TONY

Did any of you catch Tony Bennett singing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch of the recent World Series game in San Francisco between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers?  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  That’s how God Bless America is supposed to be sung. 

As they have for each of the play-off games a guest is introduced to sing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch.  An assortment of very talented celebrities, military personnel and others are chosen, usually with ties to the local team, each adding their own unique style to their rendition of the song.  Each stands all alone on the field with millions watching, microphone in hand, with no accompanying music to masks their nerves, and sings their hearts out.  The words bring forth emotions of pride, love, respect, humility and a unique feeling of oneness.  I get misty eyed no matter who is singing. 

But on this night Tony set the bar way up there.  Watching on television we learned, by way of a brief clip, that he had softened the crowd up before the game with “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”.  If you can’t hum along to that song you are not old enough.  Tony is from the Bronx but he owns San Francisco.  Then came the seventh inning.  I don’t know who wrote God Bless America but I am sure if the writer had been asked, “Who would you want to sing your song and how?” what happened next would have been his answer.  The man Frank Sinatra called “the greatest singer of them all”, did what he does best.

He sang each word with the utmost respect in his calm, simple, unforced way of presenting a song.  By placing his hand over his heart you felt his passion for this great country of ours.  It was as if he was indeed speaking with God and asking him to bless America.  With all due respect to the many other talented, well intentioned people who are asked to sing songs such as America the Beautiful, the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America at various events, get a copy of the tape of that game in San Francisco and see how they are supposed to be sung.  Next time you are given the honor of performing one of these songs, set aside your desire to showcase your voice and your range and let the song speak for itself, as Tony did.