“STAR-SPANGLED BANNER” ABUSE

On March 3, 1931 the bill designating “The Star-Spangled Banner” as our national anthem was adopted by the United States Senate and went to President Herbert Hoover for signature. The president signed it the same day and singers have been butchering it ever since.

The most heinous example of “Star-Spangled Banner” abuse happened when comedienne Roseanne Barr sang it before a San Diego Padres game on July 25, 1990. Not only did she sing it off-key, she also spit and grabbed her crotch as she sang it. Then there was the version that Steven Tyler of Aerosmith sang before the Indianapolis 500 on May 27, 2001 where he changed “home of the brave” to “home of the Indianapolis 500.”

But, some of the worst “Star-Spangled Banner” abuse is inflicted by non-celebrities, regular Janes and Joes just like you and me. The lyrics to our national anthem get mangled much more often they are gotten right.

To measure just how rampant “Star-Spangled Banner” abuse is, consider going out on the street and challenging people to correctly recite the lyrics to our national anthem. Record their inevitably crackpot lyrics and then edit them for play on your show the next day. No doubt you will get some highly individualized and entertaining versions of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”