‘I Been Drinking, I Been Drinking’: Beyoncé’s Lackluster Performance Gets Rescued by Michelle Williams as Singer Struggles to ‘Keep Up’ In Resurfaced Clip
Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams once performed during the halftime show at a 2004 NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears.
A recently resurfaced video of a Destiny’s Child rehearsal for the annual Thanksgiving halftime performance in Dallas has set social media ablaze, drawing in over 30,000 likes within just three days after being posted on Instagram.
The clip, which shows the group preparing for one of their most memorable performances of “Lose My Breath” and “Soldier,” has fans buzzing with questions about Beyoncé’s lackluster effort, a stark contrast to her typical high-energy performances.
Comments poured in from fans who were surprised by “Formation” singer’s subdued demeanor, with one noting, “Damn never seen Beyoncé so over it,” while another added, “aww what was wrong with bey.”
This has left many fans puzzled, especially given her reputation for perfectionism.
As fans continued to speculate, some lightheartedly suggested reasons for the “Drunk In Love” singer’s less-than-enthusiastic performance.
“Beyoncé: ‘I been drinkin’, I been drinkin’’” one fan joked, while another quipped, “Beyonce said I’m tired, I’ll give you a little two-step.”
Yet not all the commentary was in jest.
Some fans expressed genuine concern, with one saying, “The first time I ever seen Beyoncé not want to perform.” Another fan pointed out the irony in the situation, commenting, “The song is literally askin ‘can yu keep up?’” adding, “Beyoncé fans better not come 4 me!!!!”
A third said, “Beyonce is a great dancer and artist, she seems rather high here.”
One person suggested simply, “Bey was not in the mood for this.” In her defense, one person said, “I’ve never seen Beyonce half a– anything til this clip. She mustve been going thru something- sweet of Michelle.”
However, one fan who seemed to be in the know shed some light on the situation.
They explained, “Beyoncé was coming down with the flu, the first day is horrible (headache/fever/fatigue…). Michelle was trying to cheer her up, this is camera rehearsals, if you watch the actual televised performance you could never tell Bey was sick.”
This fan also confirmed that the video was from the 2004 Thanksgiving Bears-Cowboys halftime show.
Further validating this information, the fan mentioned that Michelle Williams had previously commented on the post, explaining Beyoncé’s condition during the rehearsal.
The fan wrote, “Michelle has commented elsewhere how Bey was coming down with the flu and was completely tapped out + the owner of the Dallas Cowboys (they were rehearsing for an NFL Thanksgiving halftime performance) recently said that the girls were freezing so they had a department store specially opened for them to gift them with fur coats.”
This account aligns with remarks made by Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys. According to The Dallas Morning News, Jones appeared on 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan and RJ” show and talked about the chilly conditions on that Thanksgiving Day and how he ensured the performers were comfortable.
“As a matter of fact, they were planning to perform and it was so cold you couldn’t stand it out there on Thanksgiving day and I got ’em all coats from Neiman Marcus,” Jones said. “And to this day one of the things that we kind of smile about is those jackets that we got them so that they could go out there and do a good job at Thanksgiving day halftime.”
The video also highlighted the camaraderie within Destiny’s Child, as Michelle Williams was seen trying to lift Beyoncé’s spirits during the rehearsal. Fans noticed this gesture and praised Michelle for stepping in to support her friend.
“Jay had done pissed my girl off and Michelle came thru with the love,” one fan commented.
A few even joked that the “Ring the Alarm” singer was battling infidelity at the time of her relationship with her now husband, Jay-Z, when they were dating.
One joked, “She found jay cheating.”
Another added, “I really wonder what was going on with Bey. She’s not one to give that kind of energy onstage, even during rehearsals. I’m glad Michelle was able to take her away from what was on her mind for a moment. That’s a good friend.”
As one fan aptly put it, “It’s abt COMMUNITY. It’s about SISTERHOOD.”
Beyond the video itself, the NFL’s involvement in the halftime show added another layer to the story.
16 years ago, Destiny’s Child performed at the NFL Thanksgiving Halftime show. pic.twitter.com/XUApNkyylF
— BeyNika’s 1 Defender (@BarbieYonce_) November 26, 2020
The group invited Prairie View A&M University’s “The Marching Storm” marching band and dance squad the Black Foxes and school cheerleaders to accompany them as they also performed their hits “Lose My Breath” and “Soldier.”
Charlotte Jones Anderson, who oversees entertainment for the Cowboys, revealed how at the last minute the NFL enforced stringent requirements regarding lyrics and costumes, forcing Beyoncé to change the words to one of her songs.
“There was such an incredible, tight lockdown on lyrics and what the league would approve,” Anderson told the Morning News in a separate article.
She recounted how the NFL requested changes to some of Beyoncé’s lyrics and that she had to personally speak with the singer to make the adjustments. Despite the challenges, Anderson praised Beyoncé’s professionalism.
“Oh my gosh, that was not a good picture,” Anderson said. “She was not happy. But to her credit, when she came in we went back into the coaches’ office and she re-recorded the music and changed the words on stage and she began the whole thing trying to set the different tone,”
“I was like, ‘This is never going to work.’ But it did and she was really a good trouper,” Anderson added.
Ultimately, the performance went down as one of the most memorable in NFL halftime history, showcasing not just the talent of Destiny’s Child but also the strength of their sisterhood. If she was sick or even if she was tired, no one in real time, could tell.