If you’re ever going to mess up the words to our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, you prolly should do so at a minor event where you will minimize your embarrassment and hopefully escape media attention. Unfortunately for Christina Aguilera, that was not the case. In front of her largest audience ever, Xtina flubbed the lyrics to The Star-Spangled Banner in front of the largest television viewing audience of the year at Super Bowl XLV yesterday. Today, Xtina issues a statement that doesn’t really apologize for the error, nor does it really acknowledge that an error was made. See her flubbed performance and read her statement below
Christina Aguilera says she flubbed a line as she belted out the national anthem at the start of the Super Bowl after getting lost in the moment and losing her place. She says in a statement, “I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place. I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of it’s anthem still came through.” When she was supposed to sing the line “O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming,” she instead repeated an earlier line, with a slight variation. She sang “What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming,” which is the same line from earlier in the song but with the word ‘watched’ instead of ‘hailed.’ The mistake immediately set social networks abuzz with people commenting on the error.
In case you missed it or just want to watch it again, here is Xtina‘s erroneous performance of the national anthem:
In her defense, Xtina has successfully sung the national anthem many times before so we do know that she knows the words to the song. This is proof that even a seasoned performer can let nerves and excitement affect them no matter how many performances they have done in their career. Many folks are giving her credit for singing live and not lip-syncing but that to me doesn’t mean much. It is usually the norm for these performances to be pre-recorded and then played during the actual broadcast. Most famously, Whitney Houston performed to a pre-recorded track back in 1991 at Super Bowl XXV and it became a hit song after it was released in the wake of a wave of national pride during the first Gulf War:
It is for reasons like Xtina‘s mistake that the song is usually pre-recorded. Messing up the lyrics to one of the most difficult songs to sing EVER is understandable … but when it happens on such a large stage as the Super Bowl, well, you kinda just have to facepalm yourself and go Oh My Gawd! I, personally, am not a big fan of the way Xtina adds her “flourishes” when she sings. I, personally, do not find it impressive when she exaggerates lines while belting out songs. Absent the flub, I still wasn’t that particularly impressed with her performance over all. What do y’all think of Xtina‘s eff up … is it a big deal to you?
[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]
She still sang it really well! To me it is just funny and really isn’t that big of deal.
Are you deaf mate? That performance was bad, whether she messed up the lyrics or not. Sorry.
Is that the sound of millions of iTunes downloads not happening?
I honest to god didn’t really catch it, I thought for a moment that I had missed a part but its so quick that I thought it was just me. I feel badly for her that she will catch crap for it for awhile.
I love Christina & I’m bummed for her that she messed up. But, “he who is without sin…” and all that, right? I thought it was cool that she not only sang live but acapella.
No but I am mad that we lost the damn game…..
She grew up singing it for Steelers (as well as Pens and Pirates) games, I mean come on now Xtina.
@Megan — “She grew up singing it for Steelers” OMG, mebbe she jinxed her team? LOL!
I thought it was just me! Maybe because I’m Canadian and was watching with Canadians who don’t know the words? Because I looked around and no one seemed to notice…but I think she did an amazing job anyways.
This just reminds me of the Hannah Montana episode…where she flubs the lyrics and feels horrific etc etc but people will get past it!
I’ve seen many a performer screw up the lyrics to a song they’ve written and performed hundreds of times, so things happen.
“amazing job”????????
You’re either deaf or have really poor taste in music. Regardless of the embarrassing mistake, her voice is so annoying. Her style of adding fifty notes to what should be a single note played out and needs to go away. Stop hiding behind runs and embellishments honey and just sing the song the way it was intended. There has been a 15 year run where pop music is gawd awful…
It could have been a lot worse but forget the singing what about that hair…i swear Kim Z. has better looking wigs than that. Xtina girl getittogether.com!
I wouldn’t have even noticed it if someone hadn’t said anything about it. She is a great singer but I hate it when she or any other artist for that matter adds all that exaggeration to the song. Sing it like its supposed to be sung. I remember reading some blind items about a singer who was planning a Britny Spears style meltdown so she could have a comeback. I’m starting to think it could be Christina. Shes going out a lot drinking and now shes messed up a performance in front of millions of people. I do give her props though for singing that live when most people pretape.
@laurennc — “I wouldn’t have even noticed it if someone hadn’t said anything about it.” Really? I don’t sing the song every day but I do know the words and noticed immediately when she repeated the same line twice.
@laurennc — It wasn’t her decision to sing live, the producers of the show determine whether or not the music is pre-recorded. My guess is they’ll go back to pre-recording the national anthem. What I don’t understand is why people look down on pre-recording. The artist does sing it live while it’s being recorded. They don’t tweak or produce it, they just make sure that the song is sung correctly … for this very reason.
envious ’cause Xtina is a better singer than your loved Britney? how many times has britney sung the national anthem at the super bowl? zero.
@jo — LOL! Yes, that’s it. Bwahahahaha!!
@jo – she oversang the song and messed up the words, and unless britney was jabbing pins into her xtina voodoo doll during the performance, i think it’s unnecessary for you to drag her name into the conversation.
So this is what it comes down to, Britney vs Christina?? What is it 2000 again? Gawd help us all if these two commercial Disney twits are all we have to choose from…
I was already dreading this particular performance because I knew that Christina would oversing the hell out of the song and that alone is butchering it enough. So in that sense the flub was totally secondary to me.
She needs to understand that some classic songs are much better performed in an understated way. That is how the meaning behind the lyrics get properly captured. Sure you can get away with one or two big money notes but her ridiculous runs and flourishes on every single word just come off as obnoxious and self-indulgent.
Instead of infusing the song with feeling and creating a moment, she just sucked all the emotion and soul out of the song for me. Technical skill is useless without the heart to back it up IMO. That has been Christina’s problem from day one.
@MM — Totally agree. 100%.
the best moment is when they cut to the packers coach and the two players behind him look at each other like, hey, is that how that goes?? lol
While watching Christina’s “rendition” of the anthem, my husband and I immediately thought of one of our fave Maya Rudolph sketches from SNL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImCWjbAOXKo
@Natalie — LOL, me too!!
They should’ve gotten Rosanne Bar to sing it! LOL
@roze — LMAOOOOOOOOOO :D
I definitely give her credit for singing live (Lea Michele, too) and doing it well. She’s only human – let’s not throw stones here unless we’re all 100% sure that we wouldn’t flub a lyric when singing in front of billions of people.
ya she might of sung it a little extra but that’s how she has always been. i doubt she was gonna change it. but i was surprised she actually sang live.. she still has the voice. i could listen to her sing for days straight!!!
The Star Spangled Banner has always been a favorite and it saddens me a great deal when people flub it up. I’ll give her that she may have gotten all flustered, etc. BUT c’mon, man! Also, how many people don’t know the lyrics? Pretty sad when you don’t know the lyrics to the national anthem. For shame.
One thing that I love about the Whitney version is the way that she is smiling and having fun the whole time. If you look at the video or the stills of Christina, girl looks like she is in pain.*
OH MY GOD. Whitney’s voice used to be like THUNDER. That woman could SING. Damn.
P.S. Christina can pretty much sing anything well EXCEPT The National Anthem. I never ever have seen any performance she’s done of that song and actually liked it. Besides that, she can pretty much sing anything else particularly well.
Everybody is over reacting to this.
Yes, she messed up, but not the entire song. It was one line, it wasn’t like she was singing the national anthem of Iran.
About her performance i felt for being Xtina she didn’t over do it, she could have been way worse with that.
I had to mute my tv. Her voice is so heinous like nails on a chalkboard. Fail.
I would like to say that this is the last time I comment on the whole thing but I know that’s a lie. So she messed up the words, so what! It was 10times better than Lea Michelle’s performance. I don’t know maybe I’m old school but I like powerhouse vocals and powerhouse performances, not that watered down mess you could see any musical theatre performer do. Xtina was great and I still put it up there with Whitney, Beyonce, & J Hud.
It’s just sad because this is one of the only parts of the superbowl my family and I really look forward to watching. I think she tried to recover with all of her fancy work at the end, but it just didn’t work. Too bad she didn’t come out and apologize, though, could have looked a bit better for her.
I do, however, think Lea Michele’s God Bless America was amazing right before her – she definitely could (and should) have done the anthem. Right??
i didnt notice until it was pointed out. but i really dont see the big deal. mistakes happen. shes not the first to mess up, and she wont be the last. it was just one line and even with the mistake, the girl kept going and did great.
i keep reading places saying theres no way she could have been nervous, but i think nerves played a part, i mean its the superbowl, thats a whole different kind of stage.
Trent- I’m not sure if you’re being totally fair here. Yes she did screw up, but in her statement she actually said “I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place” then she says the part about loving her country. So she did acknowledge that a mistake was made. Just sayin’. :)
@Chrys — What am I not being fair about? As I said, I can understand flubbing the song on such a large performance stage. But even without the mess up, I was not impressed at all with her singing. Xtina tends to overdo it when she sings and I personally find it grating and irritating. It’s just my personal opinion.
No that’s not what I meant at all Trent! Yes, I agree about the over-singing 100%, I also find it irritating. I was not defending her vocals, believe me. What I meant about not being fair was how you said her statement didn’t acknowledge that a mistake was made. Her full statement did, that’s all. Wasn’t trying to be rude.
@Chrys — Oh, gotcha. This is what I have as her full statement regarding the flub, “I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of it’s anthem still came through.” As you can see, nowhere does it mention that A.) she flubbed or B.) she is sorry. Are you seeing something I am not?
On the huffingtonpost.com site it has a link to the statement she gave to the AP where it says the first line of her statement was “I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place”,so in my mind, she is saying she goofed, but you’re right, there really is no apology there. Anyhow, love your site, keep up the great work! :)
I have to agree with you Trent. Her whole performance was just…bad. I didn’t pick up the mistake..not being American I don’t know the anthem that well. But the singing was godawful. Why do people try musical acrobatics with the anthem? It wasn’t written that way, why try to change it? Plus she looked like she was in pain through most of it. Huge fail.
Mebbe I’m too laid back, but I really do think they’re making too much of this. So she messed it up.. Big deal. People make mistakes all the time. Sure, in hindsight she probably should have pre recorded the song, but really, at teh end of the day, did she HARM anyone? You guys should go read the comments on CNN… the peeps are acting like the girl committed treason rather than flubbing the lyrics to the national anthem. I think if she had done it on purpose, yes, that would be bad, but oy vey, she effed up. move on!
i reading this other site, and someone seriously said she was a traitor to her country, a terrorist and that she needed to move to the middle east. and the person was SERIOUS about the comment, defended it and everything.
people are crazy sometimes.
@nicole — OMG, now that is crazy. Ugh. :(
there are some KERAZZZZY people out there… I was gobsmacked when I was reading the comments! and how hateful it got, as fast as it did. At the end of the day, it is just a song. yes, it represents our freedom, blah blah, but some of those people were scary. I wonder if other countries get so protective of their anthems the way we do in the US?
@Kells — I refuse to even pay any attention to them because they really crave the attention. There are a lot of crazies all over the world, it’s sad but very true :/
Kells…we Aussies don’t get so emotional about our anthem. In fact a lot don’t even like it. lol The first line says…”Australians all let us rejoice.” A lot of little kids think it’s “Australians all are ostriches”. lol So, people get ours mixed up all the time and no one really cares.
@Debho!!! that is so funny! I just think peeps should get upset over the things that MATTER, not how a song is sung at a stupid football game.
@Kells…agreed! So many more important things in the world to get fired up about than some half-arsed singer fluffing up lines of a song.
Nicole, Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. I know many libs who will pretend to be conservatives on message boards just to stir things up….(and vice versa) I am not saying there aren’t people who feel like that, but take it with a grain of salt if it isn’t coming directly out of someone’s mouth in front of your eyes….just sayin’
I think the backlash is a combination of disliking her vocal acrobatics AND screwing up the lyrics to the national anthem. I think when you combine the two, she does deserve criticism. Just my opinion…
I’m sure I’d be nervous singing in front of that many millions of viewers but there’s a reason they ask professional singers to do it. I thought it was tacky of her. And all the flourishes were over the top – she’s certainly not the first to do it. Call me old fashioned I’d rather it was just sung, period (without all that extra ‘whatever you want to call it’).
Xtina sucks. She has like maybe 2 good songs ever, and that’s a gift.
If you’re gonna do the National Anthem at the friggin SuperBowl… KNOW THE FRIGGIN LYRICS!! And if you mess up, hey, that’s okay, everyone makes mistakes. Just say “i messed up, sorry y’all” and move on. But instead, it’s becoming like a huge issue.
Too bad this mess up of hers didn’t coincide with the release of her crappy ass pathetic Bionic album so she could have something to blame its poor performane on. Though she wouldnt need one if she could actually do a decent record.
And as for Lea… her 15 minutes are starting to fade… unlike her dogface. Blech!
meooooooooooooow!
I wasn’t even looking at the tv when she was singing. Her facial expressions are horrible and she always feels the need to add more to a song. “I was lost in the moment” Yeah we know.. lost making ugly facial expressions.
Easy solution to this problem… play Whitney’s version every year… lol
I so agree!
It was so embarrassing! First she messed up the lines then she over sang each word after to try to make up for it. It was all and all a bad performance
No big Deal as most don’t know the anthem anyway. She effectively covered herself and was classy about it. There was nothing to “apologize” for, it was an accident that could happen to anyone, she knew the words, she just transposed them and committed untill she got a chance to get back on track. I did not even notice it untill this morning’s reports.
As far as how sings goes, she doesn’t sing, she SAAANNGGS! She takes you to church like the true greats, Whitney, Aretha, Mariah, Celine, etc. Thats a gift. Its not something you csn learn either you have soul or you don’t. Sometimes she can add a run where it doesn’t belong but generally speaking. She is one of the best singers (along with Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson) of this generation and will go down in history as such.
Her voice is an “instrument” capable of doing more than just mouthing words.
@cutitout — I find it kind of sad that most people didn’t even realize that she messed up.
I do, too. I’m not a flag-waving, gun-toting, well, you get my drift, but dang, you gots to know where you’re from! I think we happen to have a beautiful anthem, and it is perfect in its simplicity. I believe it takes more talent to sing it plainly, to be honest. This just made me ever so much sadder for Xtina, because she’s just a hot mess right now.
@ trent
Lol! I suppose this is one case where America’s failing educational system and poor Civics education programs has worked in someone’s favor.
But I honestly don’t think she “forgot” the lyrics as much as lost her place and had to commit rather than stop and start over, that would have been really bad seeing as though she was singing live and acapella.There is no wiggleroom whatsoever.
She is set to open the grammys or something this year in tribute to Aretha Franklin along side Jennifer Hudson. Have you heard anything about that? (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christina-aguilera-honor-aretha-franklin-97128)
I hope if its true she does well, she needs a win, 2010 and the beginning of 2011 has been a bad year for her mostly.
@cutitout — “But I honestly don’t think she “forgot” the lyrics as much as lost her place and had to commit rather than stop and start over” Yes, you are so right. In the grand scheme, she recovered well and saved the perf from being a total disaster. I’ve not heard about her Grammys appearance but I’d not be surprised. She is amazingly talented.
Yea..I also didn’t catch her mistake. Though she flubbed a line, I think she did well on the first half of the song. I think as long as everyone felt the national spirit of our country coming together to watch and celebrate the excitement of the game..that’s all it really matters. People shouldn’t trip too much over this matter. On the other hand, I was a disappointed about the halftime performance. I like the Black Eyed Peas..but they’ve sung the songs too many times. I was hoping to hear from other artists beside Usher. Oh well..anyway Congrats to the Packers! The Steelers also played well too..so congrats to them too! Hopefully, 49ners can make it to the Superbowl next year. I’ve been dying to see them win! hehe..I’ll always be their #1 fan! :D
Yeah, I didnt catch it till it was over. I give her kudos for 1) singing acapella unlike Lea Michele and 2)continuing on. Thats a mark of a professional. Lots of singers have jacked up various songs. I believe she got caught up in singing at the SB, which she said herself was a dream come true. It must have been alot, especially when she was about to hit “rockets red glare”. It is sad that most people didnt notice, cuz not alot of people even know the song. Its not even taught anymore!
I think alot of people are blowing it out of proportion and just need to grow up
Everyone needs to get off her back! I believe even if she did lipsynch people would still scrutinize her. I realize that most singers lipsynch to their pre-recorded vocals but she is the second person to ever sing the national anthem LIVE at the Super Bowl… She has balls. Yes, she messed up, but if she would have lipsynched, got lost (like she claimed), how embarrassing would it be if she mouthed the wrong words, got caught lipsynching, and then people tear her apart even more so than they are now? People are going to hate Christina either way… It is not her year yet, and I feel bad for her. I give her props for continuing on and she has balls for singing it live.
@CHASE — Sir, I ask you … how would the living legend have handled the situation?
Well, Trent, that is an excellent question! People would not harp on the living legend if this happened to her because people don’t doubt the living legend, nor do they question the living legend, either. If the living legend would have messed up then it would be a new version of the song and everyone would dig it like a shovel.
@CHASE — <3
I’m not a fan of Christina’s but if the “living legend” you guys are referring to is Britney, then come on. Let’s be serious, Britney couldn’t really sing the National Anthem live anywhere, she just doesn’t have the vocal strength to back her up.
@Diana — Pshaw! Britnaaaay would put her awesome spin on the national anthem. “Oh Baby Baby, can’t you saaaaay … by the dawn’s early light”
Maybe if she was more focused on the words and not adding all her ooos and ahhhhs and riffs and what not she would have gotten it right! I’m not a fan of christina ever, this is no exception. Big thumbs down!
lol, this happened about 10 years ago to us in Canada when Bryan Adams sang at the NHL All-Star game that happened to take place in one of the Canadian cities… he forgot the words to O Canada. He was definitely lynched in the media for having lived abroad too long. I was amused more than anything else, but I remember there being an uproar about it.
Oh Xtina. Just, oh Xtina.
Of course singing live doesn’t much mean to you @Trent, you’ve got Britney Spears on your hands.
I think “tends to overdo stuff” is a bad rep to her but basically she’s inspired so much with how Etta James tackles a song like a lion.
Personally, as the wife of a soldier just getting back from Afghanistan and the sister of a sailor on his 3rd deployment – the National Anthem – it’s just not something you mess up – nerves are no excuse for someone that has been in her business as long as she has – end of story – it was unacceptable and embarrassing.
One of the worst renditions anyone will ever hear. I’d rather listen to a screaming duck.
Even if she didn’t mess up it still would have been TERRIBLE. I mean how many runs can you put on each word honey? Lea Michelle should have sang it over that has-been. I hope this is the final nail in the flop’s coffin.
I’m not American so I don’t know the words – but it doesn’t SOUND like she messed up. So apparently she did mess up but you can’t hear it in terms of her stopping or out of tune for that line or anything. Listening to it – she just mumbled a little with one of her belts so it ain’t THAT big of a stuff up its just a line she got wrong.
But you yanks are way patriotic and well, something like this is “unforgivable” and of corse taken way out of context.
The only reason she messed up is because she couldn’t even sing the song the way it was written. Lots of people watching knew the words by heart, yet had a hard time following her with her terrible made-up melodies.
Remember when Kelly Osbourne made fun of how she puts a run on every single word when she sings, well this “performance” proved it’s true.
HAHA i rememeber her saying that, and yep, so true!
This isn’t the first time she’s flubbed these lyrics. Christina seems a bit of a mess right now, I kind of wish someone else would’ve been given the opportunity. And also, just because you can hit lots of different notes, doesn’t mean you SHOULD hit lots of different notes, every rime, with every song. She gets too caught up in trying to show what she can do, and so oversings EVERYTHING.
Dude, someone stage an intervention ASAP. Her HAIR. Its just so… Britneyesque! And lets all remember, she didn’t hack it off! So what gives? And why the hideous suit? And, isn’t she filling that suit out a bit more then normal? My guess is that she’s having a meltdown, with the sudden divorce/rebound and the flop of a record- home girl needs her friends to step in and save her from herlsef!! Help her out, y’all!
Being a proud American couldn’t even save from having imperfections. You’re all caught up in your mind set tsk tsk tsk.
@Heather
Mistakes happen. get over it. When the gov’t cuts your healthcare and treats you guys as terribly as veterans and their families are treated and not taken care of in this country, I hope you can maintan you un-bridled patriotism. In the real world stuff happens and the true test of character is how you handle it and she handled it beautifully.
The fact that folks are still trying to heap unnecessary guilt on her is sad and does not speak very highly of their character. When you deliver your flawless rendition next year, maybe you’ll be in more of a position to go there but in till then, you just sound ….silly, trivial, and out of touch with reality.
@ Xadax
I love “Monday Morning” too sweet-heart. Only a true fan would remember that lyric…Good Job, Clever!
One of my friends posted an article on Facebook that I haven’t read the entire way through yet (I’m about to) that I thought looked very interesting. It had to do with doing away with the national anthem altogether at sporting events. Here is the link to the article if anyone is interested in reading it.
http://kevin-blackistone.fanhouse.com/2011/02/08/time-to-turn-off-national-anthem-before-sports-events/?a_dgi=aolshare_facebook
IMO, Christina is not “amazingly talented” as some have mentioned. She is a train wreck. What ever happened to the days of honest singing, the Karen Carpenter types, James Taylor?????(and no I am not 50, I am 28)
Those types of vocalists were so good because if they went out of key, there were no runs or embellishments to cover it all up. Christina’s “style” is to insert 50 notes into a single note so no one would ever know if she could sing in key or not. Sure, she has very powerful lungs and projection, but so does my 65 year old Aunt Sadie, and believe me Sadie can’t sing…..