After witnessing Ingrid Andress’ performance at the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night, it seems like we can finally retire the trophy for the Worst Rendition of the National Anthem at a Major US Sporting Event. Listen here.
In my opinion, it was noticeably worse—more painfully out of tune—than the only real contender, Fergie’s rendition at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. [I have excluded Roseanne Barr’s famously terrible 1990 performance before a San Diego Padres game from consideration because she clearly intended it to be bad, which goes against the competition rules.]
I don’t want to be too harsh on Ms. Andress, who confessed after the performance that she was under the influence. It’s evident that she has a serious alcohol issue—getting drunk before the most significant performance of your life is incredibly self-destructive. She has since checked into rehab, and I sincerely hope she gets the help she needs, although her Instagram post announcing her decision was not very reassuring and seemed to be sarcastic:
“I have to be honest, I was drunk last night. I am entering a facility today to seek help…. I’ll update you on how rehab goes! I hear it’s a blast.”
On the topic of national anthems, the recent international soccer tournaments in Europe and the US reignited my love for them. There’s something special about hearing thousands of people singing La Marseillaise, Il Canto degli Italiani, or O! Canada!.
This got me thinking if there has ever been a comprehensive study of the world’s national anthems. They are quite fascinating because they all—every single one that I know of—sounds like they were composed in Vienna or Dresden around 1880. You can find a compilation of them all here—pick a few randomly and give them a listen. China, Cameroon, El Salvador, Bahrain, Uruguay, Pakistan, …
It’s quite peculiar when you think about it. All these countries—… Nicaragua, Senegal, the Comoro Islands, Malaysia, Tunisia, Argentina …—each with their own very unique musical traditions, yet their “national anthems” sound like they were crafted by Johann Strauss.
The reason for this remarkable similarity is likely due to their colonial past. However, many remnants of the Colonial Era have been discarded—constitutions have been rewritten, new languages declared “official,” school curriculums revamped, etc. Why has no one changed their national anthem? This could be a fascinating topic for a book.
The article A Star-Spangled Banner for the Ages was first published on Reason.com.
