A Presidential Inauguration for the Civil War Sesquicentennial

The Presidential Inauguration exercises have been filled with references to the Civil War era, including President Lincoln, Union, the 150th anniversary of emancipation and the unfinished capitol dome.  I just saw Frederick Douglass and reenactors from the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry march by the president’s reviewing stand.  We even heard a reference to Stonewall, though I don’t think it was in recognition of Lee-Jackson Day.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to make these references and remind the country that our history does include significant progress.

On a slightly different note, here is an interesting and even entertaining video of V. Bozeman singing Lynyrd Synyrd’s “Freebird” in a Confederate flag dress.  Here is what she had to say about the choice of song and dress:

I fell in love with the lyrics and thought it would be a great song to cover. When I discovered the band’s previous connection with the confederate flag, I was even more compelled to re-record this song and give new life to it.  Music is so powerful, it’s important for artists such as myself to use our platform to make a positive impact on the world. When I first heard the lyrics in this song, I could relate to its overall message, as I too have the desire to be a “Free Bird.”  The beautiful and most riveting thing about Art is that it speaks to the individual and everyone gets something different from it.

To me, the overall message in “Free Bird” is LOVE!  Something the world needs more of!  Something we ourselves need more of!  LOVE is accepting and understanding…  It’s healing; amongst many other powerful things…essentially, it’s FREEDOM!  Through my expression of “Free Bird,” I wanted to send a visual message to break the chains of negative stereotypes, racism, poverty, war, sexism, self hatred, etc. that hold us back as a people, as a nation.  I decided to release this visual during President Barack Obama’s inauguration because the significance of this historic moment aligns with the overall theme of the song. As an artist I’ve always had a perspective and a voice and its important to me that I always be authentic to not only my fans, but myself in my expression.

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8 comments… add one
  • Bummer Jan 22, 2013 @ 6:16

    The original by Lynrd Skynyrd is beyond iconic and the rythm and bass lines are classic. Will ignore the gal and the flag on this post and remember Skynyrd and the era. Great memories! Thanks,
    Bummer

  • Patrick Young Jan 22, 2013 @ 4:27

    Everybody else is commenting on the semiotics of the video, but I just disagree that the message of the song is about LOVE. Always sounded more like a song about an extended one-night-stand.

  • doug didier Jan 22, 2013 @ 2:05

    The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in the United States.

  • TFSmith1 Jan 21, 2013 @ 20:17

    I think she was wearing it ironically – what’s the old line? “Sheet on the stars and wipe mah arse on the bars…”

    Best,

  • dudski Jan 21, 2013 @ 16:27

    I don’t think she did it without irony. I think the transformation to the American flag was the point. Point of view aside, I liked the Hendrix sounding guitar. The song gets made fun of alot, but actually the lyrics are good. It’s just the Lynerd Skynerd version is kind of all over the road instrumentally. They were getting better as songwriters when the plane crash happened. That last album was strong, and “That Smell” was one of the best things they did. They are more a nostalgia act now. The real stuff is whatever combination of Drive By Truckers you can get to see.

  • larry longmore Jan 21, 2013 @ 15:59

    I’m sorry, when I see someone with a confederate flag what I hear is “I’m a total douche with no sense of American history or understanding of the hatred and evil this rag represents”. That a black woman would wear it, apparently unironically is just sad.

    The Bottle Rockets had a much better show of love for the thing:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny0crAOX6nA

    • Jazzeum Jan 21, 2013 @ 18:26

      My thoughts exactly; it’s history forgotten or ignored.

    • Bryan Cheeseboro Jan 22, 2013 @ 2:36

      You must not have watched the whole video. She strips out of the Confederate flag and leaves it on the floor.

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