Remembering: Singing the National Anthem Final
So I’m standing here courtside and you know what?
THIS IS THE BOMB!!! Everybody is laughing and visiting with each other. It’s a big ole party down here on the floor. VIP only!!! And I fit right in! There’s media people and camera crews everywhere! The players are all hanging out and warming up. OOH — there goes Dennis Rodman with his crazy ass! And Shack is HUGE!! OMIGOD! Here comes Michael Jordan! I WAVE “heeey!” Oh shit, he waved back! There’s Jesse Jackson giving me the thumbs up!
And he says: “You go girl!”
I’m in Heaven! Then I hear the announcements, and the stadium goes black.
Here comes the intro music, effect lights are flashing, the lights come up and I feel my heart beating in my chest! I put my earplugs in and look around for Dave the sound tech. He finds me, gives me the mic and I wait, the whole time saying to myself:
“OH SHIT, OH FUCK, OH SHIT, OK… breathe, ok, find your pitch…”
ANNOUNCERS VOICE: “And the anthem will be sung by Chicago vocalist: Lynne Jordan”
I walk to center court. The crowd hushes. I take one deep breath and
“…Oh say can you see?” I can hear my voice boom over the system, but the earplugs are working…I don’t hear that damned delay, get behind me Satan.
“…By the dawn’s early light…“ Oh shit I started too high! And I have to hit that high note on proudly we hailed!
“…What so proudly we hailed…” Nailed it! Dear God, please let me get thru this and I will never tell a lie again
“…At the twilight’s last gleaming,…
“…Whose broad stripes and bright stars…” my nose is itching – shit don’t wiggle your nose fool, you’re being projected on that damned scoreboard – FUCK!
“…Thru the perilous fight, over the ramparts we watched…” Please god don’t sneeze
“…were so gallantly streaming…” What did I just sing?
“Gallantly streaming” or “twilights last gleaming?” FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! The “red rockets”, just sing the “red rockets!”
“…And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,”
“Gave proof thru the night…” I’m almost home, take your time. Ok, poignancy now,
“…that our flag – was – still – there…” The crowd is starting to roar… NOW MARCH IT!
“…Oh say does that star spangled…” I can hear mama now “It’s BAN-ner-er
not ba-an-ner-er-… don’t put a buncha’ extra notes in the song,”
“…BAN-ner-er yet wave…” Oh my God, the crowd is screaming! I feel it! Thank You Jesus! Pause.
“…O’er the land of the…. “ Here comes that high note, don’t hold it too long!
“…Freeeeeee…” I am the SHIT!
“…And the home…” pause, one beat.
“…of the…” pause, two beats.
“…brave…” Strike a Diva pose!
I get a huge hug from Reverend Jesse Jackson. I march right up
to mama’s seat. Everyone in the entire section stands up and
applauds. Evidently Mama’s been pretty chatty because everyone
proceeds to recite my entire life history back to me. Mama was
proud. I was too. I can do anything now.
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I remember this well. I went with you. I took that picture of you on the screen and I videotaped the event. I have that tape somewhere. They tried to take my camera later that night when I videotaped a bit of the game. I agree. I stood under the basket watching you get ready and watching the players take their pregame warm ups. It was something and you did a perfect job!!!!
1 cindycort said this (February 7, 2011 at 3:32 pm)
Yes, I remember you fighting with the officials over footage you shot! Did I ever see the footage?
2 Lynne said this (February 7, 2011 at 4:03 pm)
I think I made you a tape. It was a while back. I think I had to delete everything I taped after the national album in front of them.
3 cindycort said this (February 10, 2011 at 1:30 am)
I bet you did and I was too scared to look… back in the day I was a goofball about seeing myself on tape! But I’m sure I still have it then.
4 Lynne said this (February 10, 2011 at 2:00 am)