The Philadelphia Flyers have covered a statue of Kate Smith and announced that the team will no longer play her 1939 rendition of 'God Bless America' after learning of racially offensive song lyrics from the late singer's past.

Smith's statue near the Flyers' Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia was covered in black cloth on Friday morning – one day after it was reported by the New York Daily News that her rendition of 'God Bless America' is no longer being played during the team's regular seventh-inning stretch festivities.

'We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization,' a Flyers spokesman said in a statement to the Daily Mail. 'As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith's recording of "God Bless America" from our library and covering up the statue that stands outside of our arena.'

Kate Smith's rendition of 'God Bless America' had been synonymous with Philadelphia Flyers hockey since the late 1960s, and ultimately came to be seen as a good luck charm for the team

Kate Smith's statue near the Flyers' Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia was covered in black cloth on Friday morning – one day after it was reported by the New York Daily News that her rendition of 'God Bless America' is no longer being played during the team's regular seventh-inning stretch festivities

Smith's version of the song has been seen as a good luck charm for the Flyers since 1969, when the team began playing it before games. She went on to sing the song at Philadelphia's Spectrum on four occasions, including Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals when the Flyers secured the first of their two NHL titles.

Smith's version of the song has been seen as a good luck charm for the Flyers since 1969, when the team began playing it before games. She went on to sing the song at Philadelphia's Spectrum on four occasions, including Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals when the Flyers secured the first of their two NHL titles.

Smith's racially insensitive songs include titles such as 'Pickaninny Heaven' and 'That's Why Darkies Were Born.'

The Yankees have been using different versions of 'God Bless America' in place of Smith's recording, and will continue to do so.

Kathryn Elizabeth 'Kate' Smith comes out to sing 'God Bless America' before a Philadelphia Flyers home game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia in the 1970s

The team had been using Smith's 1939 'God Bless America' recording over the last 18 seasons following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

According to the Daily News, Smith said she directed 'Pickaninny Heaven' at 'colored children,' and she included a line about a place with 'great big watermelons.'

A film for that song took place in a black orphanage.

In her song, 'That's Why Darkies Were Born,' Smith included the lyrics, 'Someone had to pick the cotton. … That's why darkies were born.'

The song was reportedly recorded as satire and included a contribution from African-American performer Paul Robeson.

Smith died in 1986 - well after she endorsed the 'Mammy Doll,' which has been criticized as a racist caricature of a black woman.

According to the Daily News, live performers may ultimately replace Smith's 1939 rendition.

Smith was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1982.