View From the Phlipside - Sing the Song!

My name is Jay Phillippi and I've spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.

I was really kind of stumped for a third show this week. There was just NOTHING out there that seemed to be calling my name. Then the Super Bowl broadcast got started and I was set. The game hadn't even started and I had a topic. It was when fellow Pittsburgh native Christina Aguillera sang the national anthem and screwed it up.

Now before all the Christina fans climb down my throat let me note I have the greatest respect for her. She's a wonderful performer and arguably has one of the finest voices in popular music today. But she screwed up the national anthem. In front of the largest audience she will probably ever perform for she forgot the lyrics while trying perform the song.

So here's my advice for performers everywhere when it comes to the National Anthem.

Just sing the damn song.

My apologies if you feel that language is a bit rough but I am sick unto death with folks who try and make the song their own. Here's a news flash - it isn't your song. It's ours. The National Anthem is a collective possession of the nation so trying to "make it your own" is simply grossly inappropriate. This isn't a pop song, a standard or a classic. There is no place for individual interpretations of the National Anthem any more than there is room for a personal interpretation of the flag. If you absolutely can not live without sharing "your interpretation" please feel free to include it as a cut on your next album. But it keep away from performances at public events. The invitation to sing the National Anthem is an honor because you are singing for all of us. So doing some personal version is thumbing your nose at the country.

Besides haven't you noticed that NOBODY likes it when people start messing around with the Anthem. We didn't like it when Roseann made it a joke and we don't like people turning it into some kind of jazz scat monstrosity. Just stop. And sing the song.

The song isn't all that easy to sing in the first place. The average person mumbles along because it's hard. Right at the end especially it gets really high. So anyone who can just come in and sing it straight is going to be pretty impressive under any circumstances. Why do you think people are so kind and caring when someone tries to sing it straight and struggles. We know how they feel so we work with them.

So my advice to Christina and everybody else is simple.

Just sing the song.

Call that the View From the Phlipside.

"The View From the Phlipside" airs on WRFA-LP Jamestown NY.  You can listen to WRFA online HERE
Copyright - Jay Phillippi 2011