A New Tune: Petition Calls For R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” To Become National Anthem Of The USA

If you’ve ever wished that the National Anthem was a little more catchier, this story will bring a smile to your face. Fed up with the dulcet tones of the Star Spangled Banner a group of people have started a petition to change the national anthem of the US to R. Kelly’s 2003 hit Ignition (Remix).

Yes, ‘hot and fresh out the kitchen’ is the news that at least 4,300 Americans are more than willing to sign as many petitions as possible in order to instate the tune as the national anthem.

“We, the undersigned, would like the Obama administration to recognize the need for a new national anthem, one that even a decade after its creation, is still hot and fresh out the kitchen,” says the petition.

“America has changed since Francis Scott Key penned our current anthem in 1814. Since then, we have realized that after the show, it’s the afterparty, and that after the party, it’s the hotel lobby, and – perhaps most importantly – that ‘round about four, you’ve got to clear the lobby and freak somebody.

“President Obama: we ask you to recognize the evolution of this beautiful country and give us an anthem that better suits the glorious nation we have become,” it concludes.

We’re not going to lie, the people behind the petition make an interesting case. As it stands, only  95,658 more signatures are needed before the petition is actually taken seriously and the White House is forced to respond to it.

This story got us thinking about our own national anthem and we figured that if the day comes when the Government wants to get rid of Amhran na Bhfiann, these are the three tunes that we wouldn’t mind replacing it.

Aon Focal Eile by Richie Kavanagh

Back in the day this sound was an absolute classic. It taught us all some valuable bits of Irish and never before has a song brought together an entire nation (sure wasn’t it number one for weeks?) In parts of Ireland you can still hear this tune randomly when you’re on a night out. It’s legendary.

Riverdance

Look, hear us out. It impressed everyone when we bursted out Riverdance at the 1994 Eurovision. People still go on about how amazing it was. Instead of having a national anthem with words that we don’t really know, we’ll just whack on the Riverdance music and do some Irish dancing. It will be epic.

Put ‘Em Under Pressure (We’re All Part Of Jackie’s Army)

The national pride that this song inspires is just completely insane. It’s hard not to feel patriotic as soon as you hear the refrain of “ole, ole, ole, ole!”