Jimi Hendrix – The Star Spangled Banner… Happy 4th of July

Happy Independence Day!

American Flag 2

This is the second year I’ve posted this on the 4th. I hope you liked the previous post on The Blasters.  Hendrix did a great version of The Star Spangled Banner in my opinion. He had served as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Clarksville Tennessee in the early 60s.

Jimi Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner B

Yes, this is my favorite version of the song. The poem that formed the basis of the lyrics was penned in 1814 during the War of 1812 by Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old lawyer who was sent to negotiate with the British in an attempt to gain the release of an American prisoner they were holding.

Later, Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship he was on. The next morning he saw the Americans take down the battle-torn US flag at the fort and replace it with a larger one.

Key’s poem was published on September 17, 1814, the day after he returned to Baltimore. The poem was sung to the music of a popular British drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven, ” attributed to John Stafford Smith.

Any time someone does an unusual approach to this song…there is always a lot of complaining from people. Once when Jose Feliciano did the song in Game 5 of the MLB World Series in 1968 on guitar and singing…all hell broke loose. Some listeners thought he had “desecrated” and disrespected the national anthem but when asked about it, Feliciano explained that the reason he offered a non-traditional rendition of the anthem was to get people to pay attention to it. It was a great version of the song.

Jimi Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner

Hendrix took the stage at Woodstock at 8am…only around 30,000 were left out of the huge crowd there. He had been warned not to do the anthem when he toured but did it anyway. He even recorded a studio version and after his death, the takes were put together and released but the Woodstock performance is the one that is best known. What amazes me is when he is imitating bombs dropping…he suddenly goes right back in on time and doesn’t miss a lick.

He didn’t get as much flack as Feliciano did…I think because it wasn’t on prime time during a World Series.

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

36 thoughts on “Jimi Hendrix – The Star Spangled Banner… Happy 4th of July”

  1. In Massachusetts, both of these would be crimes. “Whoever plays, sings or renders the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in any public place, theatre, motion picture hall, restaurant or café, or at any public entertainment, other than as a whole and separate composition or number, without embellishment or addition in the way of national or other melodies, or whoever plays, sings or renders the ‘Star Spangled Banner’, or any part thereof, as dance music, as an exit march or as a part of a medley of any kind, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.” (General Laws, Part IV, Title I, Chapter 264, Section 9.)

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    1. Oh cool so he was in Clarksville for a brief time as well I would guess anyway…but maybe not. It’s only 25-30 minutes away.

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      2. Wow… ok I didn’t know that. It might have been before Fort Campbell was the base of the 101st Airborne.
        Funny about the alligator…he was probably from Louisiana.

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  3. Happy July 4th Max! It was a very unique take on the anthem, sort of like what Feliciano said, you hear a different version like it and it does make you pay more attention to the music again

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    1. Happy 4th Dave!
      I always loved this version…the song is so hard to sing….so this version just works for me. He does it with respect and you don’t always picture Jimi as a paratrooper!

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    1. I think that was the big difference. He had his crowd there not a prime time audience back then. It has to be one of the hardest songs for people to sing. Those who are not confident they can pull it off should not try it to say the least.

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  10. Happy Independence Day from your northern neighbour! 🙂 Jimi Hendrix was my favourite guitarist and I love his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Some Americans might take offence, but I think it was creative as hell. Never heard José Feliciano’s version before. I guess people were upset he changed the melody? It sounded pretty good to me.

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  12. Pingback: Jimi Hendrix – The Star Spangled Banner… Happy 4th of July – MobsterTiger

  15. Great observations, Max: Jimi was able to emulate the bombs and overall story behind the lyrics programmatically but still keep the meter of the song mechanically. He was an alien. I’m always amazed at the nuances he adds to his playing, and they keep surprising me after multiple listenings.

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