Steven Tyler’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at the AFC championship yesterday and all of the criticism it sparked goes to show once again how very seriously Americans take their national anthem. (I can’t even imagine Dutch people ever being outraged about a rendition of the Wilhelmus, because that would pretty much never happen.) With Tyler sounding like..well..Tyler, and him having sung the Star-Spangled Banner twice before, I do wonder just what they were expecting from him?..
Anyway, here are some of the best (I use the term ‘best’ loosely here..) renditions of the American national anthem in history (or: on YouTube).
For an excellent analysis of this performance, read Jaap Kooijman’s article ‘Bombs bursting in air: the Gulf War, 9/11, and the Super Bowl Performances of ‘The star-spangled banner’ by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey’ (also quoted in his book ‘Fabricating the Absolute Fake’).
This one brings a tear to my eye every time.
I especially enjoy the hearing-impaired version going on in the lower left corner.
It’s the barber shop version BABY! (With a wee Nick Carter!)
For those who aren’t familiar with Monki Television: it’s a weekly clip made by Monki about ‘girls whose creativity and personal style inspire us’ (and incidentally help sell some clothes, too). I can never get enough of lurking at people’s homes and lives, especially if I don’t know them (is that weird?) and they have an envious wardrobe.
xoJane went on a tour of Courtney Love’s house in New York (the one she allegedly is being kicked out of). In all its feminine, old world, witch-y etherealness, it’s exactly what you would expect Love’s house to look like.
And then, as a bonus, Stylelist.com takes us inside her closet. It’s too good!
Rebecca & Fiona are a electropop duo from Sweden. Their first album, called ‘I love you man’, was released last November. I am especially loving their hypnotic Lykke Li-esque track ‘Dance’:
Not only is this video already kind of old, the band also recently decided to..not be a band anymore. Oh well! Their album Daydreams and Nightmares is pretty amazing regardless. (Plus, I only just found out about them, so..)
Rapprocher is the first full-length album of Brooklyn electropop duo Class Actress (who we know from their song ‘Careful What You Say’), and it is sheer synthy pop heaven if you ask me. ‘Weekend’ is the second single off the album, and its first video.
I admit that, due to my busy schedule of The Rachel Zoe Project-Vampire Diaries-Jersey Shore-Glee-Sons of Anarchy-Breaking Bad-Bad Girls Club-watching, I haven’t seen the first episode yet, but I always judge a book by its cover/a TV show by its promo so I would say this one’s a keeper.
And, big bonus: I’m finding Zooey Deschanel not even a tad annoying in this! (Something I couldn’t really say about 500 Days of Summer..)
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