Paul McCartney wows Super Bowl audience with James Bond theme `Live And Let Die`

07-Feb-2005 • Bond News

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

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 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."

Thanks to `Moore`, `Cubby` and `GoldenEye` for the alerts.