The Man That Ruined Indy says "Sorry"

[Liz]

From today's Toronto Sun :

Indy Likely Not the First to Apologize for Steven Tyler

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has apologized to those who were offended by Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler's rendition of the American National Anthem before the start of Sunday's Indianapolis 500.

"While we are certainly sorry that some were offended, it was neither our intention nor that of Mr. Tyler to be disrespectful. All of us have the utmost respect for the sacrifice our veterans have made for us." Tony George said in a statement released by the Speedway on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Tyler also said he meant no offence. "I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth," he said at the time. "I'm very proud to be an American, and live in the home of the brave."

Tyler began his performance with a harmonica solo and ended by singing "the home of the Indianapolis 500" instead of the home of the brave."

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When I saw the headline on this story I thought he was going to apologize for letting that fool sing in the first place!

[KC]

I skipped it becasue I personally think the guy has no talent, but that is my opinion only.

[Dave S]

You'de think they would have auditioned the guy before putting him on live TV. Perhaps this is the price T.G. has to pay to get someone to put a decal on one of his cars, as Aerosmaith sponsored somebody, but I forget who..

[Jay]

hehehe...and they call Canadians apologetic. Our national anthem changes from place to place so much that nobody would care.

I didn't think he was that bad. I remember a band (Big Sugar) playing the national anthems on their electric guiters at Molson Indy. No vocals, just the repulsive sounds of one guitar wailing. Everyone in the grandstand turned to the person beside them as if to ask "is this for real". Liz, do you remember this?

[Victor Broccoli]

I think Tyler's rendition of the anthem was a vain attempt to make the race look "cool" in the eyes of the younger audience.

How someone decided that a 40-year old that looks about 55 screaming his voice hoarse over cheezy guitar riffs is a cool thing is beyond me (and I'm still in high school!)

Although I was hoping Tony would apologize for that "other" way he ruined the Indy 500....alas.

[Ray Bell]

Maybe they'll do the right thing and stop doing this crass bit of buffoonery.

There's no need for it, and it always seems to me to be a weak attempt to align a race (and I mean any race) with a bit of patriotism that shouldn't be a part of the deal.

That said, what does changing the words have to do with veterans?

'Brave' could well refer to the bravery or tenacity required to tame the land and build the state (it is the state anthem, after all), and it was surely written before any wartime involvement (excepting the Civil War, perhaps) so how relevant is that comment?

As for the 'younger audience', which of them care or even listen to such things?

Let's just get on with the racing...

[Crash Test]

" The Man That Ruined Indy says "Sorry" "
-Coming from Liz I would have thought it was about Tony George apologising for kicked CART out

[Liz]

He'll never be THAT sorry, sad to say. And too bad, as he certainly should be, especially now that Champ Cars have collectively kicked his sorry butt on international television!

There used to be a joke that a lot of Americans thought the last two lines of the National Anthem were "Play Ball!"

However, I must point out that it was in fact written during the Revolutionary War to commemorate a battle. And the veterans are the one group who still have some respect for their country, which extends to not having their anthem trashed by screaming idiots at a sports event.

Jay, I have heard some bad renditions of the Canadian National Anthem at all kinds of events - but by and large up here it seems to be more often respected than down south. I do have to say that the most moving rendition I have heard, though, was of the OLD National Anthem, sung by Anne Murray at the closing of Maple Leaf Gardens. Even allowing for the substitution of the politically correct "within my heart, above my home" for the more correct "The Thistle, Shamrock, Rose Entwined", it even brought a tear to Tiger Williams' eye!

[mac]

People are going to divulge from this that I have massive problems (and I probably do), BUT, I like Aerosmith. There, I said it. I also like Steve Tyler. I like them doing rock music. I don't know about the US national anthem though. Tyler's comment that he has a big mouth is spot on. It is the biggest. I didn't see the rendition (the Australian TV station that broadcast the race are idiots), but from what I've heard it was pretty bad.

Whoever hired Tyler to do the anthem is the one with the problems. Haven't they ever heard Aerosmith before. Haven't they ever heard Tyler sing.

Victor - Tyler is 53.

Dave S - They sponsored Jeff Ward.

[Nuvolari]

I didn't see Tyler, nor do I count myself a fan . . . but if people want the anthem sung in a way that won't offend anyone in the known universe, they need to hire the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I remember all the sanctimonious hand-wringing over Jose Feliciano's rendition at one of the World Series games in 1968. Oh, the uproar because he had the temerity to put some real soul into it.

Aside from Hendrix at Woodstock, it's the only performance worth sticking in my memory.

[bella]

meh. i ignore the whole of the first bit because it reminds me why i'm not keen on the american idea of a sports event. you hear liverpool fc singing you'll never walk alone, and it makes hairs stand up on the back of your neck. listen to the whole of wembley (or cardiff) singing 'abide with me', it's something special.

[Liz]

Well, listening to a whole hillside of us at the Trans Am singing "O Canada" was pretty cool, too. I was surprised how many people know at least one version of the words. (As Jay mentioned, there are at least three English versions and one French version.) In fact, it may not be possible to mix up the Canadian National Anthem because everyone will assume that you're just singing another version they don't know about ...

Do other countries sing National Anthems before sporting events, or is this just a North American thing?

[Crash Test]

WRT Australian motorsport, we would probably get the national anthem 3 times a year, at the F1 GP, Champ Car race, and at Bathurst.

[Victor Broccoli]

Mac....so he's a 53 year old that looks about 65. Either way, he's a bit out of touch as I see it.

Bella...so different soccer clubs have anthems of their own that are sung before the match? Please explain this (it's a foreign concept for us Americans as we have the anthem).

Mac...again...it truly was painful to sit through. I admit as well that I am a fan of some of the older Aerosmith stuff (my musical tastes lie more towards jam-oriented stuff, but that's a whole nother topic)...if I can, I shall see if I can track down an MP3 of this as it shouldn't be hard to find.

[SevenGrain]

and I noticed Florence Henderson (who has sang the National Anthem at Indy for years) standing in the background. Was she there in case Tyler could't make up ( Rock stars being patently unreliable) or did Tony forget to tell her she was replaced? I suppose next year Jim Nabors will be replaced with Limp Bizkit, or perhaps Ozzy Osbourne...

[Victor Broccoli]

Amazingly, considering this current tangent of National Anthem singers, I wouldn't be half surprised to see next year's anthem done by the Backstreet Boys (or whatever is currently in next May).

Just let Florence Henderson do it. She does do a good job, IMO.

[bella]

Originally posted by Victor Broccoli
Bella...so different soccer clubs have anthems of their own that are sung before the match? Please explain this (it's a foreign concept for us Americans as we have the anthem).

well, liverpool have 'you'll never walk alone' as their song, but that's about the only one. most teams have some sort of song to sing, usually written for the club, or just stolen - ipswich have 'singing the blues' as does birmingham.

the fa cup final has two songs - the national anthem, and 'abide with me'. these are sung as part of tradition, rather than just for the hell of it. imo, a cup final wouldn't be complete without abide with me..

but back to the topic. i don't get it. if you yanks are so set on keeping traditions, why break the main one? why have some oik wailing the anthem when you can have it done with style and feeling by someone who's done it for years?

[Blackjack21]

Liz,

The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key while he was watching the British attacked Fort McHenry. It may be long in the tooth but it still inspires me each time I heard it played and sung by someone with talent.

[botsquad]

stevie was just being a rock star. a station he is very much worthy of.

the sound system didnt help.

and he should have been backed by the rest of the band.

but.....

the whole thing was worth it to see the look on a.j. foyt.

you could just see him thinking...

' what the f have tony and i done to this race ??! '