ANTHEM MADNESS, CONT'D: THE MANDATORY

Winner.

I have those pants.

Hey, those pants are still the height of fashion in India. But apparently Indian girls wouldn’t even look at me in my cuffed and pleated slacks, according to the resident Bangalore-fashionologist.

I sincerly hope that in the gates of Heaven, Francis Scott Key kicks Jimmi in the Jimmy every fuckin time this blasphemous rendition is played here on Earth.

Ears. Must. Stop. BLEEDING!

Francis is still passed out on Tupac’s couch. They had nothing like Old English in old America.

Oh come off it, Aerobab. Francis Scott OFF-key [/steiner] didn’t even compose it; it was just a British drinking song that he wrote different lyrics to.

I particularly enjoy the drummer, who has no earthly idea how to put a beat behind the “anthem,” but tries his darndest anyway.

Aerobab: Carl Lewis and Roseanne find your standards of “blasphemy” amusing.

This site’s better on the brown acid.

Allahver, I was just thinkin’ “orange sunshine microdot”…honest.

Aerobab, you’ve got to be kidding. That’s one of the greatest renditions of the SSB ever! Amazing. BTW, if you read some history on Hendrix and Woodstock, you’ll know that he did it as a form of passive protest to the war.

Aerobab, “blasphemy” is not a word one uses with our National Anthem. We do not worship the government, or its symbols. As others point out, FSK did not write the music, just the words. Plus, if you’ve ever seen the footage of Hendrix playing Berkeley a few months after Woodstock, he’s quite clear that his adaptation was out of love for our country.

I am going to have my stereo turned up to 11 when I play the Hendrix SSB tomorrow. No brown acid, but I have some other things around here that will get the job done.

I don’t know if I can mention this on this web site, but the best US anthem I’ve ever heard was during the ‘91 NHL All-Star game in the old Chicago Stadium. Don’t remember the guy’s name, but it was a week or so after we started bombing Iraq during the first Gulf war (you know, the one that was legit). Simply amazing – if you can find it on YouTube, I guarantee goosebumbs.

Good God Almighty, y’all! Pull the panties out and simmah-donnah! I understand that it may be ‘uncool’ to disagree with the mainstream opinion and all, but a man IS entitled to his opinion in the same way the Mr. Hendrix was entitled to his dissenting opinion of the Vietnam war.

And PJ, just for the record, my original use of ‘blasphemy’ is quite appropriate, according to Misters Merriam and Webster…#2.

I don’t like any of JH’s work; SSB or otherwise. Sue me. Just don’t confuse my dislike and distaste for disrespect.

#12, the singer’s name is Wayne Messmer, who is somewhat of a local legend (he used to be the p.a. announcer at Wrigley Field, and still regularly sings the anthem at Chicago sporting events).
And the video from the ’91 NHL All-Star Game anthem at the old, dearly departed Chicago Stadium is here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpxVE_kQXg

FWIW, Messmer was shot in the throat in the mid-90s while being mugged, and lost his voice for a year or so. He survived, but spent a year or so in painful rehab before making a triumphant return to sing the anthem before a ’Hawks game. I wish THAT one was on YouTube… talk about not a dry eye in the house…

Aerobab: No your usage isn’t correct according to definition #2. Perhaps you needed to look up the word “sacred” used there You need to get down to definition #5 before you can make a case for your usage.

There is still a difference between church and state in the USA.

Speaking of national anthems, my second fav anthem has to be New Zealands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYLoL1pfxeA

Thank God my b-day falls on ANZAC Day.

Wayne Messmer sounds like the guy who sings the National Anthem in the bubble hockey game. And you don’t get better than that in my book.