Luke Bryan to Sing National Anthem at Super Bowl Despite History of Not Knowing the Words
Look, I know it’s super easy to sit behind a keyboard and criticize a performing artist, while it takes guts most can’t muster to stand unaccompanied in front of millions and belt out a challenging composition knowing full well that if you slip up even an inch the public will descend on you like a hoard of jackals to tear you apart piece by piece and point laughingly at your privates.
But is it too damn much to ask of the National Football League to find somebody to sing The National Anthem at the Super Bowl that has an established history of actually knowing the words to a song most 4th graders are tasked to recite verbatim before ascending to middle school instead of a performer with a sullied past of sliding by using cheat sheets and subterfuge like Luke Bryan has?
This isn’t a brand new single about date raping some chick on a back road in your truck written by four other songwriters like some of Luke Bryan’s godawful singles of late where I guess teleprompter assistance is understandable, this is the 200-year-old anthem of our nation. In such a high-profile setting, how about we find someone who can turn in a stirring performance coming straight from the heart as opposed to scribbled on the side of his hand?
When Luke Bryan performed The National Anthem during the 2012 All Star Game, he was caught reading certain portions of the song off the side of his hand as he tried to hide it from everyone and pass off as looking at his watch. Luke Bryan later fessed up and apologized, saying,
“I really wanna explain the national anthem performance from last night…I had a few keys words written down to insure myself that I wouldn’t mess up. I just wanted to do my best.”
Luke Bryan has pulled a similar ruse during other National Anthem performances, including in 2008, taping a piece of paper to his gloves at a Titans vs. Browns game. But I guess this is better than what Aaron Lewis did when he train wrecked his performance of The National Anthem during the 2014 World Series, which was especially ironic since Lewis had previously railed on Christina Aguilera for screwing the song up herself.
Of course, having to suffer through Luke Bryan’s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner will pale in comparison to the national pain we’ll all suffer when Lady Gaga descends from the roof of Reliant Stadium during the Super Bowl halftime show riding a dildo-shaped unicorn. Then as a children’s choir fake sings to a backing track and performs tightly-choreographed exaggerated gesticulations, underlings will vomit on Gaga just like they did at her Doritos-sponsored set at SXSW a few years back as Gaga herself goes on a political rant that forces television censors to bleep out F-bombs and terroristic threats to heads of state, all while Gaga inexplicably attempts to position herself as being unwaveringly on the side of “love.”
It would seem like a pretty simple litmus test: find someone to sing The National Anthem that actually knows the damn words. If you can’t fulfill that simple task NFL, then I’m tuning over to The Puppy Bowl, at least for the opening portions.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:01 am
Gaga can sing, and play multiple instruments. She can go way to far in the shock value portion of her performances (though she’s been doing it less lately). I may not always like her, bu she has real talent. Forget knowing the words, Bryan has no history of actually being able to sing.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:06 am
(and yeah Gaga’s singing will almost certainly be lip-synced, it’s almost impossible to sound good lives in this sort of gig, it’s just not set right from a sound perspective…just ask Eric Church)
January 23, 2017 @ 10:30 am
Too bad she’s like a good acter who’s always OVER acting.
January 23, 2017 @ 2:58 pm
She did good when she was on snl a few months ago,and I believe its against the rules to lip sync on snl.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:12 am
That second-to-last paragraph made my morning, Trig. It might be good for someone to beam the starting pitch of the National Anthem into Luke’s IEM so he won’t get himself into a vocal bind.
I wish Germanotta would stick to playing and singing. Talent doesn’t entitle anyone to be an insufferable bore.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:19 am
Just two more reasons I’m glad I quit watching or caring about the NFL years ago.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:36 am
Gaga can sing live pretty well if you never heard her sing with Tony Bennett. She’s a jazz singer by heart. And very good at it.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:00 am
Agree.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:58 am
On a different note, I saw the viceland show last night, and came away with, feeling kinda of sorry for the Mikel Knight road team guys. Anyway for some reason I thought he might actually somewhat care for those guys, don’t ban me for saying that,, and I did not realize you are that young Trigger, Cheers all!
January 23, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
Well, you should go back and read the accounts of his former street team members, at least the ones who are still alive. As I said in the recap for the episode, I wish I wasn’t the only one who was speaking out against Mikel Knight in it. He’s a Svengali. This is what he does. Talk to the grieving parents of Taylor Robert Nixon and Robert Joseph Underfinger III went to work for him and never came back. Talk to the others who suffered life-threatening injuries or were allegedly assaulted by Mikel Knight. I don’t blame Noisey for not going too in-depth into that story because that’s not their side of the business, but my concern was it would make him come across too favorably. There are two sides of every story. That said, I do think that Knight has put some efforts out recently to reform since there has been such tough media pressure.
January 23, 2017 @ 9:59 am
Trigger, as a fan of your site – I’m a bit shocked that you’ve taken such a strong approach to Lady Gaga being the Super Bowl performer.
Your comments are not only offensive, but they show what a small mind you have towards someone’s art. Which is unfortunate considering the platform you’ve grown for yourself.
Have you listened to her most recent album, Joanne?
I’m guessing not.
Let’s all be thankful for an Super Bowl performer who can actually sing, writes her own music, plays instruments and has a strong voice. I know I am.
Unfortunately, I’m starting to think you just say negative things because you’ve wrapped yourself in this world and that’s how you’ve become a somewhat famous ‘blogger’ – just look at Perez Hilton now, who?
Good luck, bud.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:27 am
Uh, I’m pretty sure Perez is doing just fine these days judging by the hundreds of comments he usualy gets on each blog. Even if most are hate comments,he still getting clicks!
January 23, 2017 @ 10:29 am
This is not a Gagag fan page. It’s also Trigger’s page, not yours. You don’t like it, you don’t have to come on it. He’s entitled to his opinion, as you are yours. Don’t come onto someone else’s pag3 and tell th3m how to write/blig, whatever. It’s not your business. B3 a fan of th3 hag all you want, and I will give it that she has talent, which is completely wasted on a gimmicks that makes her look like a fool. If she would straight up sing and shut up about her damned opinions, then we would have no reason to have a poor opinion of her, but she dresses like a clown, and acts like a desperate fool, trying to grab as much attention as he can, while farming at the mouth over something someone once said, but never did…meanwhile, she has done it all, and much of it was done onstage for an audience! If you don’t lIke opinions, then maybe you shouldn’t be on a site that offers them, because guaranteed, many here have the same opinion that Trigger has.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:59 am
Hey Jen,
Just a quick note – I’m not sure if you work for Trigger or not – but he posts these blogs for people to comment. I commented. I gave my opinion – just like he gave his.
While on the topic of opinions – not to be rude, but I think you should spend less time on the internet and more in school. Your grammar and writing needs work.
January 23, 2017 @ 12:35 pm
No, I don’t work for Trigger, and I’m typing on a cell phone. I’m sure you can see typos if you actually look.closely enough…doesn’t help I have ads right in from of my face while I’m trying to type! Autocorrect got me. Anyway, I’m not in the public eye. Celebrities are allowed their opinions, but when they try to sway people to vote one way or another, or they have the audacity to judge an entire country based on their vote, that doesn’t belong in the public eye. If you are conducting public business, such as entertainment, you have no place opening your mouth about the very people who may have put you where you are, which in her case would be on stage.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:27 pm
Jen does not work for me, but I do encourage opinions for every side of the spectrum on this site, including comments that disagree with me or other commenters as long as everyone keeps it respectful.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:49 pm
Wasn’t this post about the halftime show/Luke Bryan/Lady Gaga and not politics? Why does everything have to become political?
Jennifer, let’s get something straight…
Artists are not puppets – they are allowed to have freedom of speech whenever they choose to, if they choose to. Isn’t that part of being American?
You’re opening your yap now.
I actually respect those in the entertainment industry who don’t fear the wrath of people like you – for voicing their opinions.
Just like I did mine, in this comment section.
You don’t have to agree with an artist, or whom they’re voting for or backing politically to still be able to see/say someone is talented. In life, you’re going to need to be able to separate things.
Donald Trump and half of America didn’t put Lady Gaga where she is today, hard worth ethic, talent and a strong voice (both musically and politically) did.
xo
January 23, 2017 @ 1:59 pm
As I mentioned, they can have their opinions, and I should have mentioned we can, too. We can choose not to support them, which I do.
January 23, 2017 @ 12:26 pm
Gaga should shut up about her opinions… if you don’t like opinions then maybe you shouldn’t be on a site that offers them…. hmmmm
January 23, 2017 @ 10:35 am
you call that filth, “art”? is ti too much to ask that a super bowl be family friendly? save that garbage for after 9pm
January 23, 2017 @ 11:06 am
Ryan, you haven’t seen the Superbowl halftime yet – how do you know it’s fifth?
I don’t understand.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:40 am
I haven’t come out with a strong approach to Lady Gaga playing the Super Bowl. I’ve come out with a strong approach against the ridiculous histrionics that EVERY Super Bowl performer is expected to participate in. The Super Bowl halftime show is not about music, art, or even performance. It is about creating the most hyper assault on the senses that is humanly possible so that Average Joe Six Pack talks about it at the water cooler Monday morning. It doesn’t even matter if it’s good or not, only that it is shocking and full of things to discuss.
I expect thousands of gallons of fake human semen to be sprayed on the crowd while Lady Gaga is birthed out of a 50-yard vagina. Lady Gaga herself has already said it’s going to be the most incredible, over-the-top halftime show in history, and that’s a history that is extremely hard to top. If you think they’re going to roll a grand piano out to the 50 yard line and allow Gaga to show off her artistic integrity, you’re going to be sadly disappointed. I wish they would, trust me. They may work something like that in for 45 seconds, and then she’lI be swimming in a giant tank full of butt plugs with animatronic dolphins. This isn’t about music, this is about an epileptic seizure of events to get the bored masses to pay attention.
January 23, 2017 @ 11:04 am
Well, come on Trigger, DUHHHHH. It’s the Super Bowl halftime show. People expect theatrics. That’s what it is, how long have you been watching it for?
Do you think they’d really change the halftime show to something other than theatrics? That’s what people who don’t like football tune in for.
Your original post seemed more of an attack on Gaga than the actual halftime show itself. Just saying…
You just said that Gaga, with her piano, has some artistic integrity. I appreciate that.
Why not say this in your original post – other than making her seem like a total joke?
She’s not a joke.
Look at the music that’s out there in the Top 40 right now. Come on…
Listen, I’m not some huge Gaga supporter myself – I just found your original post to be vile and unsupported in facts of an artist like Gaga.
January 23, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
“Artists are not puppets – they are allowed to have freedom of speech whenever they choose to, if they choose to. Isn’t that part of being American?”
When I go to the supermarket to buy tampons for my wife, by God when I get to the cash register I want to get an earful of scolding and advocacy about heteronormativity, steamed uteruses, and the inalienable right to kill children before they are born. And if anyone complains about it, I’ll just turn and say “Dammit, if we can’t bitch at each other all the time about political issues in the supermarket, where are we living these days? North Korea?”
Please get a grip. The “Super Bowl” is not a soapbox, and it is not “courageous” to treat it as such.
January 23, 2017 @ 12:22 pm
I think that the “big show” is kind of the point of the Superbowl halftime show. I don’t think that is something to be too upset about. It’s just the way things are. They have to play to a huge audience, many of whom aren’t into music, and the best way to do that is to put on a show with all the theatrics and weird b.s.
January 23, 2017 @ 8:32 pm
As my big papa used to say, “It’s all well and good, but what’s it got to do with football?”
January 24, 2017 @ 7:47 am
Once in a while they have actual music for the halftime. Prince was great. Not a gimmick in sight, just him, his guitar and that darn purple rain!! I don’t watch the Super Bowl, or tune in for the performers, but man, his 12 minutes were over the top brilliant. It’s a shame it took dying to remind people how great he was.
January 24, 2017 @ 8:15 am
I thought the Stones and Tom Petty were good as well.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:20 am
I predict he will blow it in someway, either by screwing the words up or missing notes,unless he lip syncs it. They should let someone from the Armed Forces band sing it every year… I also predict Gaga Poo Poo head (who doesn’t really seem to be happening anymore) will make some lame political point that will piss off half the country.
I’m really going out on a limb here,I know.
I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them PAYED their way into this gig.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:36 am
You must thinking of Madonna that will say something stupid.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:21 am
Gagag is a slut of the lowest order, and Luke Bryan is a moron. I won’t be watching, thank goodness. I don’t have TV, and with the blizzard going on, in the mainstream, I won’t be missing it, anytime soon. They have a bit of time to actually find someone who knows the damned song…ask Faith Hill…or Carrie Underwood. Bet they know it! Hell, I’m sure Toby Keith knows it, or even Kenny Chesney, or maybe even Kenny Rogers. At this point, bring out a bunch of fourth graders to sing…then get them the hell outta there before Gagag takes the stage. Nobody needs to be subjected to her.
January 23, 2017 @ 11:09 am
Jen, slow down.
Both Carrie and Faith have already performed the National Anthem.
See, school.
It’ll help your research skills as well as your grammar and writing.
January 23, 2017 @ 12:29 pm
So what? Billy Joel did it twice. Maybe you could do a little research too.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:26 am
Missing WHITNEY HOUSTON RIGHT NOW! Luke Bryan DOES NOT HAVE VOCAL CAPABILITY.
This is a challenging song for the notes…Least we not put forward the FACT Luke Bryan did not know the Lyrics to this Classic American anthem, he does not have a voice for singing WITHOUT AUTOTUNE. Go back and listen to WHITNEY HOUSTON sing Battle of the Republic, from her
Concert in 1991…..Unbelievable vocals on another anthem. It most definitely SHOULD NOT BE LUKE BRYAN singing “live” for an international audience…..sports fans around the world watch the Super bowl. He better LEARN THE LYRICS!
January 23, 2017 @ 10:37 am
Whitney lip sang her national anthem.
January 23, 2017 @ 10:40 am
Nope, her lyrics were live.
January 24, 2017 @ 11:45 am
Sure she sang ‘live’, but the mics were off and what was heard was her recorded version. They should get her to do it again this year. Even in her current state, still dead, she would out perform Puke Bryan.
January 24, 2017 @ 11:53 am
I agree
January 23, 2017 @ 10:42 am
Luke Bryan HAS NO VOCAL CAPABILITY.
January 23, 2017 @ 11:24 am
When I heard it on the news this mornin I wondered if Trigger would have anything special to say….LOL
I’m not disappointed…… as for that other idiot, thanks for the heads up on it I’ll probably do something else more intellectual during half time. Like watch the dormant grass try to grow. Anyone who calls her self lady gaga should NEVER be taken seriously about anything.
January 23, 2017 @ 11:28 am
They did not book LUKE BRYAN because he’s a ‘singer’ . They booked him so that all of the people who don’t CARE that’s he’s not a singer ( and apparently there are quite a few of them ) will WATCH him , not LISTEN to him …..then keep watching ads and run out and buy Coke or a Dodge Ram . LUKE was hired to sell Coke …not to ‘ sing ‘ anything .
January 23, 2017 @ 11:45 am
I think the Super Bowl halftime show should always be a showcase for host city or state’s musical talent and heritage and not necessarily limited to one artist. For example, if it’s in Detroit they could bring out a few Motown artists, Bob Seger and somebody like Kid Rock or Eminem and let them all do a song or two or a medley. You can’t please everybody and I understand that the classic rock halftime shows they were doing for a while may have turned away younger viewers, but The Who was the last halftime show I watched all the way through and I think having a variety of acts is the best way to appeal to the broadest cross-section possible.
With it being in Texas this year, Willie and ZZ Top would have been a good place to start.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:30 pm
I agree. In fairness, the Super Bowl pre-festivities have booked a bunch of Texas and Houston acts. I have a story on that coming soon.
January 24, 2017 @ 8:08 am
I’d like to see some stats that support the claim that the classic rock performers turned away the younger age group. I am 50 and my experience with people age 15-25 has been that they love, and know well, classic rock. I have actually been repeatedly surprised by how much the youth of today have carried forward the music of my youth. I am not sure that should surprise me though, it was actually my grandmother that turned me on to the stones, moody blues, zep, The Who, and countless others when I was around 10 years old (and thanks to my grandfather, for buying me my first Iron Maiden ALBUM at the same age). As she said to me when I told her that my daughter, 16 at the time, loved Styx (a band she also liked), great music lives on.
January 23, 2017 @ 11:55 am
The Super Bowl is an actual “moment”, unlike Snl in 2017.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:33 pm
Sturgill Simpson’s SNL performance was a “moment,” and that has been bolstered by the numbers of sales after the performance compared to other SNL performers. Another story on this is coming up since we now have all the data.
As I said in the Sturgill Simpson article, a “moment” is not defined by taste, but impact. That is what is so frustrating about how the Super Bowl does in booking and showcasing musical artists. The Super Bowl is very much a musical event these days, but they don’t give any opportunity for there to be a ‘moment” because of the stupid approach to production. This is a shame because you’re talking about the largest event on television annually.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:05 pm
Speaking of Luke Bryan, just read he will be a coach for Blake Shelton on THE VOICE. No singing necessary…..HAAA!
January 23, 2017 @ 1:27 pm
Wish they got Mike Phillips for the National Anthem. I know it’ll never happen, but hey, I can wish. Anybody who watched the last two Falcons games should know why; it was nothing short of amazing.
January 23, 2017 @ 4:37 pm
He can play can’t he!
January 23, 2017 @ 1:40 pm
I won’t watch a single snap.
I will now get the added benefit of missing this bro country singer stumble through the National Anthem as well as Lady Gaga’s inexorable political rant.
I’m not a NFL fan, and I sure don’t want to view a 5 hour game.
January 23, 2017 @ 1:45 pm
I’m waiting for baseball to start.
January 23, 2017 @ 2:52 pm
I really don’t care about halftime show, for that matter I would only watch the game if other duties allowed it. I will say that I think it is very likely Lady Gaga will make a political statement of some kind. I don’t care neither side really cares about me. I do think Luke had better not mess up or run his mouth in this fashion or that will be the nail in his career coffin (doesn’t matter what side he chooses to speak from). I sure liked that last article, set the bar pretty high for yourself.
Whatever happened to “Fuzzy was an Outlaw”, I often wondered if he was Ol’ Fuzzy from TDPRI, telecaster genius and roadie extradornaire.
January 23, 2017 @ 3:22 pm
After the Steelers were eliminated last night, I said “at least now I don’t have to listen to Joe Buck call a Super Bowl!”
Now I don’t have to listen to Luke Bryan!
January 23, 2017 @ 6:00 pm
Well the truth is that “The Star Spangled Banner” is not exactly the easiest song to do, but I don’t have any illusions that Bromeister Bryan will do a rendition that will be remembered 25-50 years from now.
I am pretty sure, though, that it will revive the frequent debates about who has done it the best at a mega sporting event such as the Super Bowl. I know Whitney Houston’s at Super Bowl 25 in Tampa in 1991 is considered to be among the best, if not **THE** best. My personal pick, though (and this shows my bias) is Linda Ronstadt’s rendition of it prior to Game 3 of the 1977 World Series between the L.A. Dodgers and the New York Yankees:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MbkSrK5spM
January 23, 2017 @ 7:50 pm
……my favourite ‘half time’ show is the Zamboni’s performance twice a night ( what ..? TWO half times ?? ) at every professional hockey game in North America . Its only 12 minutes long and then boom …right back to the game . That counts ….right ?
January 24, 2017 @ 8:21 am
Oh god, I am from New England and grew up playing ice hockey. The Zamboni, Best. Memories. Ever! Some of those guys could drive!
January 23, 2017 @ 8:06 pm
Have Margo Price
January 25, 2017 @ 7:19 pm
I remember Christina Aguilera forgetting the words to the National Anthem of a SB. She said she got lost in how big the moment was. That may be true if it was someone who doesn’t perform in front of large crowds and never sang the Anthem before. Why they’re having Luke Bryan singing it at this years SB is mind boggling. Guess we know how many women won’t be watching the game after he’s done singing. Or at least trying.
January 25, 2017 @ 11:22 pm
Maybe Luke will grace us all with a country-rap version of the anthem?
January 26, 2017 @ 3:24 pm
One positive to Luke singing the anthem, one of the online sports books (forgot which one, possibly Bovada) is offering +400 odds on him forgetting the words. I also believe they are offering a bet on whether the anthem will be over or under 2 1/2 minutes and considering Luke isn’t the best singer it’s a smart bet to say it’ll be the under. Sounds like easy money to me.
January 28, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
Luke Bryan is a patriot and adored by millions of Americans who sell out his arena shows. Go stand in line at a country music show and ask the people around you who their favorite country music singer is … and the most frequent response is “Luke Bryan.”
Americans love Luke Bryan.
Overpractice is the key to success, and I am sure that Luke will do well.
Trigger, I think that you intentionally post negative commentary to bait people into responding, which is infuriating, and I wish I had time to respond to every unfair commentary/attack I read, but it takes me a while to properly compose a response, and I must spend my time productively … so my responses are rare.
This site is yours and is appreciated by many.
January 29, 2017 @ 11:56 pm
Yes, EVERY American loves Luke Bryan.
January 30, 2017 @ 3:16 am
Luke Bryan is a mediocre-at-best singer and a terrible songwriter who, frankly, has no business having a career in country music.
January 30, 2017 @ 6:46 am
Radio personnel attend country music shows in their area and SEE first-hand the artists that their market likes and those that their market does not take to … by virtue of show attendance.
You have an artist who fills a massive number of seats in an arena versus an artist who struggles to fill a small venue … and those numbers impact radio play irregardless of anything else. It is the PEOPLE who drive country music.
What the “experts” like may not always align with what the people like.
January 30, 2017 @ 9:05 am
You’re putting the cart before the horse there Lynne.
January 30, 2017 @ 7:50 pm
I am not talking horse and cart. It sounds like a re-direct.
I am saying that Luke Bryan is a top country music artist and leader who has high audience appeal … and it is appropriate for him to step up and accept the job of singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.
Luke will do well.
Knocking Luke is not necessary, beneficial, or kind.