The national anthem is something we can all relate to. With the announcement of P!NK as the Super Bowl anthem singer and the recent presidential lyrical flub, we’re reminded they’re not the first or the last to sing (or butcher) the nation’s most popular hymn.
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For Better Or Worse, 5 Memorable National Anthem Performances
1. Before 1982, college bands were called upon to play the Star-Spangled Banner before the Super Bowl. Then the first bona fide pop star took the stage, setting the precedence moving forward. Diana Ross was the first pop star to sing the national anthem before the Super Bowl in 1982.
2. While Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl performance is undoubtedly the fan favorite, Roseanne Barr’s performance at a San Diego Padres (MLB – Major League Baseball) game is not. Her shrieking of the anthem (and crotch grab afterward) reminded us that she should never quit her day job.
3. The long and the short of it. The longest rendition of the anthem at the Super Bowl? Alicia Keys at 156.4 seconds. Shortest? Billy Joel at 90 seconds. (Betting on the length of the anthem is one of the most popular bets for the Super Bowl. You can learn more about bets here).
4. Singing the Star-Spangled Banner is a lot of pressure, so when the 13-year-old anthem singer struggled with the words at a Trail Blazers’ game (NBA - National Basketball Association), head coach Maurice Cheeks stepped in to help, singing right alongside her. VIDEO
5. As if the singing part wasn’t hard enough, try doing it on ice skates. Mark Donnelly found this out the hard way while singing the Canadian anthem, O Canada, before a hockey game. Nothing like hitting the high note with a belly flop. VIDEO
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