The Song of the Day: Jimi Hendrix Provides the Fireworks
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!
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