Breathing new life into an old song

“It was the best national anthem rendition I have ever heard. Better than the game,” Russell Martin of the Los Angeles Dodgers said Monday of 16-year-old Charice’s version at the team’s home opener. “I get tears in my eyes when she really gets going,” manager Joe Torre said.

So, of course, an immediate search of YouTube was in order to find out what the fuss is all about:

Sure, pretty good. But best ever? I reserve that for Marvin Gaye at the 1993 1983 NBA All Star Game. Hands down.

That performance caused a stir. The national anthem, some suggested, should not be sexy.

Everyone has their opinion, of course. My cubicle mate — Chris Roberts — says the “best ever” was Smokey Robinson at the 1986 World Series.