Someone mentioned the Star-Spangled Banner:

"I don't know if this counts as a cover - but from what I've heard on the telly, it seems any performer booked to sing the Star Spangled Banner on a public occasion appears compelled to try to sing it even worse than all the others."

Which brings me to one of my pet peeves. In the DC area, we have a baseball team situated in the city to the north, Baltimore, where the "O's" are beloved. Due to the machinations of the owner, DC has no team of its own, nor much chance of getting one.

This is background to the fact that, when singing the National Anthem, the crowd at O's games -- AND DC CROWDS, TOO, DAMMIT! -- sings the "Oh" ("Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner ....") loudly, sometimes being the only word you can hear the crowd itself singing. The song is hard to sing, and it's pro forma at public events, but damn it, it's not for cheering on a money-grubbing millionaire's bread-and-circus product, either! Popular culture has a lot to answer for!


Bob (ticked off? Me?) Clayton