Johnny Cash’s ‘Ragged Old Flag’ Featured in 2017 Super Bowl Ad [WATCH]
Johnny Cash's "Ragged Old Flag" was the soundtrack for an ad during Super Bowl LI on Sunday night (Feb. 5). Readers can press play above to watch the ad, and below, readers can peek behind the scenes of the spot.
Fox, the network that broadcast this year's Super Bowl, led into the game with a four-minute spot, set to Cash's patriotic spoken-word track, that highlights big moments in U.S. history. Directed by Fox Sports producer Jennifer Pransky, the clip features Harry Belafonte and Simone Biles, as well as military veterans and a pastor and actress who took part in civil rights marches in the 1960s.
“Fox Sports likes to take advantage of the gigantic audience that it gets for the Super Bowl,” Pranksy explains. “Not just spend that talking about sports, but use that platform to actually promote the things that matter to us. And, for us, that’s really our country and America.”
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"Ragged Old Flag" appeared on Cash's 1974 album of the same name; it's the record's opening track and was the project's only single. The album itself hit No. 10 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and the single peaked just outside the Top 30 (No. 31).
Cash's "Ragged Old Flag" wasn't the only country music tie-in at Super Bowl LI, which took place at Houston, Texas' NRG Stadium and featured the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons: Luke Bryan performed the National Anthem prior to kickoff.
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