Blog Post #2

The playing of the national anthem by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock to me was not offensive. While his take on it was not your classical playing of the national anthem, I do not believe he was intending to make fun of or dishonor the U.S. in any way. Woodstock a place filled with rock bands performing for thousands of people, Hendrix took the opportunity to play this national anthem in a way that would reach his audience. While his playing of the national anthem is not my specific taste in music, and I prefer the classic singing of the national anthem. I do think it was a cool way to bring the national anthem to his audience at Woodstock. At the time I think people would see this as offensive because it could be seen as disrespectful because it was not performed in the style it was written. I think people in 1969 were not used to this untraditional way of performing the national anthem and saw it as a disrespect to step out of the boundaries and go against the standards. However, I think these performances opened the door for other performers to take a new approach to the national anthem that we see performed today at NFL and NBA of the more poppy, riffs used to sing it.