Performances and adaptations of The Star-Spangled Banner
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As the national anthem of the United States, and even before its official adoption as the anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has been performed by a variety of people using different arrangements, a range of instruments, and in many different styles. Specific renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" are notable for reasons such as unique musical arrangements, memorable mistakes and poorly-received performances, significant cultural or social impacts, distinctive performance styles, and frequent use in broadcasts.
Allusions to the tune appear in a number of classical works. For example, Richard Wagner's "American Centennial March", commissioned for the centennial of U.S. independence in 1876, appears to repeatedly quote part of the theme. Sergei Rachmaninoff arranged it for solo piano. The beginning of the song is also used in the beginning of the march titled "National Emblem". Giacomo Puccini used the opening notes as a motif throughout his opera Madama Butterfly. Frank Bridge's "The Pneu World" for cello and piano, H.163 (1925), is a parody on the opening bars of "The Star-Spangled Banner".[1] The tune is the basis of the tone poem "Homage for Orchestra Op. 31" by James Cohn.
Early notable recordings
Bing Crosby recorded the song on March 22, 1939, for Decca Records. He also recorded it as a reading of the poem with a musical accompaniment on August 15, 1946.[2]
Igor Stravinsky's first of his four 1941 arrangements of "The Star-Spangled Banner" led to an incident on January 15, 1944, with the Boston police, but "Boston Police Commissioner Thomas F. Sullivan said there would be no action."[3] "After Stravinsky conducted it with the Boston Symphony for the first time in 1944, the police informed the composer of a Massachusetts law against tampering with national property,[4] and removed the parts from Symphony Hall."[5] The incident soon established itself as a myth in which Stravinsky was supposedly arrested for playing the music.[6]
Lucy Monroe sang the national anthem for every Opening Day and World Series held at Yankee Stadium from 1945 through 1960.[7] Robert Merrill sang the national anthem at seven World Series games: at Game 3 of the 1976, 1978 and 1999 World Series, at the 1977, 1981 and 1996 World Series openers and at Game 2 of the 1998 World Series.[citation needed]
Popular recordings
Three versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" have made the Hot Country Songs charts. The first was an a cappella version by Ricochet, recorded for the Columbia Records album NASCAR: Hotter than Asphalt,[8] which charted at number 58 in July 1996.[9] Faith Hill's version, recorded at Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, reached number 35 on the same chart, and number 18 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles in September 2001.[10] A 2012 rendition by The Band Perry charted at number 59.
Beyoncé Knowles performed the anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston on February 1, 2004. The song entered the U.S. Hot Digital Tracks chart at No. 37.[11]
On January 20, 2017, Jackie Evancho released Together We Stand, a disc containing three patriotic songs including "The Star-Spangled Banner".[12] The song charted at No. 2 on Billboard's Classical Digital Song sales chart.[13]
Notable alternative arrangements
Early alternative interpretations
A controversial version was performed by José Feliciano at the 1968 World Series, a rendition that Feliciano has said negatively affected his career. His folk/blues approach did not sit well with everyone, but Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell, a musician in his own right, liked it and defended it (as noted in the CD collection Ernie Harwell's Audio Scrapbook.)[14] José Feliciano's rendition was released as a single after his performance, peaking at #50 in 1968.
One of the most notable renditions of the anthem was Jimi Hendrix's solo guitar performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, captured on the documentary film of the event. Hendrix played the anthem with a number of distorted regressions—some mimicking the "rockets" and "bombs" of the anthem's lyrics—to great acclaim from the audience. It was voted 52nd on the list of the 100 greatest guitar solos of all time by readers of Guitar World Magazine. Hendrix also recorded a studio version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" some time before the Woodstock festival. That version features numerous guitar tracks played through octave-shifting effects. The studio version is available on the Rainbow Bridge album and Cornerstones collection.
Whitney Houston at Super Bowl XXV
After singer Whitney Houston's stirring performance of the anthem at Super Bowl XXV in 1991, her live version was released as a charity single to raise funds for soldiers (and their families) involved in the Persian Gulf War. The single reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its B-side was "America the Beautiful". The song's video consisted of Houston's performance at the Super Bowl.[15]
The version was not released elsewhere until it appeared on Whitney: The Greatest Hits in 2000. It was later released in digital form, having seen increased sales in the aftermath of Houston's death on February 11, 2012.[citation needed]
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Arista Records arranged a re-release of Houston's version of "The Star Spangled Banner" (again with "America the Beautiful" as the B-side), with all profits going to the firefighters and victims of the attacks. It peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The two single releases of Houston's version marked the only times the anthem has ever appeared in the Top 40 of Billboard's pop singles chart.[16][17]
Other alternative interpretations
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recorded version solved the range problem as any mixed choir might—with the male voices carrying the main melody in the lower part of the range and the female voices carrying the upper part of the range while the male voices provide lower-keyed harmony. This version also contains a rare singing of the fourth verse, in addition to the first.[18]
Composer John Williams wrote two new arrangements, one for the 2003 Rose Bowl and the other for the opening game of the 2007 World Series.
R. Kelly performed the anthem with a soul arrangement at the 2005 Bernard Hopkins vs. Jermain Taylor boxing match.[19] The performance caused some controversy, as it was accompanied by step dancers and Kelly told the audience to "clap your hands, y'all" (as if at a concert) during the anthem.[20][21]