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.
Message To The Universe
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
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Well I travel at the speed unknown to man
So I bring you a message from the mirrors of my hand
I said a message of love don't you hid away
Face the mirrors of your mind
Face the truth today
Well I am what I am thank god
Help them god
I said find yourself first
And then your tool
Find yourself first
Just don't be no fool
I see a woman comin'
I see ya layin' on your back
For the birth of pleasure
I see you on the right track
Free is free
You ain't supposed to be
Now don't rely on no man
Try to argue instead
I said find yourself first
And then your talent
Work hard in your mind
Go come alive
And prove to the man
Your as strong as him
In the eyes of god
Everybody come alive
Everybody come alive
Everybody come alive
Everybody love a lot
Everybody love a lot
Everybody love a lot
Everybody love a lot
In "Message To The Universe," Jimi Hendrix expresses his message of love from the unknown speed at which he travels. He calls on individuals to face the mirrors of their minds and accept the truth. He acknowledges that some people may not understand him but pleads for God's help so that they can. Hendrix encourages individuals to find themselves before anything else and to avoid being fools. He further urges people not to rely on others, especially men, but to argue, hone their talents, and work hard in their minds so that they can prove themselves to be as strong as men, in the eyes of God. As he concludes this message, Hendrix calls on everybody to love and come alive.
The message of "Message To The Universe" aligns with the 1960s counterculture movement, which Hendrix was involved in. He calls for self-discovery and self-expression while rejecting conformism and societal expectations. The song's lyrics also speak to the power dynamics between men and women, where Hendrix champions women's independence and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, one, two, three
Let's get started, let's begin
Well I travel at the speed unknown to man
I'm a force to be reckoned with, moving quickly and with purpose
So I bring you a message from the mirrors of my hand
I have something important to share, something that comes from deep within
I said a message of love don't you hid away
Don't be afraid to love, to express yourself fully and passionately
Face the mirrors of your mind
Reflect on your thoughts and emotions, be open and honest with yourself
Face the truth today
Be truthful, admit your faults and take action to make things right
Well I am what I am thank god
I am who I am, no apologies necessary
Lord some people just don't understand
Unfortunately, not everyone will understand or accept you
Help them god
May they find understanding and compassion
I said find yourself first
Before you can truly love others or succeed in life, you must know and love yourself
And then your tool
Once you have self-love, you can channel that into your passions and purpose
Just don't be no fool
Be wise in your pursuits, don't waste your potential
I see a woman comin'
I observe the struggles of women in society
I see ya layin' on your back
I see women subjected to sexual objectification and harassment
For the birth of pleasure
For the sake of temporary pleasure, often at the expense of women's wellbeing
I see you on the right track
But I also see the potential for positive change and progress
Free is free
Freedom should be the baseline, not something to fight for
You ain't supposed to be
Let go of societal norms and expectations, be your true self
Now don't rely on no man
Women should not have to depend on men for their wellbeing or success
Try to argue instead
Stand up for yourself and your beliefs, challenge the status quo
I said find yourself first
Reiterated importance of self-discovery and self-love
And then your talent
Once you know yourself, you can tap into your unique talents and strengths
Work hard in your mind
Success starts with mental preparation and mindset
Go come alive
Take action, pursue your dreams with vigor and passion
And prove to the man
Show society, especially men who underestimate you, what you're capable of
Your as strong as him
Women are just as capable and deserving of respect and success as men
In the eyes of god
From a spiritual perspective, all humans are equal
Everybody come alive
Inviting everyone to embrace life's opportunities and challenges
Everybody love a lot
Encouraging empathy, compassion and understanding for all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jimi Hendrix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Devin Kennedy
on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)
Is this really the alternete take