I'm telling ya, the singing of the anthems at hockey games is really special. It's just something about the atmosphere, and the reverence they show to the anthems.

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I am glad to know that about hockey games. I do not see many and had no idea of the difference.

About singing along with the national anthem, I know that I have heard from people who can really sing that it has such a broad range of notes that it is difficult to sing. I know that whenever I tried to sing along with it, like when there were other people around so that they could not hear my terrible voice, I did find that I could not even come close to the range of notes.

Maybe that is why people do not sing along with it much.

I also know what you are talking about with Ray Charles' rendition of America the Beautiful. It sends chills up and down my spine, as well.

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Things appear to be at their darkest . . . . . . . . . just before they go totally black!!

The best anthem rendition I've ever heard was Marvin Gaye at the 1986 NBA All-Star game.

Check it out.

YouTube - Marvin Gaye sings American Nat

Wow, nice one Jammer. I saw Anita Baker sing the anthem at the Palace a couple of years ago. That was also amazing!

I have to say that both the U.S. and Canadian anthems were sung very well at the All-Star game tonight. I like them sung just a little bit faster but those were really well done, and both by people that I had not heard much of before.

I really enjoyed both of them and got that old, welled-up feeling out of ours, like I used to in the "good old days".