Through the perilous fight, all the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming

and the rocket's rocket.

Hey, it's Aurov, and this is a special archive episode of Akimbo.

50 years ago, Aretha Franklin, the late great Aretha Franklin, was the most successful American musician in the country.

She was on a tear that had lasted more than a year, one hit after another.

So having her perform the National Anthem at the 1968 Democratic Convention was a little bit of a coup.

After the Anthem was broadcast, however, the voices came out of the woodwork.

She crucified the song and tore my heart to shreds, wrote one newspaper reporter.

Here's another one from editor David Schuller in Mississippi.

Quote, the National Anthem was tossed around as so much garbage when SoulSister Aretha Franklin jazzed it up beyond the realm of the musicians.

On September 2, 1968, the Orlando Sentinel wrote,

I am ashamed as an American, our National Anthem can soar like an eagle.

Why must it be subjected to Barnyard Bob Rendition?

Why all the hatred was it just about Aretha?

A few months later, Jose Feliciano, who was also a hit musician, an American from Puerto Rico, blind from birth,

had a top 10 single based on the doors like my fire.

Having him perform the National Anthem at the World Series also seemed like a coup.

Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please, please rise and join in the singing of our National Anthem,

which will be played by Merleldi's band and will be sung by Jose Feliciano.

You've probably already guessed what happened. Aretha Franklin hadn't quite cleared the way for Jose Feliciano and those that followed.

There was outrage.

All of a sudden, Tony Kubeck, who was one of the announcers, comes up to me and says,

...