McCartney Puts on Safe Show at Super Bowl

[Shawn]

The NFL wanted a safe halftime show after last year’s Janet Jackson fiasco, and Paul McCartney delivered.

When McCartney stripped off his jacket midway through his Super Bowl halftime performance, all he revealed was a long-sleeved red shirt. Nothing malfunctioned. And if he wore any nipple jewelry, he mercifully kept it to himself.

It was sweet nostalgia for those stunned by Jackson’s MTV-produced show, if a bit off-putting for the kids: Each of McCartney’s four songs was more than 30 years old.

Read the entire article at Jam!

[DudeAsInCool]

Could have been far worse. At least you could understand the words and the music was polished... I have always felt that the half-time shows were a bit over the top. There must be a happy medium somewhere.

Did anyone notice there were no cheerleaders to be the seen the entire game?

[Ken]

It was "OK" actually.

McCartney didn't sound that bad.

I was talking to relatives during halftime and it was a nice background distraction.

Halftime didn't suck this year!

[moodyblue]

I think McCartney did a good job!!

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

He was boring as normal. Same stance he had 30 years ago.

2 down, 2 to go.

[Ken]

Did anyone notice there were no cheerleaders to be the seen the entire game?

I just barely caught a glimpse of one or two just before they went to a commercial.

[DudeAsInCool]

For posterity's sake:

Three years ago, he was invited to perform at the first Super Bowl after the September 11 attacks and performed his specially-written song Freedom.

This time, he started off the show, at the Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Beatles numbers Drive My Car and Get Back.

He then performed a mellow version of Live And Let Die, the James Bond theme he recorded with the band Wings.

Finally, he closed the show with a rousing version of Hey Jude.

The former Beatle resisted any temptation to refer to Janet Jackson's headline-grabbing performance last year, instead keeping banter between songs to a minimum in order to squeeze as much music as he could into his slot.

The singer removed his black jacket halfway through the show - but any fans hoping for a second "Nipple-gate" were to be disappointed as he kept his red sweatshirt on underneath.

Earlier, the Black Eyed Peas and Alicia Keys had provided the night's other high-profile entertainment by performing in a pre-game show.

[Shawn]

I was suitably pleased by the performance of Hey Jude.

He didn't appear to be lip synching either.

[Kooperman]

He was boring as normal. Same stance he had 30 years ago.

2 down, 2 to go.

All us Beatle fans send similar wishes to you and your favorites...... :evil:

[Redneck4sure]

2 down, 2 to go.

[slum_goddess]

2 down, 2 to go.

[Redneck4sure]

LOTD and SG, you two are a tough audience. I don't even know a redneck that wishes Sir PETA would drop dead. I know a couple that wish he would stop singin' and eat more beef.....but that's about it.

Paul needs to carry a Glock.

Note to self: Send LOTD and SG an application to be a "reddestneck" member. Generally it takes yrs to go from redneck to redderneck to reddestneck but I think they are qualified to start at the top.

[moodyblue]

He was boring as normal. Same stance he had 30 years ago.

2 down, 2 to go.

All us Beatle fans send similar wishes to you and your favorites...... :evil:

YEAH!! :P

[slum_goddess]

don't get me wrong; i don't wish them death but...hey, in my world order, the other two (the dead ones) would be alive if only.

[Redneck4sure]

SG, I knew you didn't wish him dead. I was only funning. I am not going to ask about your wishes for Dubya however.

[slum_goddess]

why do you ALWAYS have to remind me of our national shame?

[KiwiCoromandel]

McCartney Puts on Safe Show at Super Bowl

NEW YORK - The NFL wanted a safe halftime show after last year's Janet Jackson fiasco, and Paul McCartney delivered.

When McCartney stripped off his jacket midway through his Super Bowl halftime performance, all he revealed was a long-sleeved red shirt. Nothing malfunctioned. And if he wore any nipple jewelry, he mercifully kept it to himself.......

It was sweet nostalgia for those stunned by Jackson's MTV-produced show, if a bit off-putting for the kids: Each of McCartney's four songs was more than 30 years old.

Surely you recall last year's climax to a body-shaking, crotch-grabbing festival: Justin Timberlake (news) yanking part of Jackson's top off to reveal her bare breast to some 90 million viewers.

McCartney's stage set — a giant cross of video boards on the stadium floor with the singer at the center — was visually arresting, although it made his opening song, "Drive My Car," look like one of the broadcast's dozens of auto commercials.

McCartney's theatrical James Bond theme "Live and Let Die" was a perfect backdrop for a stadium fireworks show. The lights, placards and video images also made "Hey Jude" a sight to see, but it was odd to see the red, white and blue placards co-opt one of the original British musical invaders for an all-American event.

There wasn't any danger of a lip-synch controversy, either: you could tell it was the lived-in voice of a 62-year-old singing.

It was strange seeing the former Beatle, a bold and shocking performer for another generation, now presented as the sedate option. NFL censors were probably hoping the "California grass" reference in "Get Back" slipped by unnoticed, or figured people would think he was simply referring to a football field.

Another irony: the overwhelmingly safe and patriotic musical presentations before and during the game appearing on the usually envelope-pushing Fox network, while last season's shocker came on fogey-friendly CBS.

The closest thing to a wardrobe malfunction during all the performances were courtesy of country singer Gretchen Wilson's guitar player. His jeans had a strategically placed rip in the crotch.

Before the game, Alicia Keys oozed class and chops as she took a "duet" with the late singer Ray Charles on one of his signatures, "America the Beautiful" — and made it work wonderfully. A picture of Charles singing appeared on the stadium scoreboard screens.

The pregame show was a mixture of old and new schools, with country, rap and soul. Wilson brought out white-bearded fiddle player Charlie Daniels, and the Black Eyed Peas had Earth, Wind & Fire along to sing "Shining Star."

Although with the NFL watching so closely, it's a wonder how Wilson's "Here For the Party" managed to slip through.

"Gonna have a little fun," she sang. "Gonna get me some."

One can almost hear the small voices in living rooms across the country: "Daddy, what does 'get me some' mean?"

"Some chips, honey. Now pass the salsa and quiet down."