Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by Linda Keith, who in turn interested bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals in becoming his first manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the U.S. after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the U.S.; it was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, before his accidental death from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27.
Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in utilizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began."
Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and in 1968, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
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Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island,
Well, I stand up next to a mountain,
and I chop it down with the edge of my hand.
chop it down with the edge of my hand.
might even raise just a little sand.
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, baby.
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile,
I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time,
I said I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time,
I'll give it right back to you one of these days.
I'll give it right back one of these days.
And if I don't meet you no more in this world
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, hey hey hey.
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile, voodoo chile,
I'm a voodoo chile, baby then I'll, I'll meet you in the next one and don't be late, don't be late.
The lyrics in Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" from his album Electric Ladyland offer a trippy, mystical take on the power of the individual. The song begins with Hendrix declaring his own strength, as he "stand[s] up next to a mountain" and cuts it down "with the edge of [his] hand." Hendrix's voodoo chile persona allows him to perform acts of physical and metaphorical transformation that subvert traditional notions of power and control. He is able to turn a mountain into an island with his own force of will.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics take on a more philosophical tone. Hendrix acknowledges that he may have taken up too much of the listener's time, but promises to give it back "one of these days." The song ends with a reference to meeting in another world, indicating that the song is not just a celebration of the individual's power, but also a meditation on death and the afterlife. Hendrix's persona as a voodoo chile allows him to transcend the boundaries of earthly existence.
Overall, "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" is a celebration of the individual's power to shape their own reality, both physical and otherwise. Hendrix's lyrics and guitar work convey a sense of potency and magic that continues to captivate listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I stand up next to a mountain
I am confident and empowered, ready to face challenges head-on
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island
I am resourceful and able to create something new out of what is broken
Well, I stand up next to a mountain,
I am not afraid of obstacles and will stand my ground
and I chop it down with the edge of my hand.
I am capable and will overcome any obstacle with my strength
chop it down with the edge of my hand.
I will not back down and will use whatever means necessary to achieve my goals
might even raise just a little sand.
I may cause a little chaos or trouble in the process
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, baby.
I am a unique and mysterious character, with an unyielding spirit
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile,
I am someone with spiritual powers and unique abilities
I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time,
I am sorry if I have caused any inconvenience or taken up too much of your time
I said I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time,
I want to be clear that my intentions were not to be a burden
I'll give it right back to you one of these days.
I promise to make it up to you and return the favor
I'll give it right back one of these days.
I will repay any debts owed in the future
And if I don't meet you no more in this world
If we are not able to see each other again in this lifetime
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, hey hey hey.
I am a unique and powerful being, with an aura of mystery
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile, voodoo chile,
I am someone with mystical powers and abilities
I'm a voodoo chile, baby
I am a special and unique person, with spiritual strength
then I'll, I'll meet you in the next one and don't be late, don't be late.
We will cross paths again in the afterlife, so be sure to be on time
Contributed by Riley K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Devin Kennedy
on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)
Is this really the alternete take