Whitney Houston sings National Anthem

Posted by

in Opinion

Friday, July 3. 2009

Comments (18)

This is largely regarded as the best vocal rendition of our National Anthem. Houston sang this at the beginning of Super Bowl XXV in 1991, shortly after the beginning of the first Gulf War.

Please login or register to read the rest of this story.

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Gonzo on 07/03/09 at 03:46 PM

Oh say can she sing. What a wonderful, powerful voice and rendition of the national anthem. Thanks.

#2 Anonymous on 07/03/09 at 06:17 PM

Compare this to Whitney's newest song. She is no longer this powerful. Its a shame what cocaine will do to a person.

#3 Big John on 07/04/09 at 01:31 AM

This was lip synced ....look at how effortless she puts the notes out there....a few times she is off completely with the music as well. It was a great job in the studio somewhere, but not done live and has been admited by houston as not a live performance.

#3.1 gonzo on 07/04/09 at 03:13 PM

Live or synced-it is still Whitney Houston at her best. Unless you can sing better-stand back and st#u.

#3.1.1 Anonymous on 01/31/12 at 05:08 PM

Mariah Carey's rendition blows hers waaaay out the water.

#3.2 Anonymous on 09/02/09 at 09:35 PM

Hater!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#3.3 Anonymous on 10/24/09 at 09:21 PM

its an online video, of course shes gonna b behind the music.

#3.4 Denny Esford on 03/05/11 at 12:32 AM

Your lack of technology knowledge (and singing technique) is obvious. Any apparent disconnect between the audio and video is explained by the bandwidth transmission requirement of audio v. video. Frankly, how close it was is really amazing for 1991. You might be able to detect a slight advance of the audio over the video. That's transmission speed, not lip synching. Millie Vanille--Whitney was not.

#3.5 Lloyd on 03/10/11 at 12:10 PM

Whitney Houston NEVER, EVER said she lip sync'd this performance. This (lip sync'ing) lie is so prevalent that even some (so called) reputable news organizations got the information wrong and made the problem worse by not owning up to it and so I want to set the record straight.
It has been stated and verified by Whitney's publicist, Regina Brown, the NFL and Larry Estrin, the Super Bowl XXV Engineer, that she sang LIVE. Estrin added: "She sang the melody and words the same way (as the studio version), but she sang her heart out." They had a recorded copy just in case Whitney came down with laryngitis. Since it has always been customary for the NFL to use pre-recorded performances, everyone automatically assumed she lip sync'd. Well, she didn't. Look it up online. Once again, be aware a good number of news sources released incorrect information. Look for the ones that actually did their homework.
I use to be a musician and performed behind many singers and I can tell you the trick they used when doing voice-overs is to put a big mike in front of the person's mouth so that you can't see if they make a mistake. Whitney's mouth is totally unblocked. There were way too many vocal nuances and details for it to be lip sync'd. You can see every word articulated, every volume drop or rise, each and every energy burst, every vocal vibrato and absolutely every vocal nuance and detail. This would make the lip sync'ing much more difficult than a live performance.
In her prime (around 1991) I've heard her live. She was one of the few singers who could sound just as good live and so I can tell you she doesn't need to lip sync and If this is lip sync'd (which it most definitely isn't), it would be the absolutely greatest lip sync'ing performance ever seen.
Someone stated that her performance was too effortless. If you've ever seen one of her earlier concerts you would know that's the norm and as for the video itself, it should go without stating that many times online videos are out of sync with the audios.
This was made during a time when sons and daughters were away at war. She’s given her monetary proceeds from her Super Bowl performance and the re-release of the “Nation Anthem” during “911” to aid the military men and women overseas. I've heard people say that they've gained strength and mustered hope when they hear this rendition of the national anthem, even to this very day, so I for one believe she deserves every bit of credit for her performance (NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION WAS) and every time I look at this video, I look at it with pride. It very much pains me to see those who would diminish her accomplishment.

#3.5.1 Josefe on 09/09/11 at 03:29 PM

I think your argument is interesting, but you didn't site any sources. How am I supposed to know if you are telling the truth? I have looked every where and found nothing that would indicate that she didn't lip-sing.

#3.6 political paul on 03/10/11 at 03:20 PM

No one will ever sing "The Star Spangled Banner" like Whitney Houston. Her version sold millions of copies as a stand alone single...Has anyone ever done that before? She will be back, just a victim of a temporary setback....

#4 cake daddy on 07/04/09 at 11:58 AM

if u dont have any thing good donot say nothing hater

#5 Big John on 07/05/09 at 06:39 PM

(Comment removed)

#5.1 Becky on 07/05/09 at 11:53 PM

If memory serves me correctly, the "powers that be" wanted to make sure that Whitney didn't do an atrocity to our National Anthem as Roseanne Barr (Arnold) did in the past. Yes, it was recorded previously, but it is a very powerful rendition of our National Anthem. I could listen to this and Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless the U.S.A. over and over again--they both give me goosebumps! So, thank you, Walter and Barnesville Herald-Gazette for putting something really awesome on here! Keep it up!

#6 cats on 07/09/09 at 06:56 AM

Well, lipsynched or whatever, it really is one of the best renditions I've heard.
Hard to believe this happened almost 2 decades ago, isn't it?

#7 David on 11/08/09 at 08:23 AM

The Anthem has moved me all my life, but I have never felt so thrilled as when Whitney sang. Since I first heard her, I've wanted to have a copy to listen to again and again through the years. Please, can anyone tell me where I can get one? Thank you.

#8 PATRICIA MATHIS on 11/14/09 at 01:04 AM

REGARDLES OF WHAT YOU THINK REGARDLESS OF THE PERSON YOU ARE THINkING OF THIS LADY CAN SING AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF OUR OWN THAT WE NEED TO RECGONIZE AS A diva A legend and even now at her age to come back pick up and move forward give her the just dues that she has earned she is beautiful(still) and ultimately talented couragious to come back and take a stand ,none of us are perfect as much as we like to think we are . She has came back ackowledges her shortcomings and moving forward lets give her a standup ovation even if she never records another lyric she can stand among the best . Anything after her is only a copycat.the miriahs , beyonce etc .notice i used small letters.

#9 Brenda on 07/04/10 at 09:47 PM

Absolutely beautiful. Whitney singing the song seemed so very effortless. I'm sorry she has lost her voice and can no longer sing so fantastically. I wish her all the best.

Only registered users may comment on stories. Please login or register to post comments. Your browser must support cookies.

The author does not allow comments to this entry