THRENODY

It's interesting to me HOW one comes across new words.  My brother asked, "Do you know this word  THRENODY?"  I answered, "No, I don't know it;  where did you see it?"  He said, "I'm reading an article in ESPN Magazine about the national anthem."

THRENODY:  a poem, speech, or song of lamentation, especially for the dead; dirge

The article was mainly about the multifarious performances of The Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl and other sporting events by such different performers as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Jose Feliciano, and Jimi Hendrix.  I was surprised that Hendrix performed his version 70 times.  Listen to his performance from Woodstock:

After reading the article, I said that I thought that  the term"threnody" was inappropriate because most of the renditions are uplifting rather than lamenting.  

I said, "The author should have mentioned Robert Goulet's debacle because that was truly lamentable!"   Les retorted, "That's what they get for allowing a non-American to sing it!"