I never knew that my post about Lady Gaga’s performance of the National Anthem at President Biden’s inauguration would have received so many comments! Many people absolutely loved the mixed meter version of this song, and Lady Gaga’s interpretation of it, and others absolutely hated it!

Here is a sampling of some of the comments which were posted on my Facebook page.

I loved it! (D. Richman)

Didn’t love it, but it wasn’t as awful as I had expected. Sorry… I’m a purist. (J. Gibson)

I had never heard her sing… and was surprised in a good way! Strong, confident, and didn’t screw up any of those weird rhythms! Definitely not my favorite voice, though. (Y. McCoy)

Best. Rendition. Ever. I, too am a purist, but she nailed it! (B. Nash)

She was amazing….her voice, her passion and her outfit! (C. Capps)

I loved it. She has a strong voice, and she put her heart into it. I felt especially touched when she sang the line, “And the flag was still there,” because I felt she was referencing in her tone the January 6 attack (C. Stanton)

I have never liked our national anthem and usually cringe when I hear it sung. But I liked Lady Gaga’s rendition. Maybe it’s only because I am living away from the US that I felt some tug of patriotism for the first time hearing her sing! Though I confess I am a Lady Gaga fan from her Poker Face days. I was also amazed to hear what looked like a marching band play rhythms I would never expect, matching Lady Gaga’s style. (J. Ishibashi)

Loved it. There were actually only a very few spots where she added variation, but those few moments effectively added a lot of youthful energy – and the overall effect was dynamic, patriotic, moving, and brought me back to the light and new possibilities of the 21st century. Amanda Gorman, Jlo were absolutely fierce also. No more of the bring-back-the-1950’s, I’m full, thank you.  (E. Ichikawa)

I thought she did a good job. She is very talented, went to Juilliard [Ed. note: Sorry, not true]. I guess a lot of people can’t get past her outfits which are usually pretty outrageous, but that’s just who she is. (L. Fuller)

I LOVED it. I was worried that it would be one of those bad football game versions. She had obviously rehearsed with the military band because of the unusual pauses. (P. LaFrance)

Lady Gaga was so amazing! Her body language when singing this came from her heart and soul. She is a great singer. She gave me goosebumps. Beautifully done. (V. Hamilton)

Thanks to Chad Uyehara who found Adam Neeley’s video in which he took the time to transcribe the entire performance. I especially encourage musicians to watch this analysis —people who will appreciate knowing all those rhythmic distortions, 7th chords, suspensions, and deceptive cadences! [John Alexander, I thought of you and your ability to creatively harmonize!]

There’s no doubting her strong, pleasant chest voice, and her fame made her an obvious choice. Unfortunately, the arrangement was ill-advised for this most solemn, important occasion: changing the National Anthem from 3/4 time to 4/4 time and throwing in a few other unexpected rhythms and vocal riffs are unnecessary disfigurements. This “arrangement” struck me as a bit disrespectful in this particular context — sort of “admire me as I spice up this boring, old song.” BUT…musical performances aside, the occasion was grand and glorious and deserving of cheers all around! (B. Stevens)

WAIT A MINUTE. Every single one of those comments was about Lady Gaga, the singer and her outfit. The National Anthem became an outlet for her self-expression, and not a creed for us citizens. It was Tim Carney’s comment which made me think that perhaps we ought to think of the National Anthem as a song that everyone should sing!

I loved her 3+3+2 phrasing on the ‘proudly we hailed’. Did not like her excessively long entrance. But my biggest reservation is that the National Anthem should be sung by everyone, perhaps led by a soloist, but not performed as a solo. Everyone present should be invited and encouraged to sing, whatever their ability, as it is a communal experience of patriotism. Take the high bits down an octave, mumble along, drone the words if you’re a bit tone-deaf, but participate! Singing together is powerful. (Tim Carney)

It kind of reminds me of the 1992 book, Why Catholics Can’t Sing: The Culture of Catholicism and the Triumph of Bad Taste, by Thomas Day, which I read when it first came out almost 30 years ago. (There is now a revised and updated version of the book called Why Catholics Can’t Sing: Revised and Updated With New Grand Conclusions and Good Advice, but I have not gotten it.) It’s Day’s premise that it was the Second Vatican Council in 1962 which changed the liturgical practice from a schola cantorum (choir) to a solo singer at a microphone down front, a practice which he said discouraged congregational singing rather than encouraging it.

And our National Anthem? Should we not ALL sing it together? What a novel concept! Here’s an enthusiastic version for you (and in the stratospheric key of C—people had to sing a high G!)