Voodoo Chile
Jimmy Hendrix Lyrics
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Lord I'm a voodoo chile
Well, the night I was born
Lord, I swear the moon turned a fire red
The night I was born
I swear the moon turned a fire red
Well my poor mother cried out, "Lord, the gypsy was right"
Have mercy
Well, mountain lions found me there waitin'
And set me on a eagles back
Well, mountain lions found me there
And set me on a eagles wing
It's the eagles wing, baby, what did I say?
He took me past to the outskirts of infinity
And when he brought me back, he gave me a Venus witch's ring
Hey
And he said, "Fly on, fly on"
Because I'm a voodoo chile, baby, voodoo chile, hey
Yeah
Well, I make love to you
And Lord knows you'll feel no pain, yeah
Say I make love to you in your sleep
And Lord knows you felt no pain, have mercy
'Cause I'm a million miles away
And at the same time I'm right here in your picture frame
Yeah, what did I say now?
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, yeah
Yeah, but I say now yeah
Well my arrows are made of desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulfur mines
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulfur mines
Way down by the Methane Sea, yeah
I have a humming bird and it hums so loud
You think you were losing your mind, hmm
Turn that down, turn that down
Well, I float in liquid gardens
And Arizona new red sand
Yeah
I float in liquid gardens
Way down in Arizona red sand
Well, I taste the honey from a flower named Blue
Way down in California and the New York drowns as we hold hands, yeah
Hey, 'cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, yeah
(Yeah c'mon baby)
Yo, that was outta sight man, that was really outta sight
I can't make it
I think about that time, c'mon yo
Hey, there's no more drinks man?
(Aww, the bar's closed?)
The lyrics to Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" are full of poetic imagery and metaphors, making them open to many interpretations. On one level, the song is about the power of music, specifically the blues, to transcend mortality and earthly concerns. On another level, the lyrics can be seen as a metaphor for Hendrix's own experience as an African American artist trying to navigate the music industry and society at large.
The opening lines of the song suggest that Jimi Hendrix sees himself as some sort of supernatural being, a voodoo chile. The story he tells is one of a difficult birth, with the moon turning red as a sign. The imagery of the mountain lions and eagles that save him is almost mythological, as is the ring given to him by the Venus witch. Hendrix's assertion that he can make love to someone without them feeling pain seems to suggest that he has a special power or charisma that sets him apart from other men. The final verses about arrows made of desire and liquid gardens add to the fantastical, dreamlike quality of the song.
There are many different interpretations of "Voodoo Chile," but one thing is certain - it is a powerful and unusual piece of music that showcases Hendrix's amazing guitar playing and poetic songwriting. Despite its length and wandering structure, the song remains a beloved classic of psychedelic rock.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm a voodoo chile
Lord I'm a voodoo chile
I have a powerful and magical presence, I am a voodoo chile
Well, the night I was born
Lord, I swear the moon turned a fire red
The night I was born
I swear the moon turned a fire red
Well my poor mother cried out, "Lord, the gypsy was right"
And I seen her fell down right dead
Have mercy
My birth was engulfed in supernatural phenomena with the moon turning red and my mother dying upon realizing the prophecy made by a gypsy was accurate.
Well, mountain lions found me there waitin'
And set me on a eagles back
Well, mountain lions found me there
And set me on a eagles wing
It's the eagles wing, baby, what did I say?
He took me past to the outskirts of infinity
And when he brought me back, he gave me a Venus witch's ring
Hey
And he said, "Fly on, fly on"
Because I'm a voodoo chile, baby, voodoo chile, hey
I was found and elevated by mountain lions and eagles, transported into an infinite world and gifted a witch's ring by Venus. The eagles instructed me to continue to fly and explore as I was a voodoo chile.
Yeah
Well, I make love to you
And Lord knows you'll feel no pain, yeah
Say I make love to you in your sleep
And Lord knows you felt no pain, have mercy
'Cause I'm a million miles away
And at the same time I'm right here in your picture frame
Yeah, what did I say now?
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, yeah
I can make love to you without causing any pain, even from a million miles away, and remain present in your life through a picture frame because I am a voodoo chile.
Yeah, but I say now yeah
Well my arrows are made of desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulfur mines
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulfur mines
Way down by the Methane Sea, yeah
I have a humming bird and it hums so loud
You think you were losing your mind, hmm
Turn that down, turn that down
My arrows are driven by strong desires that originate from afar like Jupiter's sulfur mines. In the unique location of the Methane Sea, my hummingbird is so loud that it can make one go insane.
Well, I float in liquid gardens
And Arizona new red sand
Yeah
I float in liquid gardens
Way down in Arizona red sand
Well, I taste the honey from a flower named Blue
Way down in California and the New York drowns as we hold hands, yeah
Hey, 'cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, yeah
I enjoy the wonders of liquid gardens and Arizona's red sand. I taste the honey of a specifically named flower and am able to be in two places at once, as we hold hands and both California and New York are present. This lavish lifestyle is due to my voodoo chile powers.
(Yeah c'mon baby)
Yo, that was outta sight man, that was really outta sight
I can't make it
I think about that time, c'mon yo
Hey, there's no more drinks man?
(Aww, the bar's closed?)
This line is not part of the song but rather spoken by an unrelated speaker who couldn't make it and is disappointed the bar is closed while expressing appreciation for the song.
Contributed by Gianna H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.