How anyone could focus on the actual game after these performances is beyond me. As I'm writing this article, I think to myself... if these two can put on a show like this at a game... what is it like at an actual concert? Unfortunately, I never got to go watch either of them before their deaths. That part makes me sad, so it is to the archives on YouTube forever.
The B&B Morning Show's pick for the ultimate, all time best Superbowl Halftime Performances couldn't be decided... so it has to go to both of them. Michael Jackson and Prince. Or! Prince and Michael Jackson, that is how serious we are when we talk about our inability to pick which one is better. They are both religious experiences that you can't just watch once.
Being an actual fan of both Michael and Prince, these are almost hard to watch just because they are such legends that were taken too soon!
Seeing that these two didn't really get along is a bummer but they were both trying to get after it around the same time. I suppose I understand why they didn't like eachother very much.. BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH TOO DAMN GOOD!
We'll start with Mr. Prince Rogers Nelson. His performance was at Superbowl XLI back in 2007. After you watch this documentary clip below, you'll think Peyton Manning should have handed the MVP award over to Prince.
It was raining that evening at the Superbowl and the Colts eventually won but that morning, a man called Prince and said... It's raining... Prince said... "Can you make it rain harder?"
Next up is the King of Pop (I doubt that Prince liked that Michael was called "The King" and he was stuck with "Prince" but...) So the year was 1993, companies were dropping $850k on tv commercials, O.J. Simpson tossed the coin and the Buffalo Bills were in the Superbowl and facing the Dallas Cowboys.
Rosebowl Stadium was PACKED and I mean PACKED TO THE BRIM for this game. They wanted to see Dallas and Buffalo yeah.. but I bet a lot wanted to see Michael. The Superbowl halftime performers are not paid by the league but the NFL and Frito-Lay agreed to donate $100k to the Heal the World Foundation which was started by Michael himself.
The show was a full stadium participation effort. Everyone had a large card provided to them and they were placed with precision that way images could be generated when they were turned over (you'll see in the video). This was one of the biggest and most amazing performances in the history of the halftime show. Over 3500 local Los Angeles area children joined Michael and sang "We are the World" which was recorded a few short years earlier.
No one expected to see how this kicked off. Michael was teleporting around the stadium for crying outloud. Every single thing about this performance is perfect. Except for the guy holding up the Michigan hat at 12:08.
