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7 Worst National Anthem Renditions of All-Time

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The selection of Joey Odoms as the Ravens’ new singer of the National Anthem was just made today.

That got us thinking about other renditions of the Star Spangled Banner…

Some of them haven’t gone so well, and understandably so.

The pressure can certainly get to the average person. Many guest singers simply aren’t used to performing in front of as big of a crowd as sporting events draw.

Some just aren’t even singers to begin with.

Carl Lewis, considered one of the greatest track and field athletes ever, performed his version at the a 1993 NBA game. Voice cracking and hilarity ensued…

Another memorable rendition was Roseanne Barr‘s before a 1990 game between the Reds and Padres. The San Diego crowd showed their lack of appreciation for it throughout:

Those two may have not performed very well (it’s not like either of them are famous for being singers), but at least they remembered the words. Natalie Gilbert, the winner of a Toyota fan-voting contest, came down with the flu the morning of this rendition at a Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trail Blazers game. She went on to perform anyway with disastrous results. Luckily, then Portland head coach, Maurice Cheeks, came to her aid.

Canadian jazz singer, Alexis Normand, forgot the words and just starting humming the tune with sounds that kinda sounded like words during the Memorial Cup hockey game in Saskatoon, Canada in 2013.

This screw-up wasn’t quite as bad, but it was on a much bigger stage. In 2011, Christina Aguilera forgets the “O’er the ramparts we watched…” verse at the :55 mark leading up to Super Bowl XLV.

On another big stage, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performs his version at the AFC Championship game in 2012 that made us cringe (as did the game that followed it but that’s another story).

On a smaller stage, 11-year-old Harper Gruzins performs at an MLS game between FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy. If it’s not the worst rendition, it might be the longest.

So which one do you think was the worst? Cast your vote below or, if they aren’t on our list, tell us who you think should have made the cut in the comments section.

 

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