Symbolic Anthropology and Jimi Hendrix’s Performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner”

Publication Date

2024

Authors

Hunter Motta, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Alexander Proulx, University of New Hampshire, Durham

Abstract

Turmoil and unrest are often cited as root forms of inspiration for artistic pieces representing the period in which they take place. Take the punk rock explosion in the mid to late 70s, graffiti, and Frida Kahlo paintings, for example. If we are to see art as the language of people, we must then see public art as the language of the public. These pieces often become instrumental to the movements they support as they do not tell onlookers what to feel, but rather, depict it.

One such piece, a reworking of the National Anthem performed by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock 1969, during an unplanned third day, due to rain delays, captured the American public in a spectacular and emotional way. This rendition serves as the basis for this paper, which aims to analyze the anthropological, cultural, and modern perspectives of this timeless performance.

Recommended Citation

Motta, Hunter and Proulx, Alexander (2024) "Symbolic Anthropology and Jimi Hendrix’s Performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner”," Spectrum: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholars.unh.edu/spectrum/vol12/iss1/11