The following is a partial reprint of an article I read on Yahoo Sports. Bryan Luke sang like a true amateur. And, although he was very apologetic, practice makes improvement. However, this just adds to a long list of MY complaints about the way the National Anthem is sung. I call most of these personalized renditions or our beloved “Star Spangled Banner” warbling. In my opinion, our National Anthem should be sung AS WRITTEN. If you can’t sing it without warbling, do NOT do me the favor of singing it! Can you even begin to imagine “God Save the Queen” or “O Canada” improvised in the manner many singers use on our glorious anthem.
LUKE BRYAN: SORRY FOR ALL-STAR NATIONAL ANTHEM
By David Brown
Big League Stew – Wed, Jul 11, 2012 4:33 PM EDT
"The Star-Spangled Banner," it has been said, is one of the more difficult songs to perform well under any circumstance. When you add degrees of difficulty such as a big venue, an important event and a vast TV audience watching at home, it only compounds the challenge.
And, boy, country music star Luke Bryan was not up to it Tuesday night at Major League Baseball's All-Star game in Kansas City. Not only was Bryan's singing flat and uninspired, but cameras caught him checking his hand for lyrical reminders, along with his watch for the time, as he plodded along for two excruciating minutes.
Bryan's performance was so bad, he apologized by making a series of statements via Twitter on Wednesday:
• Morning everyone. I really wanna explain the national anthem performance from last night.
• I had a few keys words written down to insure myself that I wouldn't mess up. I just wanted to do my best. I promise it was from the heart.
• If I offended anyone with my approach I sincerely apologize. Anytime I sing the anthem it is an honor and my heart beats out of my chest.
• I did check my watch because I knew the stealth bomber would fly over 2 minutes in and I knew a started a little late.
• Being a part of the all star game was amazing and I look forward to the next time I can perform the anthem. Thanks y'all. Love ya
The next time. The next time? No way. In the name of Enrico Pallazzo, no more singing at baseball games for you, buddy. …
It was a three-person race to find who had the worst outing at Kauffman Stadium: Robinson Cano in the Home Run Derby on Monday, Justin Verlander in the first inning of the game, or Bryan just before the first pitch. Even professionals can have a bad day. At least we can assume Cano and Verlander came prepared. …
It's for the best — safer, more humane — if we just ban good ol' Luke from ever singing the anthem at a sporting event ever again. Even NASCAR. And let's be real, here: Hank Williams and Johnny Cash already are spinning in their graves over how bankrupt country music is. Guys like Luke Bryan can't even hold Merle Haggard's beer. ...
The upside: Someone ought to be able to write a pretty good country tune about how sorry Luke Bryan was at (and about) his woeful All-Star anthem.
Off my soap box now… just had to get this off my chest…
Thanks for stopping by…
Nice soapbox too. You've every right to be on a soapbox.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day and weekend. :)
Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one who thought that was an absolutely horrible botched-up version of our National Anthem. It just makes me cringe when people try to put their own little personal twist on the song and not just sing it like it's written. Invariably they totally mess it up and leave those of us listening cringing.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, there had better not BE a next time - no three strikes and you're out on this one!
Feel free to climb up on our soapbox any ol' time!
Well if you go back to the original, It should be sung at twice the speed in a lower key while waving a beer mug.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to hear the original go HERE
ReplyDelete