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 of Love
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
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I got a lot of love to give
From the mirrors of my hand
I sent a message of love
Don't you run away
Look at your heart, baby
Come on along with me today
Well, I am what I am thank god
Some people just don't understand, well help them god
Find yourselef first, and then your tool
Find yourself first, don't you be no fool
Here comes a woman
Wrapped up in chain
Messin' with that fool, baby
Your life is pain
If you wanna be free
Come on along with me
Don't mess with the man
He'll never understand
I said, find yourself first
And then your talent
Work hard in your mind
So it can come alive
You beter prove to the man
You're as strong as him
'Cause in the eyes of god
You're both children to him
Everybody come alive, everybody love alive
Everybody love alive, everybody hear my message
Hey, ooh
Hey, ooh
Hey, ooh
Hey, ooh
Hey, ooh
Hey, ooh
Hey, now
In Jimi Hendrix's song Message To Love, the lyrics represent a call to action for self-love, empowerment, and rising above societal constraints. The song encourages listeners to embrace their individuality and inner strength, while rejecting limitation and fear. Hendrix uses poetic and metaphorical language throughout the song to express his message, signaling his message of love to everyone.
The opening lines, "Well, I travel at the speed of a reborn man, I got a lot of love to give, From the mirrors of my hand," showcase the rebirth of Hendrix and his desire to spread love. He is urging others to embrace their own rebirth, acknowledge the love within themselves, and allow it to manifest in their lives. In the following verses, he addresses the challenges people face as they struggle to find themselves and their own talents. He cautions against fooling oneself into thinking they are someone else and tells them to "Find yourself first, don't you be no fool."
Hendrix warns against allowing others to hold you captive, "Here comes a woman wrapped up in chains, messing with that fool, baby, your life is pain," but also encourages listeners to pursue their own strengths and prove to others "You're as strong as him." Ultimately, the message of the song is to love yourself, believe in yourself, and pursue your own path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
(Yeah) well, I travel at the speed of a reborn man
I am experiencing a new life and moving forward quickly.
I got a lot of love to give
I have a large capacity for love to share with others.
From the mirrors of my hand
I see reflections of myself and my experiences in my hands.
I sent a message of love
I communicated a message of love to someone.
Don't you run away
Do not avoid my message of love and connection.
Look at your heart, baby
Examine your true desires and emotions.
Come on along with me today
Join me on this journey now.
Well, I am what I am thank god
I am happy with who I am, thank goodness.
Some people just don't understand, well help them god
Some individuals may not understand me, but I will try to assist them.
Find yourselef first, and then your tool
Discover yourself before utilizing external tools to succeed.
Find yourself first, don't you be no fool
Understand your true self and be mindful in your actions.
Here comes a woman
A woman is approaching.
Wrapped up in chain
She is restrained or oppressed.
Messin' with that fool, baby
She is involved with someone who is not good for her.
Your life is pain
Her life is full of suffering.
If you wanna be free
If you desire freedom.
Come on along with me
Join me on the path to liberation.
Don't mess with the man
Do not get involved with those in power who will not understand you.
He'll never understand
Those in power will not empathize with your struggles.
I said, find yourself first
I emphasized the importance of self-discovery.
And then your talent
Once you find yourself, utilize your skills and talents.
Work hard in your mind
Mentally prepare and motivate yourself to succeed.
So it can come alive
So your talent can be fully realized.
You beter prove to the man
Demonstrate your strength and capability to those in power.
You're as strong as him
You are just as capable as those in power.
'Cause in the eyes of god
In the perspective of a higher power.
You're both children to him
Everyone is equal and a child of a higher power.
Everybody come alive, everybody love alive
I want everyone to feel alive and full of love.
Everybody love alive, everybody hear my message
My message of love should be heard by all.
Hey, ooh
Vocals expressing emotion and energy.
Hey, now
Vocals expressing a sense of urgency or importance.
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