She was absolutely, without a doubt, horrible. Terrible.
Tom - 9 years ago
First off, I love Idina Menzel's voice. Almost everything she touches musically is spectacular. This was a big exception, though. I'm not sure why it's so difficult for singers to understand that the national anthem isn't simply another performance. It's the one performance that isn't about the vocalist. Nothing should be done to it that anyone else singing the anthem (they do say "please join" the singer "in singing our national anthem") can't be reasonably expected to duplicate, the inherent range issues in the song aside.
The liberties she took with the tempo were un-musical - made an unsingable tune even MORE unsingable for the patriotic folks who were trying to join her. Very pitchy - she needed the studio advantage of auto-tune. She also SCRAPED the bottom of her range at the beginning - nearly inaudible. Tells you she's worried about the high ending from the get-go.
David - 9 years ago
She has a great voice, but she didn't do any justice to our National Anthem. Why....why....why mess with the correct tempo of the song?
Danielle - 9 years ago
I like Idina Menzel, really I do, but this was painful to listen to. I thought that she dragged each sentence forever and that annoying "yah" (land of the freeeeeeeeeyah and the home of the brave-yah!" at the end of each sentence was driving me nuts. She took so much time and added so many runs (blech btw) that I was pretty sure the players were going to tackle her! However nothing prepared me for the pain brought on by the halfstep flat note "FREEEEEEE" which literally hurt my ears. Nice try Idina, but don't ever ever do this again.
Linda - 9 years ago
She has an exceptional voice, for sure. But, she dragged each line out so slowly I wanted to scream. I agree with those who think that taking poetic license with a country's national anthem is not a good idea and I can understand it when people get upset about this. She did hit a bad note and even the overhead fighter jets couldn't distract from that, but she hit some right on and powerfully. I wondered what John Travolta was thinking as he watched her from his box seat? :))
D clark - 9 years ago
A lot better than John legend. But, who isn't?
Patricia Barconey - 9 years ago
I thought Idina Menzel's "Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl was fabulous! She was my favorite out of all the "entertainment".
Bob in Houston - 9 years ago
I agree with Bobby. Why, why, why does anyone have to customize the National Anthem? Should be against the law!
Aileen - 9 years ago
Joe is that your real name because you do it proud. Yes SSB is extremely difficult to sing. She sang it very well and her variances did not make it hard to follow. Why is no one anywhere online talking anout her terribly halfstep flat note "FREEE"? Ouch!
Bobby - 9 years ago
Sick of these singers wanting to customize our national anthem. This rendition was terrible and all the votes for an excellent performance are either new immigrants or 10 year old American Idol fanatics that are unfamiliar with the beauty of our anthem. She was off key, emphasized on the wrong syllables and just gave a really poor performance.
Jake - 9 years ago
How can a crowd of (mostly) Americans sing their national anthem when the soloist takes unpredictable liberties with tempo and tune?
Maya Dedic - 9 years ago
I liked it :) :) :) a lot she did Great!!! People Please Polite All the Anthem singers that have done it on the SuperBowl*** in front of Millon's of People and it aint that easy as it looks no matter what***if u think u could of done a better job please*** its good to have changes n something different we all don't want a same Anthem singer I like variety n not a copier lol anyways I just feel like people need to stop judging n hating** she got picked because God wanted that u can't stop it or request a certain one to do it*** That's all xoxo Maya :)
Joe Schmuckatelli - 9 years ago
Its really hard to mess up the national anthem. Anyone and their dog could sing it. Somehow, Idina was able to screw the whole fucking song up, Its awfulness is palpable to anyone with with ears.
Lou McElwee - 9 years ago
She was absolutely horrible!!!! She butchered our national anthem, as a war vet myself she embarrassed me. sing our national anthem the way it's supposed to be sung. She is a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pam - 9 years ago
The National Anthem is such a hard song to sing because of the pitch variances. Idina was spectacular. I don't see how anyone could say she was just ok let alone subpar or fail.
She was absolutely, without a doubt, horrible. Terrible.
First off, I love Idina Menzel's voice. Almost everything she touches musically is spectacular. This was a big exception, though. I'm not sure why it's so difficult for singers to understand that the national anthem isn't simply another performance. It's the one performance that isn't about the vocalist. Nothing should be done to it that anyone else singing the anthem (they do say "please join" the singer "in singing our national anthem") can't be reasonably expected to duplicate, the inherent range issues in the song aside.
The liberties she took with the tempo were un-musical - made an unsingable tune even MORE unsingable for the patriotic folks who were trying to join her. Very pitchy - she needed the studio advantage of auto-tune. She also SCRAPED the bottom of her range at the beginning - nearly inaudible. Tells you she's worried about the high ending from the get-go.
She has a great voice, but she didn't do any justice to our National Anthem. Why....why....why mess with the correct tempo of the song?
I like Idina Menzel, really I do, but this was painful to listen to. I thought that she dragged each sentence forever and that annoying "yah" (land of the freeeeeeeeeyah and the home of the brave-yah!" at the end of each sentence was driving me nuts. She took so much time and added so many runs (blech btw) that I was pretty sure the players were going to tackle her! However nothing prepared me for the pain brought on by the halfstep flat note "FREEEEEEE" which literally hurt my ears. Nice try Idina, but don't ever ever do this again.
She has an exceptional voice, for sure. But, she dragged each line out so slowly I wanted to scream. I agree with those who think that taking poetic license with a country's national anthem is not a good idea and I can understand it when people get upset about this. She did hit a bad note and even the overhead fighter jets couldn't distract from that, but she hit some right on and powerfully. I wondered what John Travolta was thinking as he watched her from his box seat? :))
A lot better than John legend. But, who isn't?
I thought Idina Menzel's "Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl was fabulous! She was my favorite out of all the "entertainment".
I agree with Bobby. Why, why, why does anyone have to customize the National Anthem? Should be against the law!
Joe is that your real name because you do it proud. Yes SSB is extremely difficult to sing. She sang it very well and her variances did not make it hard to follow. Why is no one anywhere online talking anout her terribly halfstep flat note "FREEE"? Ouch!
Sick of these singers wanting to customize our national anthem. This rendition was terrible and all the votes for an excellent performance are either new immigrants or 10 year old American Idol fanatics that are unfamiliar with the beauty of our anthem. She was off key, emphasized on the wrong syllables and just gave a really poor performance.
How can a crowd of (mostly) Americans sing their national anthem when the soloist takes unpredictable liberties with tempo and tune?
I liked it :) :) :) a lot she did Great!!! People Please Polite All the Anthem singers that have done it on the SuperBowl*** in front of Millon's of People and it aint that easy as it looks no matter what***if u think u could of done a better job please*** its good to have changes n something different we all don't want a same Anthem singer I like variety n not a copier lol anyways I just feel like people need to stop judging n hating** she got picked because God wanted that u can't stop it or request a certain one to do it*** That's all xoxo Maya :)
Its really hard to mess up the national anthem. Anyone and their dog could sing it. Somehow, Idina was able to screw the whole fucking song up, Its awfulness is palpable to anyone with with ears.
She was absolutely horrible!!!! She butchered our national anthem, as a war vet myself she embarrassed me. sing our national anthem the way it's supposed to be sung. She is a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The National Anthem is such a hard song to sing because of the pitch variances. Idina was spectacular. I don't see how anyone could say she was just ok let alone subpar or fail.