13, 1983Ī little more than a week before Motown legend Marvin Gaye picked up two Grammy Awards for his classic 'Sexual Healing,' he performed the national anthem before the 1983 NBA All-Star Game at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Even today, music scholars can't agree on what message, if any, Hendrix's screaming guitar and ballistic feedback was trying to deliver. But there was no question the performance was controversial. It was his first gig since the breakup of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and all but 10% of the festival's 400,000 concert goers stayed for his Monday morning set. During the final set of the historic Woodstock music festival Jimi Hendrix let loose with a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner on electric guitar that's been called everything from the most important political rock statement of the 1960s, to an afterthought caught in one of Hendrix's worst performances. It wasn't a sports event, but it was controversial. Good or bad, however, Feliciano's performance opened the door for the countless interpretations of the Star-Spangled Banner we hear today. The fiery response from Vietnam-weary America was not surprising, considering the tumultuous year for American patriotism. The 23-year-old's performance was the first nontraditional version seen by mainstream America, and it is generally considered the Lexington and Concord of Star-Spangled Banner controversies. Puerto Rican blind singer/guitarist Jose Feliciano stunned the crowd at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, and the rest of America, when he strummed a slow, bluesy rendition of the national anthem before Game 5 of the World Series between Detroit and St. While America may seem less surprised by new renditions of the national anthem, it still considers the song's performance a litmus test for patriotism.

And over the last 30 years artists have gradually made non-traditional renditions of the song commonplace.įrequency doesn't necessarily breed acceptance, however. Since World War II the Star-Spangled Banner has become a permanent fixture at sports events in the United States. 'Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early night.

A look at some controversial, and botched, renditions of the American national anthem

Words of the star spangled banner song