(RNN) - The national anthem is supposed to inspire patriotism.
Most performers succeed at that task, but some performers fall short and fill the audience with laughter and jeers.
Fergie is the latest artist to fall into the crowd of jeers. Her performance at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game will be remembered, for sure, but probably not in a flattering way.
As always, taste comes into play when ranking performances. For better or worse and in no particular order, these are some of the most memorable renditions of The Star-Spangled Banner:
The Good:
- Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston's rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV is widely considered the best. The late icon flexed her vocal might in front of 73,000 fans and finished to a roaring ovation. The performance took place in at the start of the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
- Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye's rendition was like none before it. A smooth melody played in the background as he made slowly made his way through the lyrics. As he neared the end, the crowd could not help but clap along to the beat and showered him with an ovation. While different, it never leaves the boundary of good taste.
- Jimmy Hendrix
Sometimes, the words aren't necessary for a performance. Jimmy Hendrix proved that at Woodstock in 1969 with his guitar solo version of the national anthem.
- Jennifer Hudson
Hudson's performance sticks out not only because of its excellence, but also her personal journey. It was her first public appearance since her mother, brother and nephew were murdered in October 2008. Her powerful vocals put her performance near the top of many best-of lists.
- Beyoncé
The NFL offered Beyoncé the chance to sing the anthem or perform at halftime at the Super Bowl in her hometown of Houston in 2004. She chose the anthem and she delivered.
The Bad:
- Fergie
Fergie delivered a jazzed up rendition of the anthem. The network panned to different players during the performance. By the time the camera caught Draymond Green trying to hold in his laughter, the rest of the audience couldn't contain theirs.
- Carl Lewis
"Uh oh!" Lewis showed no vocal range as he attempted notes he could not reach. Several players could be seen covering their faces, trying to contain their laughter. Lewis promised the crowd he'd make up for the poor performance as it neared its end.
- Rosanne Barr
Rosanne's performance was met with boos before she even finished. It featured no singing. Instead, she shouted the lyrics to the crowd.
- Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler didn't forget the words. He changed them. Tyler turned "the home of the brave" into "the home of the Indianapolis 500" in 2001. He was never invited back to the race.
- Michael Bolton
Mr. Bolton made the mistake of forgetting the words. To his credit, he covered his bases by writing them on his hand. But once the crowd saw him reading from his palm, they proved to be just as unforgiving as if he'd forgotten them.
- Christina Aguilera
Aguilera simply forgot the words about a third of the way through the song. She nailed the rest of it, but her flub came in Super Bowl XLV, the most watched event in the country. People hadn't finished cringing by the time the troops watching from Afghanistan were shown on screen.
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