‘The Staind Mangled Banner’? Red-Faced Aaron Lewis Chokes on National Anthem

Some are calling it the "Staind Mangled Banner." Others are just scoring it as an error.

Either way, Staind frontman Aaron Lewis has been sheepishly apologizing since muffing the lyrics of the national anthem before Game 5 of the World Series Sunday night in San Francisco.

As the crowd and members of the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants stood by, Lewis started out fine: "O say can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed ..." he sang.

Then came the unintentional curve: Instead of singing "at the twilight's last gleaming" he sang " were so gallantly streaming." Those lyrics, of course, don't come until later in the anthem.

Lewis -- an outspoken critic of others, including Christine Aguilera, who've bungled the song -- was mortified and fled to Facebook Sunday night to apologize and reassure the country that he's as patriotic as the next guy:

"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 the nation, Major League Baseball and the many fans of our national pastime can forgive me."

Well ... OK. But just this once.

Hear it here: