Attend any sporting event held in this country today, and it will usually begin with the singing of the national anthem. Over the years, people singing it have tried all sorts of ways to put their own spin on “The Star-Spangled Banner”…with varying degrees of success. More often than not, these little personal touches drive me crazy. Call me old-fashioned, but I am generally not a fan of Christina-like over-singing, children singing it in a cutesy way, or bands coming up with some weird new arrangement for it. I prefer a traditional, straightforward rendition of the song…most of the time. Then there is this…
February 13th marks the thirty year anniversary of Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game. From The Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, Marvin took the song and transformed it into something soulful, smooth, and uniquely his own. While most all-star games in any sport are normally dull and rather hard to watch, this one gave us something to remember – one of the best versions of “The Star Spangled Banner” ever.
– Submitted by David Sheyda, Music Design