Our National Anthem

Anyone who knows me understands that tangents are part of the package.  Earlier in life, I sang more than a little, and had two particularly gifted vocal music teachers along the way.  What I didn't learn there I picked up from a longtime girlfriend who sang professionally.  After Christina Aguilera's disastrous rendition of the National Anthem as the Super Bowl opener, I can't help myself:  There are some pieces of music that must be sung as written.  National Anthems are on this list.  The integrity of the music must be preserved (at which she failed conspicuously) and knowing the words is always a bonus.

It's undeniable that as time drags on ability has less and less to do with stardom, and when I can't avoid hearing one of these buffoons mangle an old standard I always think of dogs marking their territory.  This is just wrong.  What you write yourself is your territory, and you may mangle it as you wish.  When you're asked to perform your country's anthem before the world, you should attend to the honor humbly.  Genuine, technical singing skills are called for, and anyone in this current crop, who's making a fortune not actually singing, should pass on the opportunity.

Given the trend, I doubt all the ruckus will result in a better job of this at next year's game, but on the off chance that anyone's listening, herewith one example of how this can be done well, putting one's own mark on the music without bastardizing it.  Don't know if the Cuties are still performing, but given the venue, I think this would have been a smash hit.  I believe these girls ranged from about 8 to 13 years of age when this was recorded:

The Cactus Cuties Sing the National Anthem