How Naive
Awhile back when listening to Hendrix's live at Woodstock CD I was struck by how naive I was and how naive so many people around me were. Right after 9/11 I attended a candle light vigil a few blocks down from my house. Eventually a kid pulled up with his car blasting Hendrix's version of the "Star Spangled Banner." I thought it was fantastic that someone was doing this. However, when thinking about it today I realize how un-patriotic that was. The song is mocking the war mongering American spirit. It was a protest song against America and here I was at the vigil thinking of how patriotic of a song it was. I feel really foolish now looking back at the moment, but I guess I'm not the one who should really foolish, the kid who was blasting the song is the one who was truly the one insulting himself. I guess there is a lot to learn about music and the emotions they convey, it's also funny to realize how many songs I thought were love songs actually turned out to be depressing heartbroken songs.A lot of songs seem to be misunderstood by people for not taking a deeper look into them or simply just not truly trying to think about what is being said. I think Lennon's "Imagine" is a great one to observe. People across America hear "Imagine" and say "Wow that is the kind of world I wish I lived in." Yet if you ask someone about their opinion of Communism they bite back with scorn. The song has some clear Socialist ideas like "No Religion" and the almighty "No Possessions." As Lennon said about "Imagine," it was "An anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalist song, but because it’s sugar-coated, it’s accepted. Now I understand what you have to do. Put your political message across with a little honey. This is what we do…to try to change the apathy of young people."
One great thing about art is that it can be interpreted in hundreds of ways, but one should never forget the underlining message in it.
posted by Jeff at 8:34 AM
14 Comments:
I think the initial meaning of Hendrix's Star Spangled banner must have been lost over the years. There were a number of critics back then who picked up on Hendrix putting in guitar parts sounding like guns firing in with the song. Many interpreted this as being an anti-war song. Yet I remember in the 80's when radio stations would play this song on the 4th of July as a staple of that holiday. I admit that I am much more a music person than a lyric person. Yet you may be right about being able to get away with lyrics if it's sugar coated. However artists risk being misinterpreted that way as well.
A couple others that have been misused over the years:
Springsteen's "Born in the USA" was used by Reagan in his 1984 campaign despite the fact that the song speaks about the America Reagan was trying to hide.
CCR's "Fortunate Son" is in a jeans commercial with a "patriotic theme," but the song points out how America is made up of haves and have-nots.
I agree that art can be interpreted in many ways, but I think a lot of the instances we're talking about here has to do with people making superficial assumptions. A song is always open to interpretation, but that doesn't mean that every interpretation is valid.
EXCELLENT POST. This is so true (and not to BV, I immediately thought of the embarrassment of Pres. Reagen misinterpreting Born in the USA).
I'm sure I have misinterpreted my share of songs over the years too, but if I like something I tend to read the lyrics, read about what the artist was going through when they wrote it, etc.
I love "Imagine" but have always known what it was about, but you are right - so many people listen to one verse or the "feel" of the song interpret it based on that.
Off topic - I don't want to say this on my blog cause it seems like I am bragging or whatever, but I was recently introduced to a guy who is a phenomenal guitar player and was friends with Hendrix and many others. He was on the side of the stage at Woodstock while Jimi played (that's what reminded me). We will probably have a date soon :)
Mark - Very true about the sugar coated lyrics. I must admit I am more of a music person myself too, I normally don't look too deep into lyrics unless I feel there is something there that I should be observing more closely.
Bob - "Fortunate Son" is one of the greatest protest songs of all time in my oppinion. Also, great example with "Born in the USA"
Layla - Wow, that is awesome about that guy. I could only imagine how incredibly amazing that show would have been in person. Get all the information you can!
I've heard that Ricky Martin is now, retroactively, angry that he danced with the President at his inauguration. Talk abotu trying to change history ...
-- david
If I was the president, I might be equally angry that I danced with Ricky Martin!
I always thought there was a lot of underlying sadness and frustration to that song, which superficiallly at least, sounds so nice.
I'm on a lobby for Steppenwolf lately. "Monster" the song is to me, the single greatest protest song in modern American rock history. It's chilling how much the lyrics fit Bush's regime as it did Johnson's.
This was a great topic, because I laugh quietly at people who mock Jimi's version or feel like getting patriotic and sentimental when they hear it. If they stopped and realized Jimi's true intention, they might turn on him in a hurry.
David - I think Bob said it best.
Jay - "Star Spangled Banner" by Hendrix or "Imagine"? Either way they both sound incredible, lol.
Ray - I had to review the lyrics again but excellent comparison
"We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole world's got to be just like us"
I've been thinking about this post and it seemed to me that Hendrix wasn't always opposed to the war in Vietnam. According to Wikipedia, his politics were in flux depending on the crowd he was with. So, at Woodstock it certainly was a protest song even if Hendrix wasn't completely committed to the cause.
Bob - That seems interesting... I'm not sure if that makes me respect him less, regardless he is a God on guitar.
I'm not convinced Jimi was a super-genius of anything other than guitar, so I'm usually pretty willing to cut him some slack on that too.
Bob - Yeah, whenever I compliment Hendrix as being a genius it is either for his songwriting ability or obviously guitar playing ability.
Shortly after Woodstock, Hendrix appeared on the Dick Cavett Show where he was quoted as saying: "I thought it was beautiful."
Whether Hendrix was protesting, tributizing, and/or serious or not doesn't really matter. We The People sometimes forget that interpretations are our own prejudices and insults to the "performer" and ourselves.
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