The Star-Spangled Banner
I have long had two problems with the way many performers sing our national anthem at sporting events. My first concern is a technical one and, in comparison to the second, relatively minor. The seventh line of the first stanza reads as follows: Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave The adjective star-spangled modifies the noun banner, yet virtually every singer these days insists on taking a breath between star-spangled and banner. It shows laziness and is unnecessary; it is improper and no vocal coach would ever instruct their students to do so. Any singer worth listening to should…