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.
The Stars That Played With Laughing Sam's Dice
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
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They make us feel the world was made for us
The zodiac glass that beams, come through the skies
It will happen soon, for you
And a way we go
Yeah
Thank you very much
And now we would like to bring to you our wide lonely friendly neighborhood
Experience me
Right now listen
The milky way express is loaded, all aboard
I promise each and every one of you you won't be bored
What I'm really concerned about
Is my grand-new pair of butterfly roller skates
Thank you, thank you
No throwing cigarette butts out the window
No throwing cigarette butts out the window
Now if you look to your right you'll see Saturn
If you look to the left you'll see mars
I hope your brought your parachutes with you
Hey look out!
Look out for that door
Don't open that door
Don't open that door
Oh well
That's the way it goes
Hey, everything is all right now
The song "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice" by Jimi Hendrix is often considered one of his more experimental and psychedelic pieces. The lyrics reflect the imagery and ideas frequently associated with the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
The opening lines, "The stars up above that play with laughing Sam's dice" suggests a cosmic influence over our lives that we can't control. It's an allusion to the concept of fate and how our destiny might have already been decided. The following line "They make us feel the world was made for us" reinforces this idea, that the universe has created us for a purpose. The verse continues with "The zodiac glass that beams, come through the skies, It will happen soon, for you," which suggests that change is coming soon and that the universe is looking out for us.
The following lines "And a way we go, Yeah / Thank you very much, Thank you very much" seem to indicate a departure or a journey that the listener is about to embark on. The chorus then becomes a kind of spoken-word section where Hendrix delivers a message to his fans. It's spoken in a kind of carnival barker style with a touch of humor. It encourages the listener to come along for a ride on the "Milky Way express," and promises that they won't be bored. Hendrix becomes a tour guide, pointing out the planets the listener can see, and encouraging them to be careful not to open any doors.
The song can be interpreted in various ways, but its central theme seems to be about the mysteries of the universe and the role fate plays in our lives. The lyrics are full of cosmic references, and while the song builds up to a sense of urgency and excitement, it ends on a note of calm assurance that "everything is all right now".
Line by Line Meaning
The stars up above that play with laughing Sam's dice
The cosmic forces that govern our lives seem unpredictable and whimsical, just like the game of craps.
They make us feel the world was made for us
Despite the randomness of the universe, we tend to believe that everything that happens is meant for our benefit.
The zodiac glass that beams, come through the skies
The constellations that adorn the night sky have long been used to predict the future of mortals.
It will happen soon, for you
The alignment of the stars suggests that something significant is about to occur in your life.
And a way we go
Let's embark on a cosmic journey through space and time.
Thank you very much
Expressing gratitude for being part of this experience.
And now we would like to bring to you our wide lonely friendly neighborhood
The band invites the listener to join them in a communal space where loneliness is replaced by camaraderie.
Experience me
They offer themselves up as a vehicle for exploring cosmic consciousness and the human condition.
Right now listen
Urging the listener to pay attention to what's being said and implied.
The milky way express is loaded, all aboard
Metaphor for embarking on a journey to the unknown, inspired by the galaxy's milky-colored appearance.
I promise each and every one of you you won't be bored
Assuring the audience that the journey will be fulfilling and spiritually enlightening.
What I'm really concerned about
Introducing a seemingly trivial concern that contrasts with the otherworldly theme of the song.
Is my grand-new pair of butterfly roller skates
A lighthearted reference that emphasizes the surreal tone of the lyrics.
No throwing cigarette butts out the window
A cautionary reminder to not pollute the environment while enjoying the ride.
Now if you look to your right you'll see Saturn
Pointing out a celestial body that's visible from the spacecraft we're supposed to be in.
If you look to the left you'll see mars
Another planetary sighting, possibly evoking a sense of awe and wonder.
I hope your brought your parachutes with you
Suggesting that we're flying at such high altitudes that mortal support devices are necessary.
Hey look out!
A sudden exclamation meant to alarm the listener and add tension to the narrative.
Look out for that door
A warning to avoid an obstacle, which could be a real-life threat or a metaphorical one.
Don't open that door
Urging caution and restraint in the face of uncertainty and potential danger.
That's the way it goes
Accepting that life is full of surprises, both good and bad, and that we have to take the good with the bad.
Hey, everything is all right now
Ending on an upbeat note, as if to remind the listener that despite the chaos of the universe, everything will turn out okay in the end.
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