Could the author who holds the copyright demand they not sing his song? He owns the melody. Don’t know if it’s Greenwood. I doubt very seriously the school is paying royalties. Maybe he could demand a very high price to sing it.
Fox Boston yesterday had the story. Coupla points:
The school backed down, the song will be in the program in the original form, singing is voluntary. (Right call.)My guess, when the assembly is held, everyone in the building, including the audience will emphatically sing the chorus, "God bless the U.S.A."Lee Greenwood did write the school and told them they could not sing the song in altered form, that "God" was the most important word in the song.
Scott Brown carried Bellingham handily and will carry it handily again in 2012. This is not Cambridge.