Tuesday Tunes: Whitney Houston

This week, we are making a departure from the traditional pop/country scene to focus on a true American standard: the Star Spangled Banner. Singularly, this song represents all that is patriotic in our nation. Played before every U.S. sporting event, the Star Spangled Banner provides a brief moment of time for reflection, focus, and thankfulness for the gifts, security, and opportunities we have as Americans.

Because this song is so important to our country, it is a great honor to be asked to perform the national anthem in front of an event crowd. Many celebrities, military heroes, athletes, and professional singers have had this opportunity, and most have embraced the moment and lived up to the challenge of singing a very difficult song. (Others have not, but I don't intend to focus on those folks here.) There are some truly iconic versions of the national anthem (Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock rendition comes to mind), but none are as overwhelmingly breathtaking as Whitney Houston's 1991 performance at Super Bowl XXV.

Keep in mind that in addition to the song's technical difficulty for a vocalist, there is the added pressure of deciding how one will sing the anthem. Ask almost any American, and he or she will give you a solid opinion on whether the Star Spangled Banner should be sung straight (as close to the way John Stafford Smith and Francis Scott Key wrote it as possible) or jazzed up with embellishments (while taking liberties with the melody). Personally, I am more of a purist, so I appreciate those who deliver a solid, on-pitch, traditional anthem. Houston does this flawlessly and effortlessly, with just a few of her own brilliant nuances. I have honestly never heard another version that even comes close to hers. Just watching a nearly-20-year-old recorded version gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes. I can't imagine what it must have been like for those who saw the performance live. Listen to it a few times, and try not to feel patriotic and proud to be an American. It can't be done. THAT is how to sing the Star Spangled Banner. God Bless America.