Peanuts and Cracker Jacks
-
Artist:
It seems that it's the 100th anniversary of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." ESPN has been doing a contest with some name entertainers performing the song and viewers can vote for the best one. Here are the entrants so far:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/notebook?page=bbtn/takemeout
So far, Gretchen Wilson is winning big in my book but I'm looking forward to Barnford's rendition.
It's tough song to do and in recent years, some singers (obviously ruined by watching too much American Idol) stretch the song out with vocal gymnastics that make it unlistenable. By the time they're finished, so is my beer. Even though I hate the Yankees, I've got to hand it to them when it comes to the anthem. At a recent visit to the Stadium (thanks again kids), they played a older recording by Robert Merrill...quick, direct, to-the-point....90 seconds flat. Huey Lewis used to hit the local Bay Area parks and performed a nice a capella version.
Maybe after 100 years we can get some more interesting versions?
Locating MOG account...
Comments (2)
Pizzarelli's is pretty snappy, I think.
The anthem is just plain unsingable. I'd vote to change it to America the Beautiful-- or let Albert Brooks find a new one.
Speaking of "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung in public places, one of the best I saw recently was a straight-no-chaser version done by Mike Rowe on one of this "Dirty Jobs" segments. (He is/was an aspiring opera singer, so he sure has the pipes for this anthem.) As for "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," it's better done by the audience and players at any minor league baseball venue.