Christina Aguilera Flubs National Anthem Lyrics at 2011 Super Bowl

Singer and "Burlesque" star Christina Aguilera is taking heat for messing up the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLV Sunday night. Even her impressive pipes couldn't distract viewers from the fact that she sang the wrong words in her "Star-Spangled Banner" rendition. Perhaps Lea Michele should have been given the honor or Jennifer Hudson, a sure bet for a beautiful performance.

Aguilera Botches Lyrics

Following "Glee" star Michele's flawless rendition of "America the Beautiful" at the opening of the Super Bowl, Aguilera botched the line "o'er the ramparts we watched". She mistakenly sang, "what so proudly we watched" instead.

That "what the..?" moment was soon replaced by another one, as cheers went up from the crowd as Aguilera sang "and the rockets red glare". After first thinking the crowd was cheering for a correctly delivered line, glancing at the television showed the troops from Camp Leatherneck, in Afghanistan.

Aguilera Should Have Done Better

Christina Aguilera has been performing for crowds since age eight, when she was a contestant on "Star Search", in 1988. She joined the Disney Channel in 1992. Reaching world fame in 1999, when "Genie in a Bottle" went number one, the songstress is no stranger to large stadium or television audiences.

Professional that she is, Aguilera knows the importance of a strong performance. That includes remembering the "Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics. Which, as an American, she should have been familiar with anyway. Amazing vocal acrobatics does not excuse poor preparation, not from a seasoned performer.

Super Bowl Performances to be Proud Of

Arguably the best performance of our national anthem at a Super Bowl came courtesy of Whitney Houston, circa 1991. The diva offered up a soulful and flawless performance to the audience. It's too bad Houston's golden pipes have cracked, as evidenced by her 2010 world tour fiasco.

Jennifer Hudson also made the nation proud when she took a turn at the Super Bowl national anthem performance in 2009. Hudson delivered stunningly, even though the Super Bowl was her first major public appearance since the tragic murder of her mother, brother and nephew the previous October. She had also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" beautifully in 2008, at the Democratic National Convention. Perhaps more experience with the song would have helped Christina Aguilera.