Eric Burton, a six-time Grammy-nominated singer, messed up the words to ‘The Star Spangled Banner as he was opening the first game of the World Series. The lead singer of The Black Pumas band performed the National Anthem on October 28 in front of the Astros and Phillies and all their fans with moments of lyrical mishaps and pitchy melodies.
MONUMENTAL interpretación del #NationalAnthem por Eric Burton en Houston ????#MLBenFOX presenta #WorldSeries, juego 1 en FOX Deportes. ⚾? pic.twitter.com/KgxbSsN1e0
— foxdeportes.eth (@FOXDeportes) October 28, 2022
Burton sang, “What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last streaming.”
After using the word “streaming” instead of the correct word, “gleaming,” the 33-year-old singer continued correctly through the following line.
“Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,” he repeated. “What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last streaming.”
He then skipped to “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air” and finished the rest of the National Anthem properly. The crowd may have cheered as he finished, but Twitter lit up with mixed reactions following his World Series performance. Some people defended Burton and blamed his nerves, and others had no such patience.
Someone tell Eric Burton to learn the lyrics to the National Anthem before you sing it before game 1 of the #WorldSeries
pic.twitter.com/kwPCnU6rs4— Michael Ball (@Michael44004861) October 29, 2022
We gonna ignore the fact that this dude has no idea what the words are to the national anthem?
— Josh Nusbickel (@RedicuNUS) October 28, 2022
Eric Burton was just trying to cut the national anthem short and get home leave that man alone ??
— KING (@ThatBoiDeon_) October 30, 2022
It’s more than a little nerve-wracking being out there. Yeah, he erred. Big deal. He honored all the rest very, very well.. and sang the most of it strong and beautiful. Comment on the positive, you buncha whiners. #NationalAnthem #EricBurton
— Rick Singer (@ricksinger) October 29, 2022
Eric Burton just experienced my nightmare. Every time you lead the singing of the national anthem in public, this is the worst-case scenario.
It happens to singers – we screw up lyrics sometimes. All of us. His turn just came on the biggest stage of all.
— Joey Oberhoffner ?? (@oberhoffner) October 29, 2022
