07/03: Song of the Day. Jimi Hendrix–The Star-Spangled Banner
In keeping with our continuing 4th of July theme this week, there really is no way I could avoid posting this one. Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, playing the Star-Spangled Banner is a must-hear for me every 4th of July, in much the same that I have to hear Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre” on Thanksgiving and Cheech & Chong’s “Santa Claus and His Old Lady” at Christmas.
This was essentially the last big performance of Woodstock and actually took place on Monday morning after almost two-thirds of the estimated 500,000 people had already left. Hendrix, playing here with the band he called Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, performed one of the longest concerts of his brief career at the festival (nearly two hours long) and closed his set with this version of the Star-Spangled Banner that we’ve all come to know and love.
Take it away Jimi! [video after the break]
And Happy 4th of July everyone!
————
The Star-Spangled Banner by Jimi Hendrix
Popularity: 30% [?]
Tagged as: 07/03, 4th of July, Jimi Hendrix, Music, Song of the Day, Star Spangled Banner
Jimi rock! I like the way he plays several other tunes to accent “Star Spangled Banner.” Creativity and guitar feedback @ its best.
Agreed! The last time I was in Philadelphia I got this great record of a bunch of live Jimi Hendrix stuff I’d never heard before. One of the tracks was from England where he played (the British anthem, not the Sex Pistols natch) God Save the Queen. Pretty rad as well.