Spring Break
Power of love
Ian Ronderos
Issue date: 3/28/06 Section: Viewpoint
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Jimi Hendrix's stunning and unorthodox version of 'The Star Spangled Banner' is rife with truth and beauty concerning the nature of existence. It is particularly poignant for the times in which we live, and indeed offers much knowledge about statecraft and power for any age. Hendrix's version, although made famous by his Aug. 18, 1969 Woodstock performance, was a concert staple as far back as the fall of 1968 and was played into the summer of 1970. The song was symbolic of the entire spirit of the age and generation.
Jimi's 'Star Spangled Banner' is a maelstrom of sonic power that instantly grips the listener with shrilly-sustained notes, wailing feedback, and loud distortion. The terrible sounds of war are reproduced by Hendrix's guitar, and his genius. One can hear Jimi's Stratocaster belting out the simulated sounds of guns and bombs whistling through the air - indeed a skill Hendrix would later perfect in the song 'Machine Gun.' As I once heard 'The Star Spangled Banner' described, it seems to be a hulking behemoth that appears to be collapsing under its own burden.
The state of American society was reflected in Hendrix's song. The nation was torn apart by civil unrest and the Vietnam War. America, like the great dying beast that is Jimi's rendition, seemed to be falling apart at the seams due to her own exertions. This was a quite apt critique of the times and indeed, had change not occurred, America very well might have fallen into chaos. What makes Jimi's song a more apt criticism is that he did not intend for it to be a political statement. During his appearance on the Dick Cavett Show, Jimi responded to being pressed about the nature of his song by stating, "I thought it was beautiful." The song was a manifestation and interpretation of the spirit flowing through the air. It was spontaneous and real; as such, it contains an honest interpretation of this spirit, whether Jimi intended it or not.
America changed so that the spirit embodied in the apocalyptic version was not borne out, and society stabilized. It would do Americans well to listen carefully to Jimi's version now, as America is heading down a similar path of discord and unrest. The state of affairs has not yet plunged Americans into the same level of discontent that was present in the late-1960s, but things are clearly progressing towards that end. American foreign policy has become increasingly aggressive and arrogant. The religious right is making an attack upon the secular nature of our government, which our Deist founders determined to be an essential part of the republic. Civil liberties are being eroded in the name of national security. Ire is growing for many. Many others buy into our government's policy, which makes a culture clash more than imminent.
Jimi's 'Star Spangled Banner' is a maelstrom of sonic power that instantly grips the listener with shrilly-sustained notes, wailing feedback, and loud distortion. The terrible sounds of war are reproduced by Hendrix's guitar, and his genius. One can hear Jimi's Stratocaster belting out the simulated sounds of guns and bombs whistling through the air - indeed a skill Hendrix would later perfect in the song 'Machine Gun.' As I once heard 'The Star Spangled Banner' described, it seems to be a hulking behemoth that appears to be collapsing under its own burden.
The state of American society was reflected in Hendrix's song. The nation was torn apart by civil unrest and the Vietnam War. America, like the great dying beast that is Jimi's rendition, seemed to be falling apart at the seams due to her own exertions. This was a quite apt critique of the times and indeed, had change not occurred, America very well might have fallen into chaos. What makes Jimi's song a more apt criticism is that he did not intend for it to be a political statement. During his appearance on the Dick Cavett Show, Jimi responded to being pressed about the nature of his song by stating, "I thought it was beautiful." The song was a manifestation and interpretation of the spirit flowing through the air. It was spontaneous and real; as such, it contains an honest interpretation of this spirit, whether Jimi intended it or not.
America changed so that the spirit embodied in the apocalyptic version was not borne out, and society stabilized. It would do Americans well to listen carefully to Jimi's version now, as America is heading down a similar path of discord and unrest. The state of affairs has not yet plunged Americans into the same level of discontent that was present in the late-1960s, but things are clearly progressing towards that end. American foreign policy has become increasingly aggressive and arrogant. The religious right is making an attack upon the secular nature of our government, which our Deist founders determined to be an essential part of the republic. Civil liberties are being eroded in the name of national security. Ire is growing for many. Many others buy into our government's policy, which makes a culture clash more than imminent.