For some reason unknown to me, other than it was a story from Feb 1983, 40 years ago to the month, The Atlantic Newspaper had an article concerning the late soul singer Marvin Pentz Gaye, Jr.'s iconic rendition of the National Anthem sung at the NBA All Star Game held in Los Angeles, CA that year.

There's so much that I could write concerning the hulabaloo of singing of the National Anthem in America - few other countries sing their national anthem at EVERY SINGLE sporting event! (is the intent of the games to have patrons inculcated with the ism's of politics or is it to see the athletes' prowess on the fields of play?)

I'll leave all of that alone for now. Ah me. IMHO (in my humble opinion) the top 3 versions of the anthem ever sung for a public occasion were Whitney Houston's rendition at the 1999 Super Bowl; the aforementioned Gaye at the '83 All Star Game; and guitarist Jimi Hendrix at the now-famous 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair held on Max Yasgur's 600 acre Farm in Bethel, NY.

Whitney's unquestionably number 1. Some of you may recall that to musical purists what she did is actually a "no-no". She took a song in 3/4 meter and sang it in 4/4. She may be the only artist ever that could get away with it and make it sound better. Other artists have attempted it. None have come close. Her version will forever be the greatest of all time.

Marvin, the soulful crooner, had folk uncharacteristically clapping and swaying from the very first note, dressed to the 9's with his air force pilot style sunglasses on was pure Marvin - forever the rebel, forever the maverick,  forever the cultural and musical enigma; forever Marvin.

Hendrix, like the aforementioned  was a genius of his craft. All 3 died far, far too soon - none reaching the 'seasoned' age of 50, Hendricks never reached 30. Each was African American, each left an indelible imprint on the national psyche of the American landscape. Each a vox populi (voice of the people) unquelled and unquestionably singular - no one else ever did it like them. No one.

America, 'exceptional,' in the minds of some, owes so much to the Africans of today, the progeny of the former enslaved peoples of the Diaspora. May the rockets red glare and the bombs bursting in air ever bellow the unfinished story of a people who looked higher, did it their way, and refused to 'ere let anybody turn them around.

O', Say Can You See!