OT - Best Super Bowl National Anthem Renditions - My Vote

[jellyman]

Wow ... Lady Gaga killed it ... just magnificent.

Top 3 ever, in my opinion (and though I have not listened to all of them, I have listened to many this morning, just tio check my memories).

Top 3, in no particular order - personal tastes could justify any of these as the best:

Whitney Houston, Faith Hill and Lady Gaga. Beyonce just missed the cut, in my opinion - outstanding but a distinct cut below.

Houston's rendition was truly iconic, in my opinion: Simple, masterful, amazing and perfect voice.

Faith Hill's rendition was the most apparently heartfelt - and of course a perfect performance as well.

Lady Gaga's rendition was also pitch perfect, with an amazing voice ... but the most apparently JOYFUL - you could tell she was just LOVING performing the National Anthem.

I have never been a real Lady Gaga fan, but have recognized she had talent - sometimes masked by her outrageous styling and behavior. After this performance I searched and listened to some samples of her stuff, and other performances (such as her tribute medley to Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music). I feel compelled to revise my views ... she IS a HUGE talent, whether I like all her music or not. Her voice abilities, and her abilities to make the music come alive when she sings, are truly incredible.

 

[RUScrew85]

Wow ... Lady Gaga killed it ... just magnificent.

Top 3 ever, in my opinion (and though I have not listened to all of them, I have listened to many this morning, just tio check my memories).

Top 3, in no particular order - personal tastes could justify any of these as the best:

Whitney Houston, Faith Hill and Lady Gaga. Beyonce just missed the cut, in my opinion - outstanding but a distinct cut below.

Houston's rendition was truly iconic, in my opinion: Simple, masterful, amazing and perfect voice.

Faith Hill's rendition was the most apparently heartfelt - and of course a perfect performance as well.

Lady Gaga's rendition was also pitch perfect, with an amazing voice ... but the most apparently JOYFUL - you could tell she was just LOVING performing the National Anthem.

I have never been a real Lady Gaga fan, but have recognized she had talent - sometimes masked by her outrageous styling and behavior. After this performance I searched and listened to some samples of her stuff, and other performances (such as her tribute medley to Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music). I feel compelled to revise my views ... she IS a HUGE talent, whether I like all her music or not. Her voice abilities, and her abilities to make the music come alive when she sings, are truly incredible.

I feel the same. Wanted to not like her due to her costume thing but that girl can sing.

 

[mdh2003]

Wow ... Lady Gaga killed it ... just magnificent.

Top 3 ever, in my opinion (and though I have not listened to all of them, I have listened to many this morning, just tio check my memories).

Top 3, in no particular order - personal tastes could justify any of these as the best:

Whitney Houston, Faith Hill and Lady Gaga. Beyonce just missed the cut, in my opinion - outstanding but a distinct cut below.

Houston's rendition was truly iconic, in my opinion: Simple, masterful, amazing and perfect voice.

Faith Hill's rendition was the most apparently heartfelt - and of course a perfect performance as well.

Lady Gaga's rendition was also pitch perfect, with an amazing voice ... but the most apparently JOYFUL - you could tell she was just LOVING performing the National Anthem.

I have never been a real Lady Gaga fan, but have recognized she had talent - sometimes masked by her outrageous styling and behavior. After this performance I searched and listened to some samples of her stuff, and other performances (such as her tribute medley to Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music). I feel compelled to revise my views ... she IS a HUGE talent, whether I like all her music or not. Her voice abilities, and her abilities to make the music come alive when she sings, are truly incredible.

She also has a great appreciation for other artists - linky.

 

[yellowlot]

she was strong...have to give it to her. was there live for whitney which is #1, gaga earned her place

 

[Plum Street]

Whitney is not number one . She didn't sing it live .

 

[RU1977]

That Christmas commercial she did with Tony Bennett was pretty good too....

 

[brodo]

The problem I have with Whitney's version is that she was lip syncing to a previously-recorded version of her singing the anthem. How many takes did she have until nailing the best one?

 

[JMORC2003]

Agree on Gaga. Really really good. I didn't realize that Whitney didn't do it live. Still an amazing rendition, and it was still her voice, but not the same. Her's get a lot of credit because it was during the first gulf war, really emotional time for the country.

I read some of the threads on Reddit about Gaga and a bunch of international posters commented on how no one in the world does the national anthem like we do. Aw inspiring.

 

[JMORC2003]

Also, I sometimes forget how totally bad ass our national anthem is. My parents came to the US in their early 20s from communist eastern europe and make a better life for themselves, and to this day they absolutely love the national anthem. I don't think I've ever been to a sporting event where my dad didn't sing along and respect the flag like it was the day he took his oath of allegiance.

 

[MrsScrew]

I've not been a huge Gaga fan but she slayed it. Not unlike last year at the Oscars when she performed the Sound of Music tribute that was damn near perfection. She is slated to do the tribute to David Bowie at the Grammys.

And @jellyman I think the reason it was so heartfelt is because it was something she has always wanted to do. From a Billboard article:

“I’ve always wanted to sing the National Anthem at a major sporting event since I was a little girl, this is a total dream come true.” Gaga tells the NFL’s Nate Burleson,“This is one of the highest honors of my career," she continues. "I get a chance to sing for all the athletes who have been working so hard their whole like for this moment.”

 

[WhiteBus]

The problem I have with Whitney's version is that she was lip syncing to a previously-recorded version of her singing the anthem. How many takes did she have until nailing the best one?

IIRC she did not lip sync. What was broadcast was a recorded version but what people heard at the stadium was live

 

[ruready4somefootball]

Only problem with Lady Gaga's rendition is Vegas is disputing who won the under/over on how long the song went. She added another line of "home of the brave" to time it with the jets flying over head. LOL, they are saying the song count should end when the first "home of the Brave was sung, not the extra line. What do you guys think?

 

[RU5781]

My 5yo stood up, and placed his hand over his heart without being prompted. It made me a very happy father to see that.

I thought Gaga's was the best. Whitney's wasn't live, so I can't put her number 1.

 

[brodo]

IIRC she did not lip sync. What was broadcast was a recorded version but what people heard at the stadium was live

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/02/whitney-houstons-star-spangled-secret/

 

[e5fdny]

For those of us at the game, we didn't know it was pre-recorded.

 

[mdh2003]

Also, I sometimes forget how totally bad ass our national anthem is.

This is pretty much it. Some of us do this much too often.

Many years ago, during the same playoff run, I took to 2 seperate NYR games: 3 French students I had working for me, and my buddy - a sports indifferent bandmate.

I can still see the eyes bulging out in amazement. One of the students said - wow, you guys are VERY patriotic! Seemed like a normal Wed night at the Garden to me.