Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock: "The Star-Spangled Banner" 1969

Comment

Comment by Kristina Lopez on June 6, 2011 at 6:16am

I was amazed when I first heard this. He is a guitar god. I really like the symbolism and the different sound effects he used in a simple song. I have played this song many times (in marching band) but there is no way I could have ever interpreted the song the way he did,

Comment by Keely Ward on June 5, 2011 at 11:51pm

I think this was a really cool video to watch. It also surprised me at the choice of song. It symbolizes something great, but it is also very controversial. With such tension about war, I would think some people could take this the wrong way. Overall, the way he played the song was amazing.

Comment by Rachel Izydorek on June 5, 2011 at 6:57pm

i know everyone loves this video and theres symbolism and whatnot, but i personally find it really annoying. this honestly just hurts my ears. To me it just sounds like a 4 year old playing with their older brother' s guitar in my opinion. maybe i just dont have an ear for amazing guitar playing.

Comment by Deena Bishop on June 5, 2011 at 5:01pm

I absolutely loved the way that Jimi changed the song and made it reflect the time and the hardships of the people suffering in the war. The way he makes it sound like a bomb and screaming is amazing!!!! And I could even hear bullets flying in the song. He was incredible, and i would have loved to be there and witness this kind of music. It really says something about what exactly was going on and how people felt patriotic, but there was still a war that broke through the patriotism and made everyone sympathize for those in Vietnam and maybe even for the families of soldiers. (or at least that's how i feel.)

Comment by Gary Anderson on June 5, 2011 at 4:41pm

The original version no longer works.  Let's try this:

Comment by Carly Mckay on June 5, 2011 at 4:23pm

loved this video. I really like how he put his own flare on the national anthem. He made it his own and more of a rock ballad kind of vibe. But besides that, it was really interesting to see what Woodstock was like. I always love learning about it because I have always been interested by it. I love crazy stuff like that and the people at that time were kind of crazy. oh the hippies...

Comment by Michael Naselli on October 24, 2010 at 8:28pm

I love this version that Jimi did of the Star Spangled Banner. If you listen closely to this song you can hear what sounds like bombs and airplanes crashing and people screaming. He did this during a time when the Vietnam War was going on and I believe that is what he was trying to portray in the song

Comment by Phil Schroeder on June 1, 2010 at 11:44pm

I don't know how I feel about it. It starts off fine, but then its not cool. I guess I like his artistic flavor, but I hate it at games when people disrespect the National Anthem. Its not the right thing to do as an American citizen.

Comment by Matt Krinke on June 1, 2010 at 6:13pm

I really love the message he conveys playing this song. The way it flows out of him shows what was really going on in that time period. The way he plays it, its like you're really there on stage with him, and though it might be a contradiction, this song makes me feel even more patriotic.