Improper use of our National Anthem?

[Garrett Wollman]

<<On Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:13:47 -0400, "Gary's Ice Cream" <gary@garysicecream.com> said:

> Am I over-reacting or is this a reprehensible use of our National
> Anthem?  Your comments are appreciated and solicited.

In a word, yes, you are over-reacting.  (I guess that's actually five
words.)

The music is an old English drinking song called "To Anacreon in
Heaven".  The fact that we happen to sing Key's poem (never written to
be a song of any kind, never mind the national anthem) to the same
tune does not make it somehow sacred, any more than the Brits have a
right to object that we sing the patriotic song "My Country 'Tis of
Thee" to the tune of "God Save the Queen".

-GAWollman