I wish that the clapping at the end could be eliminated, but I realize that it can be written off as approval for the musical rendition or "let's get the game started", but I'll cede that one if we could get rid of the warbling.

The Star-Struck Anthem
©1995 (in all its post-pubescent glory)

Oh say can you see my love, the stars are too far stuck above me
I need to know you see in me what I see in you,
the blue of oceans,
Green, dark brown and hazel of land,

Your eyes, my hand in every time you cry
So mad I want to die inside
Or find a place to hide away
And wash my face in yours until they dry.

One stop, non-stop, there is no more left
Of what you might have been
Kingpin jacks and fly away wives
In the time-kill chamber all ran dry ages ago

Don’t know your voice now
It sounds learned like layers of skin
Escaped from the First Valley,
You are just like me

I see through the icy glow
And though I may never see you again
I know who you were before your rise.

Oh say, can you see my love
I need to know you care about me,
Feel anticipation I feel too, too much,
Sedated in your arms and on your fingertips
To let the evening rest
Across the restaurant I run
And paint a line directly for your lips
Never a rainy moment
Television can’t control it
Nothing left to hold except this,
Daring all who might oppose it
Now is marble seashell, painted blue

And I hate each day I spend without a
thought of holding you
I hate each day I spend without a thought
of holding you

But I have a quibble in each case. Forgiveness, via a process of penitence and atonement, is perfectly appropriate for unequivocally-wrong decisions like adulterating the national anthem: the word for it is the one I used, inexcusable. As for national songs, most of them don't rate the same level of gestures-of-respect as the national anthem, but Lift Every Voice and Sing does "rate". It's a different song, so using the same particular gesture wouldn't fit. But it's on the same level.

Best rewrite I've ever heard was off an old comedy album, but can't remember who it was:

"As we stand here wai-TING,
FOR the BALL game to start..."

Heh.

akadjian -

To be fair, I don't think Key had anything to do with his poem being put to music, but I could be mistaken about that. As long as it isn't the one that rips off the tune of "God Save The Queen"....

-CW

Ok, to be honest, I can't take credit for that. But I thought it was funny.

Me personally, I find America the Beautiful to be a much better song. No disrespect intended, but I'd vote Francis Scott Key off the island :)

-David