chiming in to say I agree with the OP. Some songs just sound better in their original version. Ditto. The part I don’t get is the squeezed shut eyes, grappling hands, arched back, bent knees, writhing… you’re singing the song, not having sex with it or wrestling with it. Although oversinging the national anthem isn’t just an American thing. I remember at the winter Olympics last year, some singer managed to savage “O Canada” ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/46 "2011-02-07T14:15:57Z")
If they continue hiring Pop Stars to sing the Anthem, they will sing it using the style that made them famous enough to be hired for the Superbowl. I’m sure the jocks don’t want to hear some damn opera star. Why not go to straight instrumental & let the people screw up the lyrics? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/47 "2011-02-07T14:24:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I don’t even get why we sing it at sporting events. Seems to “de-sacredfy” the whole thing, so to speak. I went with the kids to the circus on Friday - they did the national anthem while a lady wearing some red, white, and blue sequins and a whole lot of boobs rode an elephant around the arena waving a flag. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/48 "2011-02-07T14:25:29Z")
I think it is high time to just admit that our anthem sucks and no one can sing it well. We need to replace it with something that every American can sing, like “Baby Got Back”. When did Christina Aguilera begin turning into Cyndi Lauper? She is starting to look just like her, especially when oversinging. ---
**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, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/49 "2011-02-07T14:56:02Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > I think it is high time to just admit that our anthem sucks and no one can sing it well. I don’t agree. I’ve heard numerous admirable renditions, even including some expression from the singer. There are some great instrumental versions as well, which could fill the role as far as I’m concerned. ---
**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, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/50 "2011-02-07T15:15:05Z")
> [@Hrududu](#): > > Yeah I don’t get the appeal of a famous singer at all. Although this is coming from a foreign perspective. > > I love hearing the anthems played before sporting fixtures, for example before a Rugby match. Nothing tops 70,000 odd people singing the anthem with gusto to get the blood up before the game. I agree, it’s cool the get the juices going, but it can only work if you have an instrumental version (Live or recorded) playing or a person singing it by the book and not five-bar extensions to every note “Goooooood oh oh oh oh Goood save save yeah saaaaaaave the Qu-eeeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEEeeeennnnn” would be un-sing-alongable. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/51 "2011-02-07T15:21:59Z")
Agreeing with the Mike Rowe and Jim Cornelison recommendations. It’s probably not a coincidence that both have sung opera professionally. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/52 "2011-02-07T16:21:20Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > 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. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTRJ2MeSG2Q&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTRJ2MeSG2Q&feature=related) Holy shit, that was one of the best renditions of it I have heard in many fucking years of it being ruined by ‘artistic interpretations’ I am one who believes that music should be performed as written, the composer wanted it done in a particular manner, and that is how it should be done. [and yes, I am another person who hates when light opera companies fuck with the lyrics of I have a Little List] ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/53 "2011-02-07T16:25:30Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > They should get [this kid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCvMTGs2u8) to do it next year. I disagree. She’s doing exactly what everyone is complaining about. She goes for the big flashy moments, then speeds up and mumbles the lines that she isn’t able to waver one phrase for an interminable time. She does have a powerful voice and I like some of her delivery, but who knows what will happen when she gets older and her vocals tricks begin to wear on her voice. I believe it was Whitney Houston that ruined the National Anthem. She was the queen of overly dramatic vocalizations and managed to score a Top 20 hit (#6 on re-release after 9-11) with the song. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/54 "2011-02-07T16:34:34Z")
> [@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. I get a lump in my throat every time I hear my anthem played at pretty much anything; I also make a point of singing along with it. Somewhat off-topic - can someone explain this comment from the Mike Rowe video for me? > [@](#): > > He grovels out a semi tone between a low g and a low f…not quite one or the other. Most trained classical singers would sing this in the original key of F or at worst transpose it down a major second if they were a lower voice and not in the best vocal shape. He transposed this down a perfect fourth. Is that…good? ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/55 "2011-02-07T16:46:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I get a lump in my throat every time I hear my anthem played at pretty much anything; I also make a point of singing along with it. SAME. Can’t help it. But I am an easy weeper for that kind of stuff. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/56 "2011-02-07T16:58:50Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I went with the kids to the circus on Friday - they did the national anthem while a lady wearing some red, white, and blue sequins and a whole lot of boobs rode an elephant around the arena waving a flag. See, if they did that at the Super Bowl, I’d probably actually watch the National Anthem. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/57 "2011-02-07T16:59:48Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I wonder how many people are familiar enough with the lyrics to have noticed her flub. Hey, the ramparts line is the best part. I knew about it from a story before we watched it on DVR, and it sure looked like some of the people they showed on the field rolled their eyes after she goofed up. But she used about half the notes per word as some previous singers, so maybe we’re getting there. Suggestion for next year: get a teleprompter and stop paying the singer by the minute. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/58 "2011-02-07T17:17:30Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > See, if they did that at the Super Bowl, I’d probably actually watch the National Anthem. I was amazed at how much T&A there was at the circus, by the way. I had never before seen a busty contortionist. ---
**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, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/59 "2011-02-07T17:18:11Z")
[petty history-geek nitpicking]I never understood the cheers and fireworks at “…and the rockets red glare…”. It was British rockets trying to crush down US independence. [/petty history-geek nitpicking] ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471/60 "2011-02-07T17:49:13Z")
[Because we’re all hearing it in the back of our heads](http://movieclips.com/TFDkq-the-naked-gun-from-the-files-of-police-squad-movie-national-anthem/)… “Whose bright stripes and broad stars, in the perilous night?” “And the rockets red glare, bunch of bombs in the air…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sing-our-national-anthem-the-right-way/570471.md?page=4)