Okay, the full disclosure here, I once lip synced the national anthem on national television at a patriotic event. It was the Statue of Liberty Centennial, and I, and the entire Boston Pops Orchestra, lip synced to a recording of the “Star Spangled Banner.” Actually, it wasn’t real lip syncing, it was a more bow and finger syncing, and the real issue was, a squadron of F-16 fighter jets was going to fly over us at about 1000 feet in the middle of the piece, making it impossible for us to hear ourselves. It was an acoustic necessity, but I remember at the time how all of us were not very happy about it.
So I realize that he who is “with sin” should not cast the first stone. But, assuming it’s true, I was a little troubled by the idea of Beyoncé not really singing at the inaugural event.
Of course, the whole oath of office that we saw was actually a kind of lip syncing too, as the real oath of office had been taken the previous day, this was not the real oath taking. But I will stick to what I know, which is showbiz.
I have nothing against Beyoncé per se, but since this was a more or less official national event, not the beginning of a sports event, that puts this in a different category.
Let me get right to the point: there is a big difference between singing in a recording studio and singing live for an audience that you have never seen before and thus you cannot predict how they will respond to your performance. It is dealing with that unknown, that uncertainty, that is a huge… let me emphasize HUGE… element of professional performing. Performing live for a crowd of strangers challenges both your perception of human beings in general as well as your confidence in yourself. That confidence and courage in yourself, as well as that vulnerability that is necessarily exposed as a performer in front of a crowd, is as much a part of the show as the notes and the lyrics.
I was mightily disturbed by at least one nightly news anchor who said that it was essentially okay for her to lip sync as it was, “her own voice.” Okay, granted, it was better than Rita Hayworth or Audrey Hepburn or Natalie Wood lip syncing to someone else’s voice. But still…
If we have unlimited time and editing capacity, any youngster with a modicum of talent can be recorded and their best takes of individual bars can be stitched together. And lots of fast-cut editing can imply that you, me, or anybody else is a fabulous exciting dancer. But to do it live, with only one shot to do it, with no chances for any fixes or do overs, well, both the technique and the courage to do that is what makes a real professional performer. That courage and self belief is a big part of what the audience came there to absorb and experience and admire.
This is not directed at Beyoncé personally, I’m sure she was just doing what the event producers asked her to do. But at a ceremony that purports to reaffirm all that is best of America, we blinked. In a song about this being the home of the brave, we played it safe. And I am disappointed.
© Justin Locke
