Beyonce faked National Anthem at Inauguration. Marine Band had to play along. Is there still a Santa Claus?

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / January 22, 2013

 

Can't play it? Can't sing it? Stick to high school football games, people. Beyonce lost her nerve. Marines went along.

By Jessica Chasmar

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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• President Obama holds his hand over his heart at the swearing-in ceremony. Never seen him do that before! ..

The Marine Corps Band has confirmed that it, along with Beyoncé Knowles, faked Monday’s national anthem at President Obama’s second Inaugural.

Band director Colonel Michael J. Colburn conducted the Star-Spangled Banner energetically, but the band members were actually mimicking blowing into their instruments. It’s been reported that Beyoncé even removed her earpiece during the performance while lip-syncing the lyrics.

“We don’t know why Beyoncé decided to use prerecorded music,” a spokesperson for the Marine Corps Band told the Washingtonian Tuesday.

“All music [for inaugural ceremonies] is prerecorded as a matter of course, and that’s something we’ve done for years and years. The Marine Band did perform live throughout the ceremony but we received last-minute word that Beyoncé wanted to use the recording.”

There are no reports of a singer ever lip-syncing the national anthem during a president’s inauguration.