First off, congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs for winning Super Bowl LVII. It was a great game — one of those that you hate to see either team lose.
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s my gripe of the day. Let’s get this out of the way right now — I’m a curmudgeon and I grumble about lots of things, but one thing that I used to like and don’t anymore, is the singing of the national anthem before the start of sporting events.
The singing of the national anthem prior to a game like the Super Bowl is a great gesture of patriotism — but why have a pop singer perform it? For some reason, pop singers seem to think they have to perform their own “interpretation” of The Star Spangled Banner, and often times those interpretations make the song unrecognizable.
All the military bands, and choral groups, perform the song with elegance and simplicity — the way it should always be performed.
I don’t question that pop stars are very accomplished musicians, most with extraordinary talent. But show that musical innovation somewhere else — not singing our national anthem. That song deserves a great deal of respect.
The national anthem is supposed to arouse our patriotism, stir us from the inside and make us feel the spirit of the nation as a single entity.
It should be sung in its true spirit and meaning — not as a musical rendition to show off someone’s talent.
— 30 —