Monday 4 February 2013

Sandy Hook Elementary School And Jennifer Hudson Provide The Heart For The 2013 Super Bowl

Superbowl sandy hook J hundson

The Sandy Hook Elementary school provided the heart for the unquestionably garish and excessive 2013 Super Bowl (did you know a 30 second ad during its commercials costs four million dollars!?!).

Tackling America The Beautiful, the elementary school choir sang their little hearts out before Diva, Jennifer Hudson- who has suffered her own tragedies as a result of gun violence- brought the grown-up soul to the affair. In theory it was a grouping that shouldn't have worked, but the voices were masterfully kept in balance so that the youthful and light voices of the children could still be heard complimenting Hudson's resonating pipes.

It was a strangely self-aware and humble take on America The Beautiful. Not because of the way it was sung, but because of those who were chosen to sing it. It points to an awareness of the issues the country still faces in this modern age. Something which isn't usually communicated by other renditions of the patriotic song.

Simply beautiful.


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49 comments:

  1. Opie Ever4 February 2013 at 14:31

    Oh my, those Americans will just milk about anything won't they

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  2. MarkB5 February 2013 at 16:27

    I don't know if it's me but I find her voice really overwhelming. I thought it was very show off and not really felt. She sings very well though....

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  3. Stuey6 February 2013 at 18:56

    In a non related comment I would like to say she looks stunning, impressive she has managed to keep the weight off and kept going, especially considering what she has come through in recent years.


    I liked how she was restrained here and indeed blended surprisingly well with the choir but...and I mean (for me personally) a BUT her voice seems to lack natural warmth and genuine feeling. Maybe thats just what I am hearing and others think otherwise but I know she is capable of injecting it into her singing its just sometimes the voice sounds a tad mechanical!

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  4. William Monk7 February 2013 at 21:02

    I think she is so use of singing with the power that would make even Christine shake its hard for her to transition into something softer.

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  5. William Monk7 February 2013 at 21:05

    Are you talking about the price of the commercial or the fact that we honored the children who were brutally murdered

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  6. Opie Ever7 February 2013 at 22:44

    I am talking about using an unrelated tragedy to increase sentiments during an effing sportmatch. A match in a pretty violent sport I might add.
    I find it especially ironic to do so through singing a patriotic song about a country/society where violence is so much a way of life such occurences are way too frequent to proclaim it ''beautiful''.
    A country also at the same time engaged in the state sanctioned murder of children overseas.

    Aside from that...I see no reason to honor children who are but unwitting victims. It's not some kind of achievement by the child to get shot by a nutter. But I am guessing you meant to say ''remember'' ?
    .

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  7. William Monk7 February 2013 at 23:08

    I think it was more so to project the sentiments of regret to the parents of children and family of the adults. I don't mean to remember I meant the honor more for the teachers I think it is honorable what the teachers did. ( Haha yes I am from the U.S.A, now I'm curious where did you think I was from?)

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  8. Opie Ever7 February 2013 at 23:20

    Well, some country where English is spoken by many but is not the official language.

    You said ''we honored the children who were brutally murdered'' .
    If you meant honor the teachers ( and I presume those teachers who chose to attempt to stop the shooter), you should say so.

    Anyway..you asked me to clarify what I meant. I did. :-)

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  9. William Monk7 February 2013 at 23:43

    Yeah I saw that after your comment and was going to change it but forgot, and thanks for clarifying i thought you were talking about the commercials which i agree with, what country are you from?

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  10. Opie Ever7 February 2013 at 23:47

    I'm from The Netherlands

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  11. William Monk7 February 2013 at 23:51

    ooh that is so cool I hear its beautiful their

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  12. Opie Ever8 February 2013 at 01:02

    Depends on what you think is beautiful and where you look, I suppose. Much like every country. ;-)

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  13. William Monk8 February 2013 at 02:05

    Yeah true how are y'all singers

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  14. Reiko Kanaki8 February 2013 at 07:10

    Don't even compare the two. Unlike Christina, Jennifer was made to belt.

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  15. Opie Ever8 February 2013 at 10:03

    In my opinion musically we have a poor history compared to many other nations.Think painting is our Thing.
    But of course, in Dutch popular music there have been some good ones. Here are a few throughout history, I thought, were pretty good...

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  16. Opie Ever8 February 2013 at 10:26

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OOocGq8tkY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGXGbC_rpaw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Heres one singing with Whitney even

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_bq5vW5lng&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RaHTDNude4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    And just because she is one of my best friends ( who would want me to point out this was many years ago and she studied, and graduated classical voice since then ) lol

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPjid7rwP6Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  17. William Monk8 February 2013 at 10:28

    I was kinda implying that Jennifer was superior though maybe not well enough

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  18. William Monk8 February 2013 at 10:30

    Oh any you recommend me looking up, I find you have great taste in singers

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  19. William Monk8 February 2013 at 10:41

    I love Willeke I love how she place the character she sing and I love the lady who sings with Whitney I must she is very wise as well but the last two wouldn't play in my country :(

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  20. MarkB8 February 2013 at 17:39

    Well obviously Jennifer's technique is way better than Christina's :P.

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  21. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 02:03

    Weird. The last one is one of my own uploads of an amateur choir. No idea why that is restricted.
    The one before that I can probably find another one for which will play. It was a link to the official Dutch vid. I know there's another for the American market. But yay for Sony e a once again...blocking videos of a song probably over ten years old. Wankers!
    Yes, willeke is very good at delivering a song.She is a big favorite of the Dutch gay crowd btw.

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  22. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 02:03

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTEhA-o0ZAc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  23. William Monk9 February 2013 at 02:23

    Yes Sony does complicate everything, I want to make Anouk my wife haha I guess I'm cheating on Kimbra. I could understand why a lot of people would like her because of her ability to be the song.

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  24. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 02:39

    LOL well, maybe when she divorces her second husband, you can be nr 3. Must like kids though as she has three.

    It's not so much the acting ability as it is her longtime open support for the gay community.

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  25. William Monk9 February 2013 at 02:51

    Oh thats good, kinda like Donna Summers. Haha I can live with kids (though I am probably not much older then them).And 2 husbands i guess the song wasn't an autobiography

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  26. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 03:20

    I'm sure she meant it when she wrote it.
    Here's another duo I kinda like..

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  27. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 03:21

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ntnza5bHa0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  28. William Monk9 February 2013 at 03:31

    They are good!! so far I like dutch singers, and yay i'm older then them by 7.6 years

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  29. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 04:36

    Glad you enjoyed them.
    17.6 eh Why....you could almost be the father of the youngest one ;-D
    Then again...she could easily be your mother.
    All in all, I think you'd better focus on Kimbra

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  30. William Monk9 February 2013 at 04:46

    Haha me too but I will think of her every step of the way and I will always love Anouk

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  31. William Monk9 February 2013 at 13:01

    I actually like the performance, it may be my Jennifer Hudson bias

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  32. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 13:46

    Lol first you'll have to get over Whitney. Nobody likes to come in second in matters of the heart.

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  33. William Monk9 February 2013 at 13:52

    Haha, I'm a sucker for a nice voice and pretty face

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  34. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 13:58

    Aren't we all baby, aren't we all.
    But what does that have to do with Whitney???

    Just kiddin' !:-)

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  35. William Monk9 February 2013 at 14:08

    haha I really haven't paid much attention to violin players

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  36. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 14:19

    Lol your loss.They can be awesome. And when they combine the face and the violin with a voice described most often as 'one of the purest voices ever'' singing ''like an angel''...well, than you have Perfection. Or as she also goes by...Alison Krauss. ;-)

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  37. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 14:19

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilanoXR8SO0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  38. William Monk9 February 2013 at 14:36

    Haha Opie is see what you mean now, after this finished I clicked on her performance at jay leno of a living prayer her voice was really beautiful

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  39. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 14:41

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sREAlkmj8hQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Yes, that leno performance sure shows control is not only demonstrates through belting and other ''fancy'' tricks. :-)

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  40. William Monk9 February 2013 at 15:01

    Yeah she is now my second favorite country singer

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  41. Opie Ever9 February 2013 at 15:09

    Who's your most favorite?

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  42. William Monk9 February 2013 at 15:26

    Reba :)

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  43. Opie Ever10 February 2013 at 03:10

    Somehow I did not expect Reba. Did you know Krauss produced one of the songs on her 2008 album '' christmas & hits duos'' ?

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  44. William Monk10 February 2013 at 04:00

    haha no I didnt know that I also didnt know krauss was the female with most grammys

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  45. Opie Ever10 February 2013 at 05:52

    Indeed she is. And nominated again for one this year. And whats more, she got those Grammys not only for vocals but also for instrumentals, roducing her own albums and producing other artists. She also sang or played on loads of other artists albums.
    This is a true musician. Not a 'celebrity'' :-)

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  46. Opie Ever10 February 2013 at 05:52

    http://www.allmusic.com/artist/alison-krauss-mn0000745071/credits

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  47. William Monk10 February 2013 at 22:27

    Is she ever not working :) opie you better marry her before I get to her ;)

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  48. Opie Ever10 February 2013 at 22:29

    LOL ''from your mouth to...''

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  49. William Monk10 February 2013 at 22:30

    haha why must it be so hard to stay committed to kimbra ;)

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