Lady Gaga's National Anthem: Patriotic Glitter at the Super Bowl
Lady Gaga, in a red glitter pants suit and blue fingernails, nailed the National Anthem at the start of Super Bowl 50. “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a notoriously tricky song to sing, and easy to over-emote, but Gaga managed to give a performance that was power-house, respectful, and just a wee bit over-the-top — a combination that fits this football occasion.
With red-glitter eye shadow to match her red glitter outfit, pumped up by what looked like mighty platform shoes peeking out from her trousers, Gaga took command of the song from the start. She sang the National Anthem straightforwardly until she got to the line “Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,” giving the initial syllables a bending, keening “Whoah-oh-oh-whoa say does that…” wail.
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When she got to “O’er the land of the free,” she emphasized “free” with an aimed-at-the heavens finger-point for emphasis, and hit her heart twice with her fist at the concluding “home of the brave.” Brava.
Where does Gaga’s version stand in the pantheon of Super Bowl National Anthem performances? It’s nearly impossible to improve upon Whitney Houston’s 1991 version, or what may be my own favorite, Luther Vandross’s impeccably artful 1997 rendition:
On the other hand, it never came near the failure of Christina Aguilera notoriously over-sung, lyric-mangling 2011 version:
I think Gaga acquitted herself well — impeccably sung and as reasonably modest as red glitter permits.
What did you think?
