The singer-songwriter altered the lyrics of his 2009 hit "American Saturday Night," incorporating a reference to the Ukrainian flag, which was met with enthusiastic applause from the attendees.
Emily Goodin, a correspondent for the Daily Mail, shared the news on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Brad Paisley changed the lyrics of 'American Saturday Night' to include a 'Ukrainian flag hanging behind the bar' - earning him cheers from the state dinner crowd," she wrote.
May 25, 2024
In a video clip of the performance, Paisley can be heard singing, "She's got Brazilian leather boots on the pedal of her German car. There's a Ukrainian flag hanging up behind the bar. Yes, she's going 'round the world tonight, but she ain't leavin' here. She's just going to meet her boyfriend down at the street fair. And it's a French kiss, Italian ice, Spanish moss in the moonlight." The original lyrics, which Paisley replaced with the Ukrainian reference, were "Listenin' to The Beatles singin' 'Back in the USSR.'"
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The state dinner, held in honor of Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and his wife, first lady Rachel Ruto, erupted in cheers and applause as Paisley made the lyrical switch.
Paisley's support for Ukraine is not a recent development. Since the onset of the war with Russia in February 2022, Paisley has been an outspoken advocate for Ukraine. He serves as an ambassador for Ukraine's United24 fundraising campaign.
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In April 2023, Paisley journeyed to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as part of a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators. During his visit, he performed a Ukrainian-language folk song amidst the ruins of Russian military equipment in Mikhailovsky Square. Additionally, he performed an acoustic rendition of his single, "Same Here," a song about expressing solidarity with Ukrainians from afar. The track features a spoken word segment by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Reflecting on his trip, Paisley shared his experience of meeting President Zelensky in person. "I had a great, 45-minute talk with him—we discussed everything we could think of and really got into the details of who we are, and our families. It was a really eye-opening thing," Paisley said.
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Throughout the ongoing conflict, the United States has consistently backed Ukraine. The Biden administration has provided various military and economic aid packages to the beleaguered nation. However, last month, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized the U.S. Congress over discussions regarding a new foreign aid bill for Ukraine.
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"Whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guaranteed money in the pockets of the U.S.," Peskov stated. "No matter what anyone says, the Americans are not forgetting about themselves."
