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.
Twist and Shout
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)
Well, work it on out, honey. (work it on out)
You know you look so good. (look so good)
You know you got me goin', now, (got me goin')
Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it all out. (work it all out, oh!)
You know you're a twisty little girl, (twist little girl)
You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you're mine. (let me know you're mine oooh)
Ah(root) Ah(third) Ah(fifth) Ah(seventh) Ah Ah Woah, Yeah
Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out, wu!)
You know you're a twisty little girl, (twist little girl)
You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you're mine. (let me know you're mine, wu!)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Ah(low) Ah(higher) Ah(higher) Ah!(high)
The lyrics of Jimi Hendrix's "Twist and Shout" are simple but infectious, capturing the energy and excitement of a lively dance party. The song encourages the listener to shake it up and twist and shout, inviting them to let loose and enjoy themselves on the dance floor.
The repetition of phrases like "shake it up" and "twist and shout" emphasizes the physicality of the dance, encouraging the listener to let go of inhibitions and embrace the joy of movement. The song's repetitive nature also builds an energetic momentum, reflecting the contagious atmosphere of a dance party.
Hendrix's soulful delivery and ad-libs add a touch of his unique musical style to the song. His guitar playing, although not present in the original Beatles version, is iconic in its own right. The occasional grunts and vocalizations interspersed throughout the song demonstrate his passionate and fiery approach to music.
Overall, "Twist and Shout" can be seen as a celebration of the joy and liberation that can be found in dancing and letting loose, capturing the universal desire to express oneself through movement and music.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, shake it up, baby, now
Come on, let's add some excitement and energy to the situation
Twist and shout
Express your joy and enthusiasm through dance and celebration
C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now
Don't hesitate, join me and let's have some fun right now
Come on and work it on out
Let's release our tension and worries by moving and dancing
You know you look so good
I can't help but admire your appearance and attractiveness
You know you got me goin', now
You have ignited my passion and desire
Just like I knew you would
You are fulfilling my expectations and proving yourself
Well, work it on out, honey
Continue to let go of your inhibitions and express yourself freely
You know you look so good
Your physical appearance is truly appealing and captivating
You know you got me goin', now
You have energized and excited me
Just like I knew you would, oh!
You are acting exactly as I anticipated, and it excites me even more
You know you're a twisty little girl
You possess a charming and captivating nature
You know you twist so fine
Your dance moves are incredibly impressive and alluring
Come on and twist a little closer, now
Let's get physically closer and intensify our connection
And let me know that you're mine
Reassure me that your heart belongs to me
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Woah, Yeah
Expressing intense emotions and excitement through vocalizations
Well, shake it up, baby, now
Let's bring some more energy and enthusiasm into the mix
Twist and shout
Continue celebrating and expressing joy through dancing
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now
Don't hesitate, join me and let's keep the excitement going
Come on and work it all out
Let's release all our stress and worries through movement and dance
You know you're a twisty little girl
Your playful and alluring nature is undeniable
You know you twist so fine
Your dance style is truly impressive and captivating
Come on and twist a little closer, now
Let's physically move closer and deepen our connection
And let me know that you're mine, wu!
Assure me that I hold a special place in your heart
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now
Add even more excitement and intensity to your dance moves
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now
Continue shaking and moving your body with vigor
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now
Maintain the energy and enthusiasm in your dance
Ah Ah Ah Ah!
Expressing intense emotions and excitement through vocalizations
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bert Russell, Phil Medley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theethnicist5678
I've said it over and again!!
Jimi Hendrix improv & phrasing yet, 2day CANNOT BE MATCHED NOR TAUGHT!!
One can go to all the music schools available. Graduate with all accolades
Yet, NEVER BE ABLE TO ADD THE FEEL/VIBE AND SOUL JIMI EXPRESSED THRU HIS FINGERS ON HIS 🎸
You can imitate/copy but i've yet to find any guitarist 🎸 that can command the elements of phrasing and SOULFUL improvisations as Jimi Hendrix could
I've been playing 🎸 for over 25 yrs. I'm STILL TRYING to get my improv and phrase game where Jimi's was STILL IS.
It's obviously a gift and talent from on high.
@jamminjoe44
Playing rhythm, and lead at the same time. There is no mistaking Jimi Hendrix!!
@sholland42
Any guitarist worth his salt can do it, just not like Jimi, everyone has their own style.
@jono1457-qd9ft
He loved Steve Cropper's playing. They had similar influences.
@jokkergar
Thats a begginer achievement
@dennisscott1610
YES,YES,YES
@shivabreathes
Hell yeah! Hendrix 🙏
@pbasswil
I love hearing him without overdrive or fuzz – just the clear notes.
@TreeLibrary
He's definitely got a little bit of overdrive on this, no? Can hear it when he really drives the strings, like at 0:12 (sounds a bit like "Crosstown Traffic" there). But I see your point.
@damianmonzillo6058
My dad opened up for the Isley’s when Jimi Hendrix was their side man!!
@jellydoonuts
what band was your father in ?