At tonight’s Super Bowl XLV kickoff, Christina Aguilera led the crowd outside Dallas in her own twist on what may be the most well-known song in America — our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Billboard Super Bowl Main Page
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
10 Worst National Anthem Performances Ever
Black Eyed Peas ‘Pump It’ Up with Super Bowl Halftime Show
Aguilera changed the words in the song’s fourth line, which reads as: “O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?” Instead, the “Burlesque” singer merged the lyrics with the song’s second line, which she had just sang (“What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?”), belting out: “What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming?”
Video: Christina Aguilera Fumbles Words of National Anthem at Super Bowl XLV
Additionally, Aguilera’s voice strained to hit the final note of the song, penned by Francis Scott Key.
“Glee” star Lea Michele preceded Aguilera’s flawed performance with an emotional rendition of “America The Beautiful,” accompanied by a chorus of U.S. service members. A highly-anticipated, “Thriller”-filled episode of “Glee” premieres tonight after the Packers-Steelers Super Bowl.
Video: Lea Michele Belts Out “America The Beautiful” at Super Bowl XLV