Aaron Lewis tried and failed to perform the national anthem before Sunday night's World Series game in San Francisco. The Staind singer and aspiring country star screwed up the second line of the song — his version: "What so proudly we hailed were so gallantly streaming" — and then apologized profusely on Facebook:
"All I can say is I'm sorry and ask for the Nation's forgiveness. My nerves got the best of me and I am completely torn up about what happened. America is the greatest country in the world. The Star-Spangled Banner means so much to so many, including myself. I hope everyone can understand the intensity of the situation and my true intent of this performance. I hope that the Nation, Major League Baseball and the many fans of our national pastime can forgive me."
The funny thing about this is he railed on Christina Aguilera and Cyndi Lauper in 2011 for screwing up the song.
"F--k, it worked for Christina," Lewis said at a New York show in February of that year. "Or was that Cyndi Lauper? I guess I just don't understand how people who sing the national anthem can be so f---ing self-absorbed that they would try to change that f---ing song."
As previously reported, the singer was on board a Cessna Citation V that veered off a runway in Texas, coming to a stop thanks to some mud.
From our own Shawn Christ: "No word on what caused the accident, but the jet was disabled and Lewis missed a solo gig in Tulsa where he was going to be opening for Brantley Gilbert on the 'Let It Ride' tour.
"'I'm so glad that we are safe; however, I am really sorry that the fans in Tulsa were disappointed and let down with me not making tonight's show,' Lewis said in a statement. 'I promise I'll be back to Tulsa soon.'"
Earlier this summer, Lewis made headlines by unleashing a profanity-laden rant at a show. After noticing some men getting too physical with a young woman in the crowd, Lewis stopped the song and uttered the following:
"All right, listen up, you f--king a--holes. That f--king girl right there is like 15 f--king years old, and you f--king pieces of s--t are molesting her while she's on the f--king crowd.
"If I f--king see that s--t again, I swear to God, I will point you out in the crowd and have everyone around you beat your f--king ass."
