Our national anthem is not an easy song to sing. It’s even harder when you change the words, as Rene Marie did last week when she belted out “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to the tune of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
We all know that the song can be performed beautifully. Think Whitney Houston — before Bobby Brown and all of the drugs — at the 1991 Super Bowl. Her rendition sent chills down the collective spine of a country at war.
Marie’s version of our anthem won’t go down in history as the worst — that honor was claimed by former Denverite Roseanne Barr back in 1990 — but it won’t be in our top 40, either.
Roseanne Barr
Her messy hair, poofy white blouse and black stretchy pants should have clued us in that the first lady of white-trash comedy wasn’t about to take the anthem seriously. When she stood on the mound before a San Diego Padres game in 1990, Roseanne screeched and bellowed. Then she groped herself. And spit. The first President Bush called it “disgraceful.” We concur.
Carl Lewis
Stick to running sprints, Carl.
The Olympic gold medalist’s turn at the mike at a 1993 NBA basketball game earned our silver medal for anthem disasters. Not only did his voice cut in and out like an FM radio rolling through rural Colorado, he didn’t even know the words. Even players standing dutifully at courtside got the giggles as he mangled the song.
Hockey gal
Canadian singer Caroline Marcil should have just stayed home. Tabbed to sing America’s anthem before a 2004 Montreal hockey game, she walked onto the ice and belted it out, until: “by the dawn’s early light, whasso twolly . . . sorry.” She left the ice, returned with the written lyrics and promptly slipped and fell. Hard. Of course, it’s hockey, so the fans roared with delight.
