The National Anthem

[Singlestack]

Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas sang the National Anthem Sunday at the 500. When they announced who was going to perform it I thought, oh no, its going to be a hip hop rendition.

That lady knocked my socks off.

What a set of pipes. I had no idea. I think she could have done it without a P.A. and everyone still would have heard her.

Close to the top of my all-time favorite performances of the National Anthem.

[SmittyFL]

Damn. I was at the FL Open and missed it. Hopefully there is a video somewhere I can find. I love a good rendition.....plus she's hot!

[dajarrel]

Yes-sir, she did well.

I like it when they know the song and sing it like it's their's.

dj

[Flexmoney]

(girls, just roll your eyes now and skip this post)

I was at a match. The sign in/food building had a little TV going, bad reception. The audio was good, but there was some ghosting with the video.

The guys were standing around, talking like guys. Most didn't know who Fergie was. (But, we just heard a "black-eye" joke, so the mention of Black Eyed Peas caught everybody's attention.)

Being as the reception was bad...somebody soon commented that it was hard to tell, but it seemed like she was attractive...especially since she looked like she had 4 breasts.

And, yeah...she did the Star and Stripes proud with her singing.

[chuckbradley]

I have a dvr so I went back and watched it again. It was a great perfromance. None of that crap where they try to hit every note on the scale with each word. I even thought i might have to check out some of their music. I wouldnt doubt she doesnt go out on her own in the near future.

Edited February 20, 2006 by chuckbradley

[al503]

I'm sorry I missed Fergie (not a big nascar fan.) I love their 'My Humps' song. Very sexy.

[benny hill]

She kicked ass. The NFL needs to pay attention after their disaster.

[rishii]

+1

also bon jovi rocked, 10 years ago you would never think of seeing a rock band at a nascar race.

[DJPoLo]

(But, we just heard a "black-eye" joke...

Was it the "two black eye" joke?

-Chet

[Flexmoney]

I can't tell that Chet. I already feel bad about drifting the thread about the National Anthem.

[Singlestack]

I tried searching the web again for a video of Fergie singing the Anthem at the 500 in 2005.

I still can't find it

I did find her singing it at a hocky game from '97. This is pre Black Eyed Peas and she was with Wild Orchid. These girls can blow.

Check it out.

[ima45dv8]

I don't know exactly why I decided to look for it, but here it is.

[PHolsted]

Very nice job. But what was up with most of the drivers not having their right hand on their heart?

[dajarrel]

Unfortunately, in todays society, most folks don't even know it's a sign of respect.

But to the Song and the Singer.......Some kinda awesome

dj

[Singlestack]

Thanks Mark, it gave me chills again.

I noticed it was added 7/31/07. I wonder why it took a year and a half for somebody to put it up?

[Gameplayer]

That gave me goose bumps. Thanks for the link.

[ima45dv8]

Thanks Mark, it gave me chills again.

I noticed it was added 7/31/07. I wonder why it took a year and a half for somebody to put it up?

Consider it a belated birthday present.

[wgnoyes]

Not bad.

But if you ever heard tenor Daniel Rodriquez (former NYPD officer who came to the forefront immediately after September 11th) sing the national anthem, you'd be ruined forever on all other renditions. The one time I heard him do it was for the 2001 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Prior to that, the gold standard was baritone Robert Merrill, who would usually perform it sometime during the world series.

[Micah]

She does have "Le Pipes" !

[G-ManBart]

You guys have obviously never lived with a professional female singer

It was okay, but didn't seem all that special to me. She didn't overdo it i.e. turn it into a pop song, which is nice...so many singers make it all about them and their performance. The "home of the brave" part at the end was either a chicken out at the last minute, or she didn't really have the range to pull it off. My old g/f used to point out those things to me and I never noticed them before that. She did say it was one of the hardest common songs to sing.

[wgnoyes]

She did say it was one of the hardest common songs to sing.

She's right, it is a damned tough aria to sing properly. That's why some people want to change the anthem to America the Beautiful, but I think that would be a mistake.

[j2fast]

A female singer (can't remember her name right now) from the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera sang the anthem at the Pens home opener this past weekend. Definitely one of the best renditions I've even heard in person, she really nailed her performance.

[tightloop]

Not an American, but Charlotte Church knocked it dead when I heard her sing it...and she does have the range and the pipes both...

And big Plus 1 to singing it like it is written with no ad lib scales....hate that..

[Nemo]

Good job by Fergie. She sings more than what I thought she could and definitely more than many other pop singers out there. Bart, one thing you have to look at in Fergie's performance is that she's singing facing the wind to keep the hair off her face. That's not good. At the end of the solo she must have been asking for a garden hose to be shoved down her throat.

I'll never forget that newspaper front page of a couple of days after September 11, 2001, with the photo of the firefighters erecting the colors amidst the rubble and in big bold lettering "Gave proof through the night"

After that is when I first heard Daniel Rodriguez sing the anthem. Very powerful!

Edited to add: THIS PERFORMANCE is still among my favorites. Enjoy.

Edited October 8, 2007 by Nemo

[Mad Kaw]

The greatest rendition of the National Anthem ever!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4AU7oK-xMQ

God bless these United States and God help all those who stand against her!