Denver residents received a shock when Mayor John Hickenlooper’s annual State of the City address was opened by Jazz Singer Rene Marie singing “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” also known as the “Black National Anthem,” instead of the traditional “Star Spangled Banner.”

Apprently no one had an inkling that she was going to substitute it for America’s National Anthem.

Governor Bill Ritter labeled it as “inappropriate.” City Councilman Charlie Brown said, “There is no substitute for the national anthem, period.” Mayor Hickenlooper said he was disappointed and confused.

Marie later said she kept her plans on substituting th song between her and her husband and originally planned on mixing the words of the two songs. She said, “When I decided to sing my version, what was going on in my head was: ‘I want to express how I feel about living in the United States, as a black woman, as a black person.'”

She stated if she had it to do over again, she would do the same, as she also said she would not apologize for the substitution.

Report here along with lyrics to “Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing”