Politician Proposes $25 Fine for Singers Who Mess With National Anthem

KMazur, WireImage

From Christina Aguilera to Roseanne, people have been screwing up 'The Star-Spangled Banner' for decades. That surely irks some Americans, but others really get really furious when performers alter words (like Steven Tyler's "Home of the Indianapolis 500!") or add in those extraneous melodic flourishes.

Besides creating YouTube fodder, all these reworkings have really ticked off one patriot in particular: Indiana state senator Vaneta Becker. How angry is she, you ask? Enough that she's proposing a bill to fine performers who mess with the national anthem.

"Sometimes it's just done in a joking manner, but I don't think the national anthem is something we ought to be joking around with," Becker told the Star Press, referring to a case where the lyrics were changed in a school's parody version. The politician is proposing a $25 fine for anyone who intentionally changes the words or strays from the original melody. On top of that, the law would be strictly enforced in schools, which would be required to record every performance -- for two years!

"I don't think it would be very difficult for schools," she said. "You could record it on a lot of cellphones or like a small recording device [or] a CD."

Even though Becker is calling on state resources to fix this national crisis, she isn't out to fine singers who are melodically challenged or forget the words (ahem, Christina Aguilera). In that case, we're guessing she's not a fan of Jimi Hendrix's classic ripping of the banner at Woodstock.

Chec! k out ou r list of the worst 'Star-Spangled Banner' performances below and let us know what you think of the proposed bill.

The Worst National Anthem Performances

Steven Tyler Changes the Anthem

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