Super Bowl Entertainment: Bigger By The Year

Bruce Springsteen follows the infamous Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, Whitney Houston and Britney Spears.

By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune
Published: January 28, 2009

It began simply with marching bands. Now, it's not Super Bowl entertainment unless the performer has a couple of Grammy Awards. Productions grow bigger each year, and have not been without a bit of controversy. But there also have been some unbelievable and unforgettable performances. On Sunday, Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson will sing the National Anthem and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform at halftime of Super Bowl XLIII. Does it get any bigger than The Boss?

THE GREATEST EVER?

With the Gulf War as a backdrop, Whitney Houston struck a patriotic chord when she took to the field before Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on Jan. 27, 1991, and delivered arguably the greatest rendition of the national anthem.

While Carl Lewis and Roseanne have provided perfect examples of how not to sing the "Star Spangled Banner," Houston set the standard.

Backed by the Florida Orchestra and a Tampa Stadium crowd waving miniature American flags, Houston lip-synched her way through the song that later became a best-seller when Arista records released it as a single. The song made it to the Top 20, making Houston the only singer to turn the "Star Spangled Banner" into a chart hit.

U2 struck a similar patriotic nerve with its halftime performance in 2002. With the 9/11 terrorist attacks still fresh on everyone's minds, the Irish band honored those who died in the attacks by scrolling all the names on a screen behind their set during the song "Where the Streets Have No Name."

Lead singer Bono ended the song by opening up his jacket to reveal an American flag on the inside lining.

O CANADA, O AMERICA

It's a song that can make grown men cry - even football players. Even big football players.

Before they dismantled the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stood shoulder-to-shoulder on their sideline while the Dixie Chicks serenaded them with the national anthem. As an added bonus, Celine Dion sang "God Bless America."

That's when the tears began welling up.

"God Bless America was a theme throughout my playing career," former Bucs strong safety John Lynch recalled recently. "I'll never forget being at the Super Bowl and one of my lasting memories was being there before the coin toss and Celine Dion gave one of the most unbelievable renditions of "God Bless America." I started to tear up and I said, 'Why am I crying listening to a French-Canadian sing "God Bless America." ' "

HOMEGROWN TALENT

From Tampa's first Super Bowl in 1984 to its most recent in 2001, Bay area talent has been tapped to help out with the entertainment.

When Tampa hosted Super Bowl XVIII, the halftime performance featured hundreds of local children who practiced the show at Brandon High School. Disney upped the ante in 1991 for Super Bowl XXV with its 13-minute production of "A Small World Salute to 25 Years of the Super Bowl." More than 2,000 Bay area children learned intricate choreography for that routine.

In keeping with its bigger is better theme, in 2001 organizers tried to cram as much talent into the halftime show as possible. Local fans served as concert screamers during a performance that put Aerosmith, Britney Spears, 'N Sync, Mary J. Blige and Nelly onto the same stage.

MISS JACKSON IF YOU'RE NASTY

Who knew Michael would be the least controversial of the Jackson family Super Bowl performers? Now granted, Michael Jackson's performance with 3,500 children during halftime of Super Bowl XXVII did raise eyebrows and makes you wonder what genius came up with that idea, but his sister topped him in terms of notoriety.

Janet Jackson's halftime performance with Justin Timberlake at Super Bowl XXXVIII coined the phrase "wardrobe malfunction." The duo's performance ended with Timberlake ripping off a piece of Jackson's outfit, exposing her right breast.

The show was simultaneously aired on CBS and MTV and video images of the performance soon hit the Internet while a debate swirled as to whether the incident was planned or an accident.

The MTV-produced performance was the last from the cable music company. The NFL permanently banned MTV from future halftime shows.

The FCC also had its say by fining CBS $550,000 for indecency, a fine that is yet to be collected after the ruling was reversed in July.

A ROYAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform during this year's Super Bowl halftime. With that gig comes the mandatory news conference held in the middle of the week leading up to the game.

The Boss could answer questions from the media, or he could go the Prince route.

Two years ago, in Miami, Prince held a "news conference" to promote his Super Bowl XLI halftime performance. Just after Billy Joel cracked jokes about his role as the national anthem singer, an NFL official announced that Prince would not be taking any questions from the media.

Instead, his band set up shop in one of the side rooms of the Miami Convention Center. Prince and his twin back-up singers entered and he immediately denounced the NFL official's announcement.

"Contrary to rumor, I will take some questions," Prince said.

Someone in the audience asked how it felt to be performing at the Super Bowl, and with that, Prince turned his back and launched into a 10-minute set that included a rousing rendition of "Johnny B. Goode."

THROUGH THE YEARS歷屆超級盃表演藝人列表

Below is a list of each Super Bowl and the entertainers that sang the national anthem and performed at the halftime show:

XLI: Feb. 4, 2007, Anthem — Billy Joel; Halftime — Prince

XL: Feb. 5, 2006, Anthem — Aretha Franklin and Aaron Neville accompanied by pianist Dr. John; Halftime — The Rolling Stones

XXXIX: Feb. 6, 2005, Anthem — U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chorale, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Glee Club, U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club, and U.S. Military Academy at West Point Glee Club (American Sign Language performance by Wesley Tallent); Halftime — Paul McCartney

XXXVIII: Feb. 1, 2004, Anthem — Beyonce Knowles (American Sign Language performance by Suzanna Christy); Halftime — Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Kid Rock, and Nelly

XXXVII: Jan. 26, 2003, Anthem — Dixie Chicks (American Sign Language performance by Janet Maxwell); Halftime — Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting

XXXVI: Feb. 3, 2002, Anthem — Mariah Carey accompanied by the Boston Pops (American Sign Language performance by Joe Narcisse); Halftime — U2

XXXV: Jan. 28, 2001, Anthem — Backstreet Boys, Ray Charles sang "America The Beautiful" (American Sign Language performance by Tom Cooney); Halftime — Aerosmith, *N'SYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly

XXXIV: Jan. 30, 2000, Anthem — Faith Hill (American Sign Language performance by Briarlake Elementary School Signing Choir); Halftime — Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton, 80-person choir

XXXIII: Jan. 31, 1999, Anthem — Cher (American Sign Language performance by Speaking Hands); Halftime — Stevie Wonder/Gloria Estefan/Big Bad Voodoo Daddy/tap dancer Savion Glover

XXXII: Jan. 25, 1998, Anthem — Jewel (American Sign Language performance by Phyllis Frelich); Halftime — Boyz II Men/Smokey Robinson/Martha Reeves/Temptations/Queen Latifah

XXXI: Jan. 26, 1997, Anthem — Luther Vandross (American Sign Language performance by Erika Schwarz); Halftime — Blues Brothers-Dan Aykroyd/John Goodman/James Belushi/James Brown/ZZ Top

XXX: Jan. 28, 1996, Anthem — Vanessa Williams (American Sign Language performance by Mary Kim Titla);Halftime — Diana Ross with special effects, pyrotechnics and stadium card stunt. Finale featured Diana Ross being taken from the stadium in a helicopter

XXIX: Jan. 29, 1995, Anthem — Kathie Lee Gifford (American Sign Language performance by Miss America Heather Whitestone); Halftime — Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, the Miami Sound Machine and stunts including fire and skydivers. Finale included audience participation with light sticks

XXVIII: Jan. 30, 1994, Anthem — Natalie Cole with Atlanta University Center Chorus (American Sign Language performance by Falcons' cheerleader Courtney Keel Foley); Halftime — Clint Black/Tanya Tucker/Travis Tritt/Wynonna & Naomi Judd

XXVII: Jan. 31, 1993, Anthem — Garth Brooks (American Sign Language performance by Marlee Matlin); Halftime — Michael Jackson and 3,500 local children. Finale included audience card stunt

XXVI: Jan. 26, 1992, Anthem — Harry Connick, Jr. (American Sign Language performance by Lori Hilary); Halftime — Gloria Estefan/Brian Boitano/Dorothy Hamill

XXV: Jan. 27, 1991, Anthem — Whitney Houston; Halftime — New Kids on the Block

XXIV: Jan. 28, 1990, Anthem — Aaron Neville; Halftime — Pete Fountain/Doug Kershaw/Irma Thomas

XXIII: Jan. 22, 1989, Anthem — Billy Joel; Halftime — South Florida-area dancers and performers & 3-D effects

XXII: Jan. 31, 1988, Anthem — Herb Alpert;; Halftime — Chubby Checker/Rockettes & 88 grand pianos

XXI: Jan. 25, 1987, Anthem — Neil Diamond; Halftime — Southern California-area high school drill teams and dancers

XX: Jan. 26, 1986, Anthem — Wynton Marsalis; Halftime — Up With People

XIX: Jan. 20, 1985, Anthem — Children's Choir of San Francisco; Halftime — U.S. Air Force Band: "Tops in Blue"

XVIII: Jan. 22, 1984, Anthem — Barry Manilow; Halftime — University of Florida and Florida State University Bands

XVII: Jan. 30, 1983, Anthem — Leslie Easterbrook; Halftime — Los Angeles Super Drill Team

XVI: Jan. 24, 1982, Anthem — Diana Ross; Halftime — Up With People

XV: Jan. 25, 1981, Anthem — Helen O'Connell; Halftime — Southern University Band, Helen O'Connell

XIV: Jan. 20, 1980, Anthem — Cheryl Ladd; Halftime — Golden Knights Parachute Team;;Up with People

XIII: Jan. 21, 1979, Anthem — The Colgate Thirteen; Halftime — Ken Hamilton and various Caribbean bands

XII: Jan. 15, 1978, Anthem — Phyllis Kelly (Northeast Louisiana State University); Halftime — Tyler Apache Belles, Pete Fountain and Al Hirt

XI: Jan. 9, 1977, Anthem — Vicki Carr ("America the Beautiful"); Halftime — Los Angeles Unified All-City Band & Crowd Participation

X: Jan. 18, 1976, Anthem — Tom Sullivan; Halftime — Up With People

IX: Jan. 12, 1975, Anthem — Grambling University with Mardi Gras Chorus; Halftime — Mercer Ellington and Grambling University Bands

VIII: Jan. 13, 1974, Anthem — Charlie Pride; Halftime — University of Texas Band

VII: Jan. 14, 1973, Anthem — Andy Williams & Little Angels of Chicago's Angels Church (Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo 17 crew); Halftime — University of Michigan Band and Woody Herman Band

VI: Jan. 16, 1972, Anthem — U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale; Halftime — Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt & U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team

V: Jan. 17, 1971, Anthem — Tommy Loy (trumpeter); Halftime — Florida A&M Band

IV: Jan. 11, 1970, Anthem — Al Hirt (Pledge of Allegiance by Astronauts); Halftime — Carol Channing

III: Jan. 12, 1969, Anthem — Anita Bryant (Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo Astronauts); Halftime — Florida A&M University

II: Jan. 14, 1968, Anthem — Grambling University Band; Halftime — Grambling University Band

I: Jan. 15, 1967, Anthem — Universities of Arizona & Michigan Bands; Halftime — Universities of Arizona and Michigan Bands

Source:Tampa Tribune

2008.10月家中遭逢巨變的Jennifer Hudson，將在本屆的超級盃中表演，另一位表演嘉賓為Bruce Springsteen。

報導中列舉超級盃歷年來較為重要的演出藝人，惠媽在這個時候就又被搬出來歌功頌德一番。另一位天后Janet Jackson則是因為當年和Justin Timberlake演出"珍奶亂亂跑"....(不是珍珠奶茶喔....)再度被媒體酸了一下....XD

Whitney Houston - Star Spangled Banner @Super Bowl 1991