Why Charlie Wanted to Sing the Anthem

Charlie Puth joins Switched On Pop in Studio A at Power Station at Berklee NYC, live before a room of current students, ten days after performing the national anthem at Super Bowl 60 and weeks before releasing his fourth album, Whatever's Clever. The conversation is grounded in one question: how do you absorb the music you love and turn it into something that actually sounds like you?

Puth traces his national anthem arrangement through a lineage running from Jose Feliciano's 1968 World Series performance to Marvin Gaye's 808-driven 1983 All-Star Game version to Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl rendition. The through-line: citation is letting your influences dissolve into your hands until they become unrecognizable. That principle runs throughout the new record, from the Quincy Jones guitar tone on "Cry" to the Chick Corea quotation buried in "Boy" that Puth didn't realize was there until after writing it.

Songs Discussed

Bruce Springsteen – "Born in the USA"

Madonna – "Like a Virgin"

David Bowie – "Let's Dance"

Charlie Puth ft. Wiz Khalifa – "See You Again"

Charlie Puth – "We Don't Talk Anymore"

Charlie Puth – "Attention"

Charlie Puth – "Light Switch"

Whitney Houston – "The Star-Spangled Banner"

Babyface – "Whip Appeal"

Jose Feliciano – "The Star-Spangled Banner"

Jimi Hendrix – "The Star-Spangled Banner"

Marvin Gaye – "The Star-Spangled Banner"

Marvin Gaye – "Sexual Healing"

Soulja Boy – "Crank That (Soulja Boy)"

DeBarge – "Who's Holding Donna Now"

Charlie Puth ft. Jeff Goldblum – "Until It Happens to You"

Charlie Puth – "Changes"

Charlie Puth – "Cry"

Kenny G – "Lullaby"

SOPHIE – "It's Okay to Cry"

Michael Jackson – "Human Nature"

Johnny Hates Jazz – "Shattered Dreams"

Madonna – "Into the Groove"

Joshua Redman – "St. Thomas"

Charlie Puth – "Boy"

Chick Corea – "Spain"

Charlie Puth – "How Long (Has This Been Going On)"

Bell Biv DeVoe – "Poison"

Elton John – "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"

Prince – "When Doves Cry"

Schoolly D – "PSK What Does It Mean"

Rick Astley – "Never Gonna Give You Up"

Charlie Puth – "Beat Yourself Up"

Britney Spears – "Lucky"

George Benson – "Give Me the Night"

No Doubt – "Hella Good"

Michael Jackson – "Beat It"

Michael Jackson – "Billie Jean"

Charlie Puth – "Washed Up"

Charlie Puth – "I Used to Be Cringe"

Richard Smallwood – "Center of My Joy"

Richard Smallwood – "Total Praise"

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