Anita Baker Butchers the National Anthem at NBA Finals Game

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 11th 2010 09:58AM

Anita Baker has eight Grammy awards and four platinum albums. But when the R&B singer took the court to sing the 'Star-Spangled Banner' at game four of the NBA Finals, she reminded us of the bad auditions during the first weeks of 'American Idol.'

Baker missed several notes of the National Anthem, giving an overall cringe-worthy performance before the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics played. (As a side note, the Celtics overcame their opponents to even the series at two games a piece.)

Watch Anita struggle with the song below.

Tags: Anita Baker, boston celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, nba finals

Comments

(263)

Friday 11 June

By Linda Sinclair

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Anita Baker ONCE was a singer...now she's a has been! It is her "karma" for being such a mean spirited person. Many people have told me about how rude, nasty, and mean she is, while working for her....she let it all go to her head, and now look! She disgraced herself trying to sing the Star Spangles Banner. Last week, Lee DeWise, the newest American Idol, sang it perfect!
She looked intoxicated too.

By pat4him409

I agree with dave, too, she looked & sounded totally wasted.

By Mike

Pop must run by idiots

By Ronnie

No excuses! That was just plain bad. Time the ppl responsible for hiring these singers to require an audition! I can't believe she practiced. Has anyone heard of that? Or do some ppl think TNA isn't important enough to practice for? And to the person putting down country/nascar singers (at least she didn't have a twang) well I'd much prefer a twang now and again to the ever continuing ullll, ohhhhh, ahhhh, ollllllllll

By WILL

Magicfingas...HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS LISTEN TO C/W I PREFER ROCK , BY YOUR S/N ILL SAY YOU LISTEN TO RAP ,AND THE ONLY MAGIC YOUR FINGERS DO IS ON YOURSELF

By Jan

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Here I was expecting to hear something that would truly offend my 35 years of vocal experienced ears. Yet...I'm still waiting. Whomever posted this article...needs to have their ears checked. There was nothing wrong with Anita Bakers performance other than a jazz background which many are not accustomed to, and one of the poorest quality video's I have ever seen or heard. Post something worthwhile why don't ya?

By Snoops

I have heard a lot worse versions..like Roseanne Barr at the Padre's game..She had to be the worst ever..It was the beginning of her downward spiral..Totally offensive..And the guy I forget who but he sang it without removing his hat..People make dumb mistakes..I live on the Gulf Coast and oil is rolling in..I have better things to worry about..

By james Moskos

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If she cannot sing it she should have not tried !

By Fellow Crooner

What's the problem?? She sang all the right notes! It wasn't a fancy version, but she did the job. And besides, listening through blown speakers from an old television set really isn't a fair way to judge ANYONE'S performance!

By Karen Eggleston

I listened to Anita's rendition of the National Anthem, and knowing how jazzy and sultry her voice is, and also based on the kind of music she makes I really didn't think it was that bad.

Yeah, I know most of the time we're looking for the person that sings the National Anthem to hit that big note, but I think we may need to get away from the norm and let the singers put their own spin on it, and if it sounds good, I say go with it.

If you ask a jazzy, alto-sounding vocalist to sing a song like that then you have to expect that's the type of delivery you will receive. I thought it was pretty decent.

I just wish people would stop finding and looking for negative things is everything someone does. She wasn't rapping it, she didn't change the words, and wasn't cussing or disrespecting the words of the song, so Let it Be!!!!!! Go Celtics!!!!!!!!!!

By aabobjudy

It is a difficult song to sing and I guess she did her best. The real, long term problem is with the people in all organizations that are responsible for selecting the folks to sing. Most entertainers try to put their personal "spin" and singing style to the anthem and it usually winds up making it different music and in some cases awful sounding. Personally, I like a band playing it like it was written.

By Lil Matthews

I think it was the quality of the microphone and sound system. I think if she'd been able to sing with one of those little mics they clip to your clothes on talk shows we could have heard that she did ALRIGHT! And I enjoyed the changes she rang into this grand, old, difficult paean to our homeland. The audience didn't seem to agree with whom-ever wrote this article.

By the way, has anyone else ever thought some of the authors of articles and items on AOL seem negative and nasty???

By mapleleaf

TERRIBLE....just terrible...a lot of singers that are amatures have done a lot better. Just not her type of song...

By kathy

horrible is the only word to describe Anita Baker's performance.

By Joe

I could hardly make out the actual quality of her singing because your video was so bad. Did you record your tv with a cell phone video camera? You're a knucklehead! You're on the PopEater staff and this was the best you could do? You should be ashamed of collecting your paycheck. Thanks for wasting everyone's time!

By emw3116

Why can't folks just sing this as it is written? They all want to put their own spin on this song & wind up screwing it up. If, they can't read music then have someone read / sing it to them AS WRITTEN.

By bdyftns

Because she made a mistake does that make her any less patriotic or less of a person? No.

By Larry

Anita Baker is a fine Jazz vocalist who sang the song the way she felt it , I say this much she took a song and sang it ask my brothers fighting if they heard a difference it's still our song to sang as we feel , her being a jazz songtress she gave us her rendition .....A JOB WELL DONE

By Thed

I don't like any singer jazzing up our national anthem. The only to sing it is the correct way.

By Tash

At least she did not forget the words, like most singers have done in the past. Most recently, Keri Hillson.

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