"O beautiful, Oh say can you see"

In the pantheon of anthem screwups, this ranks about eleventy zillionth -- he screwed up one line, recovered quickly and got back on track fast enough many listeners might have thought he did it entirely on purpose.


Certainly not nearly as bad as about 98% of the pompous idiots who decide to "reinterpret" the anthem in their "own style," almost always resulting in disaster.

 

Well played. I was anticipating that response. Thank's for not making me wait.

 

"Sing the anthem? Oh, so that's why I'm here."

I guess it could have been worse, he could have sung the opening bars of "Mexico."

 

He screwed it up too.

 

Most moving version of the National Anthem at a sporting event that I witnessed in person was Wayne Messmer at the 1991 NHL All-Star Game at the Chicago Stadium.

 

Yeah, that was less than impressive.

 

When I was a kid in the '70s, the Providence College band could bang it out in 55 seconds.

 

So could every other man here, in his youth. 8)

 

I dreamed I was covering a high school state tournament last night. I really disliked the tournament directors who played the anthem prior to every game, not just the start of the day. I'd heard it anywhere from four to six times on the first day of the tournament. I hoped for teams in my area to be defeated so I could skip most of the second and third days.

 

Marvin Gaye, 1983 NBA All-Star game. My favorite rendition.

 

I envy you. I get goosebumps just watching the tape. Cannot imagine what it was like to be in the Stadium that day.