Lets settle this once and for all

[Linus Gaga 7,295]

2016 vocal, tempo

2021 looks, emotions, music

[MOT 2,083]

Which was better vocally ? 2016 for me. I have a non-professional ear, but what I heard with that ear was note perfect, and a beautiful sound too, and a bunch of fighter jets got overpowered in the end for Christ's sake. Not to say that last week was poor vocally. I thought it was great, just not as good as 2016.

But that's only half the story. It was freezing on Wednesday and it clearly wasn't in 2016 judging by what people were wearing. Also, the Superbowl is a big deal, but Wednesday was a presidential inauguration two weeks after an attempted overthrow of the government. That'a a different ball game, so to speak. I'm gonna vote for 2016 though.

Question. The halting after flag, was and still ..... was that purely for effect or was there an element of playing it safe ?

 

[artd0me 443]

The 2016 rendition is the only rendition of that song by anyone I know, so I’m used to only that and the 2021 seems off to me at some parts😅

[Cookie Tookie 10,546]

2016>>>

[TEANUS 11,175]

Not even a discussion for me, 2021 was amazing because it’s Gaga, but 2016 was truly a moment. The transition into falsetto on “freeeeEEEeee”, the double “the braaaveee, the— BRAAAAVE” and then the ‘Part the Red Sea’ hand movement at the end, the jets flying and shots of soldiers in Afghanistan while a vocalist of our generation belted the National Anthem 

[CubbyGaga 1,911]

She was a tad shaky on Wednesday.  But the wind was howling and it was extremely cold.  So she had those factors running against her.  She still did a fabulous job 
 

 

[littlepotter 72,831]

2016 was absolutely perfect in every way. The only hint of criticism i could have would be the first note being nasal but it actually makes a nice contrast with how powerful her vocals get later.

2021 was beautiful for its occasion, knowing what that moment meant to her and how emotional she was. But it's not something I'll listen to later. The imperfections were too many, not that I think many could have done better under those weather conditions and the threat of being literally assassinated, but yeah I'm just not going to listen to it. The belting is uneven and the high notes a bit sharp. And the "by" at the start always makes my skin crawl

[LittleMonster20 9,575]

I prefer the Election one because it was just more meaningful and I prefer the look! Both were great vocally though.

[littlepotter 72,831]

25 minutes ago, MOT said:

Which was better vocally ? 2016 for me. I have a non-professional ear, but what I heard with that ear was note perfect, and a beautiful sound too, and a bunch of fighter jets got overpowered in the end for Christ's sake. Not to say that last week was poor vocally. I thought it was great, just not as good as 2016.

But that's only half the story. It was freezing on Wednesday and it clearly wasn't in 2016 judging by what people were wearing. Also, the Superbowl is a big deal, but Wednesday was a presidential inauguration two weeks after an attempted overthrow of the government. That'a a different ball game, so to speak. I'm gonna vote for 2016 though.

Question. The halting after flag, was and still ..... was that purely for effect or was there an element of playing it safe ?

 

The orchestra doesn't just improvise following Gaga's whims. This was arranged this way, and the meaning of it was powerful considering the terrorists burned the flag down a week befote. Also, in the last line where she says "over the la /and /of the free" when she takes a breath in the middle of land, it's also not Gaga being out of breath, you can hear the orchestra follow with her and take the same pause in the middle of the word. Could very well be a symbolism of the land being divided.

[steven 4,353]

Although the 2016 one was technically better, I prefer the 2021'sversion which felt much more emotional and truthful. 

[gypsy101 5,423]

34 minutes ago, artd0me said:

The 2016 rendition is the only rendition of that song by anyone I know, so I’m used to only that and the 2021 seems off to me at some parts😅

wdym? lots of big singers have sang this song (whitney houston comes to mind)

[Babel 40,887]

2016 was technically better but 2021 showed more emotion and meaning 

[PunkTheFunk 121,499]

As many have said already, the 2016 version was superior from a technical standpoint, but the inauguration version already has a special place in my heart. Considering the circumstances (weather, pressure, and threat of literally being shot), to put on a vocal performance like that without lipsyncing is an extraordinary feat. We are perhaps extra critical of Gaga's vocals because we know them so well, but the general public ate that performance UP. The reception has been insanely positive (some even saying it's one of the greatest national anthem renditions of all time), arguably even more so than the SB, and I think that speaks for itself.

[djBuffoon 11,638]

2016 in every possible way.

From the arrangement, to the overt theatricality, to the surprisingly weak technique, 2021 did not sit right with me. 

 

Edited to add: I will say that the look for 2021 was absolutely stunning.

[MOT 2,083]

30 minutes ago, littlepotter said:

The orchestra doesn't just improvise following Gaga's whims. This was arranged this way, and the meaning of it was powerful considering the terrorists burned the flag down a week befote. Also, in the last line where she says "over the la /and /of the free" when she takes a breath in the middle of land, it's also not Gaga being out of breath, you can hear the orchestra follow with her and take the same pause in the middle of the word. Could very well be a symbolism of the land being divided.

I wouldn't disagree with any of that, and I hadn't thought about the possible meaning of splitting land, I wouldnt put that past her, but in deciding on the arrangement I presume you also have to factor in what you think you're capable of, or what rehearsals tell you you're capable of.