Prince's Super Bowl Performance Resurfaces Online to Wide Praise on Anniversary of His Death

Tuesday night, a pre-taped tribute to the Prince aired in remembrance of his sudden death four [...]

By John Newby

Tuesday night, a pre-taped tribute to the Prince aired in remembrance of his sudden death four years ago. Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince was shown on both CBS and the CBS All Access streaming app, and it gave fans the opportunity to experience Prince's music once again. This special also brought up memories of the time that he performed during the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears faced off during Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida. A young quarterback in Peyton Manning was en route to his first championship, but he first had to defeat linebacker Brian Urlacher and the Chicago Bears defense. This was an exciting matchup for football fans, but it became a lesser story when compared to Prince's performance during the Pepsi Halftime Show. The singer took the stage and put on what has been described as one of the best performances in Super Bowl history.

There were several factors that impressed fans back in 2007. Specifically, Prince did not solely rely on his hits to excite the crowd. He instead paid tribute to several other artists including Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Foo Fighters. Prince also brought out the Marching 100 to provide background on "1999" and other songs. Several Super Bowl performers have relied on guests to take the Halftime Show to another level, but Prince actually used a marching band.

"Best halftime moment of all time ever DONT even come at me I miss #Prince man," one fan wrote on Twitter. Several others commented and said that this was one of the singer's best performances as well. In their opinions, the choice of songs and visual effects just provided a jaw-dropping experience.

Of course, the best moment of the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show for the fans came when Prince played his biggest hit. He performed "Purple Rain" in a Florida downpour, which provided unique lighting and made the sequence feel like it was "out of a movie," according to keyboardist Morris Hayes. Although the FCC reportedly received several complaints about Prince's guitar solo, which he performed behind a sheet. There were many viewers that felt his silhouette and the way he held his guitar cast a "phallic image."

Complaints aside, Prince's performance during Super Bowl XLI is still viewed as the bar for all other performances. Many fans felt that this became even clearer after rewatching the show on Tuesday and Wednesday. They still view the late singer as the best in the business four years after his sudden death.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of