Cheesey,

You lucky dog! What a wonderful, supportive wife you have. Not everyone is so blessed.

Admit it. You have the world's largest karaoke machine in front of you. I can believe that you didn't look at the words. Can you imagine what would have happened if you glanced above the teleprompter and saw yourself on the screen? You brain would have thought OMG, THAT"S ME!!!! and cramped up.

Send GB a tape of your performance.

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You Americans should really start signing along with your national anthem.

Great job there, Alan.

LOL! I actually DID look at myself on the big screen (for only a second, though!) but then i just kind of "zoned out". I was thinking to myself, what a great honor i was having. And i did NOT want to mess it up. I wanted to give it the proper respect our anthem deserves!
I don't know who I would send the link to at the Packers.

What was also neat was that a couple of friends that i had not seen in a long time, just happened to be at the game, and they ran into me in the concourse. I heard "AL! AL!" and i turned to see them. They were hugging me, and my friend Emily told me she had goosebumps listening to me. That was some extra frosting on the cake!

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Rock, alot of people WERE singing along! It's just that you can't really hear them very well. I was surprised at how many people stopped me and told me "Great job!" I didn't think that many people payed attention to who was singing it.
That's also whats neat about having it recorded by my wife. It all happens so fast, that it's kind of like it didn't really happen. Now i can see it, and know it wasn't just a dream!

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Alan.. I will catch this tonight when I can hear it.. lol.

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+1. I hate it that people act so inconvenienced by the song.

Standing during the song (barely). That they have to be told to remove their hats. (You would never have heard that announcement 20-30 years ago.) Talking during the song or other signs of a lack of respect.

Of course I dislike it when singers try and "jazz up" the song. No need. The song is not about "you" do it the way it was written like Cheesey did and get out of the way.

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All patriotism aside, our national anthem really is a shit song. There are better choices, musically and lyrically, out there. America the Beautiful?

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Mark Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer

with CC to

Tim Connolly, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Jeff Blumb, Director of Public Relations
Sarah Quick, Assistant Director of Public Relations
Ricky Zeller, Assistant Director of Public Relations
Duke Bobber, Internet Coordinator
Jonathan Butnick, Public Relations Coordinator


The big shots won't look at it but one one the minions might and take it to their boss. It is worth a shot.

Burn about 10 copies. Address the letter to Mark Murphy and tell him that you know this is not his responsibility to deal with such matters but you are not sure who to speak to. If he would forward it on the the correct person (s) you would appreciate it. That gets him off the hook because you are telling him you don't expect anything from him. The lower level people will feel honored to receive the same letter the CEO gets and someone will take a peek.

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Mass does have a point, of course. The tune to "The Star Spangled Banner" (originally entitled "The Defense of Fort McHenry"), comes from a British drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven." Since it was originally a song designed to be belted out by a bunch of drunks who didn't care if they hit the notes or not, no one bothered to actually make it singable. Consequently, it has an absurdly broad vocal range and is extraordinarily difficult to sing well, as evidenced by the number of performances I've heard over the years that made my ears bleed.

I also agree that there are other songs that would be better suited to a national anthem.

That being said, I still find myself taking offense when people fail to show any respect for the flag. I take it more personally now than I used to, even though I shouldn't.

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I'm not sure I agree. Isn't tugging on the patriotic heartstrings, right or wrong, the whole point of a national anthem?

If done well by a pro, SSB is head and shoulders above ATB. Now if you're talking about ease of singing, or singing in a group, it's not.

IMO the best national anthem out there is (gag hack choke) La Marseillaise (sp?)


As sung in Casablanca.

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