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The Star Spangled Banger! episode artwork

Feb 13, 2024 53 min

The Star Spangled Banger!

from Switched on Pop Hosted by Vulture

Who is the biggest Diva of them all? The U.S. National Anthem, which borrows its melody from a historic British drinking song, has undergone enormous musical change in the hands of pop music vocalists. Famously, José Feliciano, Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston each changed the meaning of "The Star Spangled Banner" by finding new approaches to the performance. Countless others have followed in their footsteps. Now every major sporting event is an excuse for pop divas to make their own creative interpretation. So who does it best? Or worst? Jan Diehm and Michelle McGhee, data journalists at The Pudding, analyzed the pitch fluctuations of over a hundred famous performances to answer these questions and more. Check out Jan and Michelle's full analysis at pudding.cool Sign up for the Switched On Pop Newsletter

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The Star Spangled Banger!

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This episode is 53 minutes long.

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This episode was published on February 13, 2024.

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