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14 Best and Worst Celebrity National Anthem Performances
You’ll hear the "Star-Spangled Banner" before sporting events and even the fireworks this July 4, but let’s just hope the performer isn’t Roseanne Barr or Hillary Clinton Here’s a look at the very best and worst celebrity renditions of the national anthem.
Roseanne Sets the Bar for Musical Treason
Call it the Titanic of anthem disasters: Roseanne Barr’s 1990 performance at a San Diego Padres game left no note unmolested, no stanza unshrieked, no enemy of America uncomforted. The comedienne even finished it off with a hocked loogie and a groin grab. Who does she think she is, a baseball player?
Whitney Houston, We Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston at the 1991 Super Bowl was so inspiring, such a reminder of what is great about our anthem (and Whitney when she’s not on-camera with Bobby Brown), that it was released as a single and actually hit the charts, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard 100.
Memo to Carl Lewis: Run, Don’t Sing
He may have won nine gold medals, but that doesn’t mean he should be holding a microphone. Not for singing, anyway. At least he tells the booing crowd he’ll “make it up” to them—too bad he didn’t keep that promise.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Justice Clinton?
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
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MurrayAbraham
IMHO you left out the best in recent years. The Dixie Chicks at the 2003 Superbowl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU5AYcAhvyo
It is great because they don't use the occasion to show off their vocal prowess with artsy vocalization, but stick to the "script".
For that matter I believe most performers who vocalize around the true melody are just hidding the fact they can't actually perform it. I.e. it is a very difficult part to sing.
Hawnzz
I love that one too! (And I agree with the second statement too!)
MariosRight
I agree with you. Sing the traditional version or don't sing at all.
hithere3
Umm... you forgot the GREATEST rendition of all.
http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/9/BORAT-sings-national-anthem-3662 52.html
Come on, guys. Wake up.
kbmcd2009
Wow, the Dixie Chicks, incredible. Definitely in the top 5.
Hawnzz
If you like screaming diva's... here is the reigning queen. It can appear harsh to the ear at first, but if you can get past that it is one of the most powerful (and by that I mean nuclear-powered) performances you'll ever hear. (It's Patti Labelle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxGK2Shp8po
This is also another performance by a young singer which most of us know well. She has one of the most powerful voices to come on the scene in a very long time. And this version is as good as Whitney/Beyonce. (It's Jennifer Hudson)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE-7YqwZZ4o
And the Queen of Soul... (Miss Aretha Franklin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhyxr6gP3eo&feature=related
As Americans we are bless with a truly beautiful national anthem. It is always amazing to hear it done well.
(Or you could say we're cursed, it's wickedly difficult to sing... it requires a large vocal range and moves quickly up and down many runs. If you don't have chops... please don't torture people in public.)
ForeignFemale
No one will ever beat Marvin Gaye's pure, soulful version of our anthem. Ever. Soft and easy, dare I say it, sexy. No screeching or forcing the pipes to go where they can't. A gift to hear.
wiredroach
Sorry, but Whitney lip-synced her performance. You have to do it live for it to count.
SteveStephens
really? That's dissapointing if it's true. But I read it on the internet, so it must be true, right?
TotalRecall9
What idiot made you believe that?
thankulord13
Everyone pre-records at the Super Bowl! Please reframe from making comments on things you seem to know nothing about!
Cinghiale
Marvin Gaye at the NBA All Star game.
Nuff said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A
slobone
Non-singers who try to do it a cappella always get in trouble because they start too high. They forget that it gets a lot higher in the middle...
Gerarddm
Absolutely Marvin Gaye, going away, the best. With a spectacular nod to Jimi, on a whole 'nother level.
Swick2730
Hendrix's explosive rendition is a great one. Too bad it was edited down so much here.
Roots12
Whitney is in a different league. Her's is the best because although her very powerful vocals were on display she was more ethusiastic and patriotic than diva.
KemCho
Whitney- no doubt about it!
TotalRecall9
Hands down Whitney Houston sang the best national anthem. Apparently, Beyonce did a great job also.
I hate it when they want to make their own rendition. Just sing it like it suppose to be song. Stop making an ass out of yourself.
Brendino
That actually wasn't Christina Aguilera's first time singing at Mellon Arena for the Penguins...here's a vid of her doing it in 1992...when she was 11 years old! Her tone is off a touch but boy did she belt it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leTzT3v_mls
Spasticula
Daily Beast: Snark here, snark there, more snark over there, pile on the snark, even in covering the 4th of July, more snark.
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