“Aaron Lewis Screws Up National Anthem At World Series Game,” the Huffington Post headline read.
Mediaite said that Lewis “bollocksed up the National Anthem before Sunday evening’s World Series game. Lewis has DON’T TREAD ON ME tattooed on his neck, in case you were in the market for a handy political metaphor.”
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Twitter was also abuzz with criticism of the lead singer of the rock group, Staind.
Deadspin was a little less tactful: “World Series National Anthem Botched By That A**hole From Staind, said their headline. “This is Aaron Lewis of the shi**y noise band Staind, and don’t ask us why he’s singing in San Francisco tonight because Staind is from Massachusetts,” Deadspin complained. “Huey Lewis is still available, jerks, and he knows the words.”
After singing the opening line, “O say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed,” Lewis flubbed the next line. Instead of “at the twilight’s last gleaming” he sang ” were so gallantly streaming.” He handled it professionally, not missing a beat and continuing the song without any further problems. The crowd didn’t seem to mind, cheering as he finished with “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
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So did Lewis deserve the scorn of the Internet for desecrating our National Anthem on Sunday night?
Nothing quite so dramatic. He just messed up a line.
Not that anyone would ever judge Deadspin’s motives because surely, they’re motives are purely patriotic and no doubt the writers there feel great anguish at hearing someone flub a line of the National Anthem, but I suspect the writers there have heard that Lewis describes himself as a “Constitutionalist.” The gun-loving singer told MassLive in 2011, shortly after the release of his solo country CD,” I believe in the Constitution, the powers that it sets forth, I believe in the limited powers that it sets forth. I believe that the government – on both sides – is just as responsible and just as out of control.” Lewis added, “The fact of the matter is that the federal government is supposed to be doing 18 things efficiently and properly. Most of these things don’t even get looked at because they’re so busy doing stuff that they’re not even supposed to be doing. Everything is supposed to be on the state and local level.”
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Lewis’ hit single from that CD, “Country Boy” features guns, hunting, and the American and Gadsden flags. “I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, cuz’ I’ve never needed government to hold my hand,” Lewis sings. At the end of the song country singer George Jones, who is featured along with Charlie Daniels says, “I love my guns. I love my family. I love the way it is now. And anybody that tries to change it has to come through me. That should be all of our attitudes.”
After the game, Lewis posted a heartfelt apology on his Facebook page:
Dear #AaronLewis Don't sweat forgetting one line; when I sang at AT&T Park with @train I was so nervous I forgot half the song. It happens.
— Rachael (spelled like Denhollander) Starke (@rachaelstarke) October 27, 2014
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