Aug

4

NASCAR Nat’l Anthem: Cringe-Worthy but with Some ‘Cher’ Swagger

Filed Under Sports | 9 Comments

Usually when people butcher the Anthem the cringe-worthy parts are the high notes. This flips it around and makes the listener wince on the low notes. I caught some Cher in this performance, with a bit of Michael McDonald and just a hint of Roseanne Barr:

She must be the daughter of a track official or something.

I’ll say this for her — she still did about ten times better than I would have. Which still isn’t necessarily a compliment.

Comments

9 Responses to “NASCAR Nat’l Anthem: Cringe-Worthy but with Some ‘Cher’ Swagger”

  1. SignPainterGuy on August 4th, 2013 3:39 pm

    That was a bit painful to listen to. The cup race anthem singer, whoever he was, wasn`t a world better.

  2. Pasadena Phil on August 4th, 2013 5:32 pm

    Contrast that to the greatest performance by far of "God Bless America" ever. Period.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWKDMbLxwdM

    Martina McBride at 2002 Pasadena Rose Parade opening ceremony. How can anyone sing so well? I never get tired of listening to this. Plus she's drop dead gorgeous!

  3. SignPainterGuy on August 4th, 2013 6:16 pm

    Certainly one of the best renditions I`ve heard. Thanks, Phil ! Now to find a face towel …..

  4. Pasadena Phil on August 4th, 2013 6:32 pm

    That was the first parade I worked and I'll never get over how it feels to be in a crowd with all of the distractions and background crowd noise when suddenly a performance for the ages happens right in front of you. The audience was blown away. The Rose Parade has been one of the most patriotic events in America for a long time. Great way to start every year.

  5. SignPainterGuy on August 4th, 2013 6:37 pm

    No doubt about any of that !

  6. Granny55 on August 4th, 2013 8:11 pm

    I love Martina – what a fabulous talent! As for the Nascar rendition – can someone get me the version of the signer for the deaf – I am sure that would have been much better.

  7. backwoodsconservative on August 4th, 2013 8:12 pm

    I long ago got so disgusted by people trying to make a performance out of the national anthem or trying to change it up to make it their personal rendition of it that I got to where I usually hit the mute button as soon as they start.

    One thing I loved about the 1995 World Series was that all of the people who sang the national anthem (one of whom was Joe Walsh) did it straight up; no showboating, no personalization of it, they just sang the song. I was grateful to all of them for it.

    BTW, perhaps one reason the national anthem is so hard to sing well is that it was written to the tune of an old British drinking song.

  8. rosa on August 5th, 2013 8:27 am

    Ouchy! It's a difficult song, which is why it's only ever tackled *correctly* by operatically trained singers. It's not a pop song. How sad when big shots alters the form of this timeless classic, thus inspiring their mimickers to do likewise.

  9. SignPainterGuy on August 5th, 2013 9:44 am

    Back in the late `90s, my ex-part time boss and friend carried cd copies of Leann Rimes `97 All Star Game rendition of the Nat`l Anthem to give to race track officials. When you travel around the country most every weekend and hear the NA 3 times, a bad rendition becomes more than painful. I never tired of this version.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j24gSr0qMY

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