Just announced, Lady Gaga is to sing the National Anthem at the Superbowl. The "Star Spangled Banner" which is the official name of the song, is one of the most difficult songs to sing. It has a wide range and more note changes than many other songs, then there are the words.

The Star Spangled Banner is a story, the story of the United States of America surviving an attack by the very country it had won its independence from just 20 some years before.  Fort McHenry sits at the edge of Baltimore harbor and at that time guarded a major port to the U.S. and was the gate to the capitol.

British ships started the attack on the fort with the intention to land marines in the morning.  As the attack went on all night, reporters watched from British ships, when the smoke cleared and the first rays of light appeared, the flag was still flying, our flag, the flag of the United States.  The British were completely crushed, their invasion and takeover was over. The fledgling United States survived and would become a country.

Despite what some websites have about the bodies of Americans holding up the flag, only 4 Americans in the fort were killed. 25 hours of cannons shooting at each other and very little damage on either side. But at the end the British had used up pretty well all their ammunition had to give up and withdraw. In 1814 the war of 1812 was pretty well over.

Knowing where our National Anthem comes from and the history behind it, makes the song that much more sacred.  I only hope that Lady Gaga, really rehearses it and does it with honor. It's that honor of Americans willing to stand and fight for our beginning that is behind it.

Do you think Lady Gaga is a good choice?  Do you think she will do a good job?

Kevin Mee

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