By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:06 pm:

OK!!!...WE'VE ALL HEARD DIFFERENT ARTISTS ATTEMPT TO SING (MOSTLY ACCAPELLA) THIS MOST DIFFICULT TUNE!!!...COMPOSER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY APPARENTLY HAD LITTLE EMPATHY FOR THE MYRIAD OF ARTISTS WHO WOULD ATTEMPT (AND OFTEN FAIL)TO DELIVER A CREDIBLE PERFORMANCE OF THIS LITTLE DITTY PRIOR TO MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS!!!...MY CHOICES!!!
BEST: JEFFERY OSBORNE : CLEAN...SMOOTH...AND SOULFUL PERFORMANCE PRIOR TO A LAKERS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES GAME!!!...
WORST: ROSEANNE IN SAN DIEGO (SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHOT)!!!...
MOST CONTRIVERSIAL: JOSE FELICIANO (TIGERS 68 WORLD SERIES FIASCO)!!!...
DUMBEST: ROBERT GOULET (FORGOT THE WORDS)!!!...
SADDEST: TENNESSEE TITANS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN PLAYING THE ANTHEM ON TENOR SAX JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND!!!...SQUEEKIER THAN THAT GIRL WHO WANTED TO SHOOT PRESIDENT FORD!!!...
ANY MORE???...STUBASS

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:08 pm:

BEST:

1975 ALI vs LYLE BOXING MATCH - The Supremes

1982 NBA ALL STAR GAME - Marvin Gaye

1992 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION - Aretha Franklin

WORST:

Year?? Roseanne Barr at some baseball game

By skip (12.2.196.17) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:10 pm:

The best Whitney Houston,And Marvin Gaye The worst Rossane. Skip

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:15 pm:

REESE AND SKIP!!!...YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT IN A GAME PRIOR TO JOSE FELICIANOS CONTRIVERSIAL GAME FIVE PERFORMANCE DURING THE 68 SERIES...MARVIN...DRESSED IMPECCABLY IN SUIT AND TIE...DID DELIVER A TOTALLY TRADITIONAL RENDITION OF THE ANTHEM...THUS...CREATING MUCH BAD BLOOD BETWEEN MARVIN AND JOSE OVER THE "PROPER" DELIVERY OF THE TUNE!!!...STUBASS

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:18 pm:

How fortunate we are over here that our anthem is so instrinsically dreary that none of our singers are tempted to try and "reinterpret" it ;o)

By doctors (68.42.112.108) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:22 pm:

Ozzie Osbourne's rendition at a baseball game. I saw it on TV two days ago.

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:33 pm:

Stubass, I actually have a video tape of Marvin's 1968 rendition. I must admit it bored me, especially in comparison to his later version. However, it was nice to see an impeccably dressed Anna Gaye standing near Marvin as he sang.

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:35 pm:

I heard that Aretha's 1968 version was really soulful, but that she forgot some of the words. Has anyone ever seen or heard this version? If so, how badly did she mess up?

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:41 pm:

Glad you mentioned it, Reese, because I truly
remember it and it was big talk at that time.
She did a "soulful" version which was criticized
at the time, but she also seemed to forget some
of the words!!!! Not good for an American!!!
At that time, not good for a Black American.

Does anyone remember seeing Vanessa Williams sing
it at the SuperBowl where Diana Ross was halftime
entertainment? She did a good job. So did Cher
a few years ago.

Let's face it, it is a very difficult song to
sing. Why this is our natl anthem instead of
"God Bless America" or "America, the Beautiful"
I don't know. The entire first verse ends with
a question that is answered in the second verse,
yet no one ever sings or plays the 2nd verse.

By Eli (141.151.87.9) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:43 pm:

IMO, the best was Marvin and the worst was Roseanne.

BTW..I would love to hear a rendition by rapper 50cent!!!!

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:47 pm:

The first time Ray Charles sang America The Beautiful was to open a Sugar Ray Leonard fight. Ray was superb, and the camera work was first rate with Sugar Ray warming up in the ring in the background. I thought it was an incredible moment.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:52 pm:

HEY RALPH...I REMEMBER THAT WELL!!!...BRUCE ALWAYS WANT'S TO RUB MY FACE IN RAY SINGING "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" WHEN I COMPARE RAY TO OTIS!!!...I WONDER JUST WHAT OTIS WOULD HAVE DONE WITH EITHER OF THOSE TUNES...ESPECIALLY WITH THE MEMPHIS HORNS BACKING HIM UP!!!...HEY RITCHIE...I GUESS THERES ONLY SO MANY WAYS ONE CAN SAVE THE QUEEN!!!...STUBASS

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:55 pm:

Aretha has not always had good luck with the National Anthem.

The 1992 version that I mentioned earlier was great although I do think she mispronounced one word. In 1994, she performed it again at a baseball game. She got so behind that the musicians actually finished playing before she finished singing. Ouch! But she didn't break a sweat. She just kept on singing, and when she finished, she raised her arms in triumph, and the crowd roared.

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 01:56 pm:

Randy, there was a big movement a few years back to make AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL our national anthem. If I'm not mistaken, Ray Charles was a part of that movement.

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:16 pm:

Randm thoughts....
....Stu, as an interesting aside, it was broadcater Ernie Harwell's assignment to book the talent to sing the National Anthem. I remember a radio interview about that where Ernie thought Jose did a good job of the song.

I will forgive Robert Goulet for forgetting the words. is is Canadian, after all.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:22 pm:

I WAS AT THAT GAME DOUG...WALKED IN JUST AS JOSE WAS STARTING TO SING!!!...FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE "OLE ANNOUNCER" VAN PATRICK...HOLDING HIS NOSE AND LOOKING AROUND AT A SOMEWHAT HOSTLE CROWD!!!...ERNIE...WAS QUITE THE OPEN-MINDED KIND OF MAN...AND I CAN UNDERSTAND HIS APPROVAL OF JOSE'S PERFORMANCE!!!...

By Dinelle (64.12.97.7) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:25 pm:

I have to admit. I love Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful". I wonder what he'd sound like if he did sing our nation's anthem.

However, the way Roseanne sang our nation's anthem really hurt my ears. She's a much better comedian/actress than a singer. No offense. I guess she was being herself.

By Soul Sister (65.43.148.15) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:27 pm:

Best:

1. Marvin Gaye

2. Ray Charles

Next best:

Whitney Houston

Worst:

All the rest!

By Bev (68.63.5.177) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:30 pm:

I think everyone wants AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, but politicians are afraid to take a stand, or, at the last minute "no one wants change." In other words, some people start screaming, "They're going to CHANGE the national anthem." And everyone says, "No," because apparently change is something horrendous and should never be done. I forget how many times we've actually changed our national anthem, but few people know that.

But, whatever, I think Marvin singing it with a suit on was a matter of respect. And, Eli, not a rapper. Oh, please tell me you were just joking.

50 cent came to our town, and the whole concert was an insult. He only sang(?) 30 minutes, if that, he was several hours late and people demanded their money back. Then he went to the next town and did the same thing. Aside from all the vulgarity, the sloppy clothes are an insult.

While I agree the national anthem is a disaster as a national anthem, my personal point of view is either change the song, or just put up with it and treat it with respect. As for Aretha forgetting some words, I've often wondered if people don't do soul versions because they don't want to bother learning the words. There are soul versions and there are soul versions. And some I think are just vocal acrobatics.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:35 pm:

*HISTORY OF THE ANTHEMS*

THE "STAR SPANGLED BANNER" WAS WRITTEN BY FRANCIS SCOTT KEY ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 1814...AS THE BRITTISH (AT WAR WITH FRANCE) HAD JUST SENT THEIR NAVAL FLEET INTO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IN AN EFFORT TO CONTROL AMERICAN SHIPPING!!!...AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A PRISONER EXCHANGE WITH THE BRITTISH...AND FOLLOWING A FIERCE NAVAL BOMBARDMENT OF FORT MCHENRY...KEY AWOKE TO FIND THE AMERICAN FLAG...TORN AND TATTERED...BUT STILL FLYING HIGH...INSPIRING KEY TO COMPOSE THE TUNE!!!...IT OFFICIALLY BECAME OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM BY ACT OF CONGRESS ON MARCH 3 1931!!!...

"AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" WAS WRITTEN BY POET KATHARINE LEE BATES ON JULY 4 1895...AS SHE PEERED AT PIKES PEAK...TAKING IN THE GRANDOUR OF HER SURROUNDINGS!!!...THROUGH THE YEARS...NO LESS THAN 74 DIFFERENT MELODIES HAVE BEEN AFFIXED TO THAT POEM...UNTIL THE OFFICAL MELODY WAS FINALLY ACCEPTED!!!...THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST A HALF DOZEN BILLS IN CONGRESS TO MAKE "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" THE NATIONAL ANTHEM...ALL UNSUCCESSFUL THUS FAR!!!...

WHILE WE'RE AT IT...LETS NOT FORGET "GOD BLESS AMERICA"...POPULARIZED BY KATE SMITH IN THE 40'S DURING WORLD WAR TWO!!!...ANOTHER PATRIOTIC COMPOSITION...I BELIEVE COMPOSED BY IRVING BERLIN!!!...STUBASS

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 02:51 pm:

As for Roseanne Barr at the baseball game, I
never understood why they would ask her to
SING, when she is not a known singer. That
is not what she is (or was) famous for. When
I think of all the good singers they could've
asked...

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 03:22 pm:

THE BEST..MARVIN,THE WORST..ROSEANNE.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 03:26 pm:

I believe I heard Natalie Cole sing it for "some" game...can't remember which. She wasn't bad.


Handsome

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 04:23 pm:

I worked at Wrigely Field for 7 years plus another 9 at the United Center in Chicago & I have heard a ton of National Anthems in that time.

The majority were sung by Wayne Messmer, who is the Cubs PA announcer/staff singer. He also used to really rock the crowd at Chicago Blackhawk games too!

The most soulful -

Lou Rawls 1992 at a Chicago Cubs day game. He was great! I was actually walking down Waveland Ave, outside the stadium, when I heard his distinct voice.

I did get to see Aretha Franklin rehearsing the National Anthem with a 20 piece band at the 1996 Democratic National Convention. I don't know if it blew me away, but she certainly was in charge of that rehersal!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 05:32 pm:

Listen to Ray Charles sing "America The Beautiful."

http://www.members.tripod.com/618th-airborne/307th-alumni/id4.html

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 05:50 pm:

SIS!!!...RAY SINGING "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" IS INDEED A HEART RENDERING AND INSPIRING RENDITION!!!...HE'S NO OTIS...BUT RAY HIT THE TURBOCHARGERS ON THAT PARTICULAR PERFORMANCE!!!...STUBASS

By doctors (68.42.112.108) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 05:52 pm:

Wow, I am so relieved! Ray Charles was born in 1930. When he did that Pepsi commercial a couple years ago he looked like he was 90 years old.

...at least thats the impression I got...

By janebse (68.63.5.177) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 06:02 pm:

Roseanne was awful. I don't know why people apologize for saying she was awful. To put the bst possible face on it,one could say she was trying to be funny. But there's humor and there's vulgarity. And there are not the same.

By Des (217.42.15.139) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 06:18 pm:

STU/ I just thought that Kathy Bates was just a good actress - you learn sum'n every day (joke).

Des

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 07:01 pm:

BUT DES!!!...KATHY'S SON NORMAN SCARED THE S#!& OUT OF ME!!!...STU

By Des (217.42.15.139) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

PSYCHHHHHH !!!!

By Margie (67.126.160.94) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 07:54 pm:

Worst - Ozzy Osborne at baseball game on Monday (Anaheim Angels I think). Roseanne at least knew the words and pronounced them...even if she can't carry a tune or sing on key. It's still the message behind the words that's important.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 08:06 pm:

Margie,
Ozzie was trying to sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame. He didn't know the words to that and I'm sure had he tried the Anthem he wouldn't have fare any better.

By 1Wicked (66.27.27.22) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 08:21 pm:

The best: Deniece Williams prior to an "L.A. Raiders" game. Though I had heard the National Anthem hundreds upon hundreds of times before...this was the first time I REALLY HEARD it. It almost brought tears to my eyes.

The worst: Carl Lewis (track star). He makes Roseanne sound like Beverly Sills. How he made it out of that stadium without being stoned or tarred & feathered is truly amazing.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 08:29 pm:

I WAS ALL THE WAY WITH YOU WICKED...UNTIL ROSEANNE AND BEVERLY SILLS MADE IT INTO THE SAME SENTENCE!!!...STUBASS

By JoB (204.42.12.2) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 03:51 am:

Best...Whitney Houston

Worst...tie between Macy Gray and Jewel...don't know what the game was, but Macy looked and sounded high as a freakin' kite...she forgot the words to about 3/4 of the song. Jewel's rendition (from the Superbowl about 3 or 4 years ago) didn't actually SOUND bad, it's just that she had pre-recorded it and wasn't actually singing it live, and all of America found out when they started the tape too early and she wasn't ready...it caught her off guard and she jumped to the microphone and tried to mouth the words along w/the tape, but it was tooooo late...COLD-BUSTED :o)

By Wonder B (81.248.133.25) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 06:27 am:

I will not get out of the beaten path by saying the best was Marvin and the worst was Roseanne
But another close best is Johnny Gill at a Lakers game...
It was issued on the laserdisc issued with all his great hits from the early 90's and his rendition is just awesome... smooth and powerful to real gritty and a sure goosebumps maker at the end...
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis introduce the segment by saying that the guy's a singer's singer...

1Wicked I wish I could have heard and seen that Deniece Williams performance...

Wonder B

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 08:03 am:

I have commercial sheet music for "God Bless America" somewhere in my collection, and it includes original lyrics you very rarely hear at the beginning of the song. Without looking at it now, I believe it begins with:

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea
Let us pledge allegiance to the land that's free.
Let us all be grateful for the land so fair
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

After hearing Diana Ross include these lyrics during President Clinton's inaugural concert, I learned these original lines are very seldom used. She performed it splendidly, as it was broadcast on HBO.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 09:43 am:

HEY UPTIGHT...HOW'S IT BEEN???...TELLING THE TRUTH...THERE ARE EVEN MORE MISSING VERSES TO "GOD BLESS AMERICA"...THAT I HAVE RECENTLY UNCOVERED!!!...SEEMS THAT MR. BERLIN HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WHILE COMPOSING THIS PATRIOTIC LITTLE TUNE...AND WROTE CANDIDLY...THE FOLLOWING...(SUNG TO THE MELODY OF" GOD BLESS AMERICA")

G-D BLESS MY UNDERWEAR...
MY ONLY PAIR...
STAND BESIDE ME...
AND HIDE ME...
READ THE LABEL AND GIVE PERFECT CARE...
FROM THE WASHER...
TO THE DRYER...
TO THE CLOTHESLINE...
IN THE AIR...
G-D BLESS MY UNDERWEAR...
MY ON-LY PAIR...(ON TO BIG FINISH)
G-D BLESS MY UN-DER-WEAR...
MY ON---LY....PAAAAAAAIRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 05:14 pm:

I'm doing okay, Stu, thanks. Last week I was stuck in Detroit during the outtage, but spent more quality time with family. I'm back in L.A. now.

Now who really wrote those lyrics you posted?

-Christopher

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 07:43 pm:

HEY UPTIGHT!!!...I'M NOT REALLY TELLING...AFTER JUST ACCUSING SOMEONE ELSE OF BEING "CHILDISH"!!!...MY FAMILY GOT SMART...FROM NEW YORK AND DETROIT...THEY WERE ALL IN L.A. DURING THE BLACKOUTS!!!...WELL...MAYBE NOT SMART...JUST LUCKY THAT WE HAD A WEDDING OUT HERE LAST WEEK!!!...

By Mark Speck (198.211.138.179) on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 05:23 pm:

Stuttering John from the Howard Stern show once got to Carl Lewis and pissed him off by asking him questions about singing the National Anthem.
John asked Carl if he'd ever sing it again and Carl got in John's face and said "What's your point?" over and over again.

Best,

Mark

By janebse (68.63.5.177) on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 05:25 pm:

Here's an interview site:

Discussion on Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner"

http://discover.npr.org/features/feature.jhtml?wfId=983647

By janebse (68.63.5.177) on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 05:47 pm:

Be sure to click on Smiley's report because it includes his comments and Gaye's song.

I was awed. I posted a bit ago that the singer should treat the song with respect not the contempt Roseanne showed. Gaye did the incredible. He made the song his own, and, yet, amazingly he treated it not as a drum-beating, marching national anthem but as an individual anthem. And then to top that off, he did it in such a way that I received it as his individual anthem and mine too.

Simply amazing. And done so simply and quietly. It also made me cry, thinking of the beauty of his singing and the tragedy of his life.

By J5 Collector (66.188.137.29) on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 03:16 pm:

The Jackson 5 performed a pretty miserable rendition of the national anthem at the opening game of the 1970 world series. It sounded as thought they'd never sung it before. And it didn't help that they were accompanied by a high school drum corps that was off the whole time, too.

By JoB (204.42.12.2) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 03:18 am:

J5...that's funny...is it the same incident as was portrayed in the Jacksons movie? Because if that's the one you're talking about, and if the movie was accurate, I can see why it was so bad. According to the movie, they didn't even know the anthem and had to learn it on the plane on their way to the game...but of course the movie must've conveniently left out the fact that they sounded bad :o)

By J5 Collector (66.188.137.29) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 09:29 am:

I don't know if the movie was accurate or not. It just sounded completely unrehearsed. And in the movie, they ended up sounding pretty good (but of course, they weren't competing with a drum corps!)

J5C

By The Cool Jerk (151.203.227.17) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 11:41 am:

I was never a fan of Jimi Hendrixs' version played at Woodstock.
Thought it was kinda disrespectful in my opinion.

By Rhythm and Blues Sowcase (68.134.97.152) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 11:53 am:

The Best version was Whitney Houston!!!