Hey Joe
Love (Arthur Lee & Love Band) Lyrics

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Hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand now
Well I said hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
Well I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man now
Well I said I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man
Well I'm gonna go downtown gonna buy me some blue steel 44's
And when I catch up to that woman she ain't gonna be runnin no more
All right
All right

Well I said hey Joe I heard you shot your woman dead
Well I said hey Joe I heard that you shot your woman dead
Well yes I did I shot tham just like I said now
Well you see I shot them just like I said
Well hey Joe tell me where are you gonna go
Well I said hey Joe now tell me where are you goin to go
Well I guess I'll go back to my favorite Mexico
Well I guess I'll go back to where I know a man can be free
Well there ain't goin to be no hangman putting no noose around my neck little child
Well I said there ain't goin be no hangman putting no noose around me
Well hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
Well I said hey

On all of the A's just put your finger off the be
Then put it back on then up a fret. You'll understand.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Love's "Hey Joe" describe a man named Joe who is in pursuit of his cheating woman with a large sum of money in his hand. He intends to buy guns to confront her and prevent her from running off again. The tone of the song is confrontational, as indicated by the repetition of the line "Well I said, " implying that the singer is certain of his course of action.

The second half of the song reveals that Joe has already killed his woman, and he is now considering escaping to Mexico. His reasoning is that he cannot afford to face punishment for his actions by the authorities. The repetition of the line "Well I said" is also present in this part of the song, suggesting that Joe is unrepentant for his actions, and he is determined to escape justice.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand now
Joe, where are you headed with all that money you're carrying?

Well I said hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
I asked Joe where he was going with that money.

Well I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man now
I'm chasing after my woman who's been cheating on me with someone else.

Well I said I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man
I told Joe I'm going after my cheating woman.

Well I'm gonna go downtown gonna buy me some blue steel 44's And when I catch up to that woman she ain't gonna be runnin no more All right All right
I'm planning to buy a gun and find my cheating woman to make sure she doesn't run away again.

Well I said hey Joe I heard you shot your woman dead
I asked Joe if I heard correctly that he killed his woman.

Well I said hey Joe I heard that you shot your woman dead
I asked Joe if the rumors were true that he murdered his woman.

Well yes I did I shot tham just like I said now
Yes, I did shoot her, exactly like I said I would.

Well you see I shot them just like I said
I followed through with my plan and killed my unfaithful lover.

Well hey Joe tell me where are you gonna go
Joe, where do you plan to go now?

Well I said hey Joe now tell me where are you goin to go
I asked Joe where he was going to go next.

Well I guess I'll go back to my favorite Mexico
I think I'll go back to my favorite place, which is Mexico.

Well I guess I'll go back to where I know a man can be free
I'll go to a place where I feel free to be myself.

Well there ain't goin to be no hangman putting no noose around my neck little child
I won't let anyone put me to death by hanging.

Well I said there ain't goin be no hangman putting no noose around me
I declared that I won't be executed by hanging.

Well hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
Joe, where are you taking all that money?

Well I said hey
I simply replied with 'hey'.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILLIAM ROBERTS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@reddwing4368

I gotta writhe in the snake pit
To properly feel it now
Can t beat this feeling
Though
It's starts so fast and ends so slow
Just letting ya know I ain t gonna be around no more
That sickly sweet venoms caught my soul
A flickering flame is burning inside my head
and it Ain t really hurting me at all
Driving the middle down
Dressed to kill
A pocket pistols beat friend
I m a going were a man can still be free
That's what Mexico
Means to me now
Up Copper Canyon to the grand Sierra Madre
Is where I m a supposed to die
That dreams so old
But I can finally accept it now
And somehow I am finally free of all that ever really burdened me
I can breathe all the fire out for the very first time
I m not here and not yet gone
Still it feels all wrong.to breathe I mean to still be alive today
When I can feel my demise over and over again
Guess it's just the way I gotta go
Well it's almost dark now
Black enough to kill
All I gotta do now is walk right threw that door
I shudder and take my first step into hell
Just like the dream always for told I shall

All comments from YouTube:

@MrSpankee02

4y↑27

I love this band. So underrated,yet an integral piece of the psychedelic sound.

@teethgrinder83

47w↑2

They were amazing weren't they-im 40 and although many of my friends were/are into the same kind of music (especially when discovering new (to us) music in school i was the only one who got into Love. Just awesome stuff

@crorivpro

3y↑17

The bass line in this version is incredible !

@trinidadapodaca7027

2y↑2

thats what im saying but these fools dont understand

@jg6698

@@trinidadapodaca7027 yeah, but you're an insider man. You KNOW 🥳🤣

@reddwing4368

Yeah
God sent

@PK-gi2qh

3y↑8

To me this is the best version ever! It has such a raw LA psych pace and sound. You can tell where punk rock got it's roots coming less than ten years after this song was recorded.

@01sapphireGTS

Cool version. This is my first exposure to the Love. The bass player is earning his $$ for sure.

@videomaniac108

11y↑32

The bass in this song kicks ass.

@raulduke6105

5y↑11

Classic band woefully underrated

@patrickgeorge1441

6y↑2

Oh Man! Where were these guys when I grew up in Richmond Cal 1953-1971? We barely heard their 7 and 7 Is, and there were very very few 45's to buy, I could not get one. This version of Hey Joe is unique using some different lyrics, like, "Hey Joe where you going with that MONEY in your hand". These guys should go to Warclaw Poland in the summertime for the annual "Hey Joe" congregation with 8,000 plus and growing folks playing the background while various singers sing the lyrics. It goes into the Guinnes Book of Records every year. Man, LOVE, they were so good!

@user-ii5qm4qt2j

11w

I wore out 2 copy of this album. Amazing, birthing album, by love.

@davidsandler6235

9y↑32

These guys played clubs in West Hollywood along with The Leaves and The Seeds. It feels like a thousand years ago.

@alanmerrill7673

8y↑65

This Love version was sung by Bryan Maclean, not Arthur Lee. Bryan was a quiet guy who never stepped up to take his bow. This is him singing.

@finylvinyl66

7y↑2

Sounds to me like Maclean and Lee are trading off the vocals.

@raddmann99

6y↑5

They aren't. Its all Maclean

@feliciaecheverria

4y↑7

Yes, absolutely all Bryan. I am proud to call Bryan, Maria, and Mama Lizzie my family. They took me in when I lost mine. Bryan was a very sweet, gentle, and gifted person. I miss him very much.

@feliciaecheverria

4y↑3

@Mark Simons Bryan and Maria was/are two of the most gifted artists. Bryan created some of the most beautiful worship music, true and pure. One day while Lizzy was living in Orange County, he played a song he titled, Hold Out For Radiant Day, it was a song filled with worship, praise, and hope for the listeners. I don't know if he recorded it. He truly loved the Lord. He is with him now.

@butterflymoon6368

@@feliciaecheverria was he in laurel canyon at the time? Did you meet the rest of the band?

2 More Replies...

@kevandalzell7906

8y↑25

The BEST version! Proto-punk as fuck!!!!!

@jrhunter007

8y↑2

Give me Hendrix's

@Suchapill

7y↑5

+Kevan Dalzell
LOVE Hendrx. Love has the best Hey Joe, though. It's got that 60s Stomp that won't stop! 😎

@zonalibrer3357

@@Suchapill Agreed!. The Hendrix version is more similar to the TIM ROSE version , with a slow funky tempo.

@xavierpattonson5545

46w

Yes...one of best...if only they'd called it "The Love."

@SimonYoungOFFICIAL

Fantastic record that inspired the Stranglers excellent first single 'go buddy, go buddy, go, buddy, go, buddy go, buddy, go go go.'

@richardbrown761

In 1965 we danced around a fire all night long on the Rim out side of Taos to Love's version of "hey Joe"-had a great time

@a1974h

9y↑27

The bass in the whole album is fucking great. It drives the songs like fuck.

@jg6698

You have an extremely limited vocabulary. You should have applied yourself more instead of hanging with the dopers.

@leftywright6458

8y↑22

"Hey Joe" was written by Billy Roberts, an obscure folk singer. Jim Pons was in The Leaves (later the Turtles)who recorded the first version of the song. This is my favorite version with the "lead bass." Awsome stuff. Mc Lean first heard it while roadying for The Byrds who also recorded it.

@1blastman

8y↑1

"lead bass" - how true, I've listened to many versions of this, including Buckwheat Zydeco's [RIP] and this version of the song has been my standard of excellence for almost 40 years.

@leftywright6458

8y↑3

Good taste!!! Love me some Love!

@renjay3743

7y↑3

Hey Joe was written by a number of people. But fundamentally it was Niela Miller who started the thing. She was Billy Roberts girlfriend at one time she wrote a song called "Baby please don't go to town". Check it out. Also Len Partridge who played with Billy Roberts during the mid 50's in Edinburgh's folk scene had some input too but fundamentally it evolved from Niela's song.

@koreypaul6698

Love was playing this live before the Leaves recorded it with the wrong lyrics given them by Love's guitarist, Johnny Echols..

@trinidadapodaca7027

turtles suck love play the best hey joe ever

@craigbutterfield592

5y↑2

My favorite version right here. Love Love

@sonjar1853

6y↑6

While in the car, and station surfing, I caught a drop of this song..but I had to hear more, I just knew hearing a few notes of it, this was special. Wow! So deceptively simple ( which is usually quite complex) it generates a “garage band”sound heat. And even though the tempo is fast, it still has a haunting quality to it, as does Hendrix’s slow tempoed version. Very hard to sit still when you hear it! I just wanna get up and dance! I just love this song!

@Speedracer78

4y↑1

That bass guitar line! Yes!

@fhb3

9y↑25

As much as I prefer Hendrix's version, this one is AMAZING! What a great track! This song... WOW!

@feliciaecheverria

4y↑1

Bryan MacClean introduced Hey Joe to Jimi Hendrix and suggested he record it.

@goat9629

@Cero Z deep purple one is the best

@tacey505

ohellzyeah early LOVE ay their best

@doomsdaymachine619

4y↑6

Glorious. Before Hendrix was The Leaves . This however is my favorite because the bass player is going off and it is so subtle to the common ear. And no,Hendrix was late 60's. And if you listen to Loves She comes in colours,you will see how bands like Smashmouth took from mid 60's California bands

@Cirkumvent

10y↑21

Love this version (pun intended)! OMFG that bass is just awesome! Haven't heard this in years...

@bellajessie6156

7y↑1

Truly the best version ever!

@kennyberry5171

First time I heard this, it was in a stack of 45s my brother's band was considering learning. But it was by the Leaves, and to me, a much better version of the song....which is usually the case.

@robulusx2

6y↑2

Bryan Maclean singing known for the softer tunes really rocks it hard here!!

@jeffmanley6222

6y↑4

I saw this group in 1965 (first acid trip) at BEATLEEATLES Hollywood

@happydayz7857

What was beatleeatles?

@712dal

5y↑14

Intro sounds like I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better by the Byrds

@dangracia7805

guitar lick on the Leaves version is almost identical to that lick and, to me, sounds better than the opening lick these guys play. It's a subtle difference. On the Byrds song they are playing on an open A and the part you hear change in the chord is the 3rd. It starts out as a C# then drops to the open B back to the C# then up to D , back to C#, B, C#. The strum pattern is almost the same and neither Love nor the Leaves go up to the D note like the Byrds do. But yeah, it sounds a LOT like Feel a Whole Lot Better by the Byrds, which predates these recordings.
Sorry to say, I'd never heard the Love version of this song. Back when they came out I lived in California and the Leaves version was a big hit, later followed by the Hendrix version. Our "top 40" station never played the Love version of it.

@antonfjordson

4y↑2

@@dangracia7805 literally a month apart, love were the byrds roadies and didn't have the luxury of studio musicians to play their songs for them. all these bands were racing to take club street culture all the way.

@trfesok

The Byrds also recorded a chaotic version, at the insistence of David Crosby, who did the lead vocal. He regretted it later. But I do like it anyway, because Roger McGuinn's guitar and the drum are all over the place!

@user-vz1rc1rb5o

5y↑3

Hated it at first, 4 listnen's later, I hear that bass , and I realized..... WOW!!!!! .....now, I dig it!!!!!! Love it!!!

@kevinmiller1068

7y↑6

Hey Joe. Classic, and done perfectly for what it actually is saying. It's rough and harsh just like the story. Hendrix did it well, but this is exactly how it should be sung and played!!

@sonjar1853

It’ delicious!

@spittindatruthaboutrecords9421

great version!!! its great to see a different vision of this famous song ,, Hendrix version was great and so was Love's, whether its neila miller, billy roberts or whoever wrote the song , it is No question a rock classic,, and i enjoy every artists take on it.....

@BarryCoidan

6y↑3

Best version

@hayden37

Thanks for doing this!! Amazing…wow

@tariksba

5y↑1

perfect job from the bass player .

@15chipshops

4y↑1

My favourite version!, although i also love version's by "The Shadows of Night", "The Golden Cups" and "Wilson Pickett".

@garethjenkins6273

Shadows of Knight version my favourite. I do love the Golden Cups version as well. A punk/psychedelic stormer by the Japanese Group Sounds band.

@scottdavis3571

I love the groovy base underlining the song.

@thevomiteers2357

8y↑8

The Byrds did a fine version of this Classic as well...

@bateriadepetaluma

6y↑4

This might not have made the charts in some parts of the country but it was a radio hit in the SF Bay Area, 'cause we're smarter here. Many covers of this song recorded, but this is the best one.

@davidsandler6235

6y↑1

Loved these guys. Leaves did this tune first, or about the same time as Love. I think they played spots on Sunset Blvd.

@nycarl

6y↑2

The music's just like "MY FLASH ON YOU" on the same album.

@amexjam55

10y

I like this a lot. thanks for posting.

@gheghiskong

A great version first ive heard of it.thumbs up

@danieldugan6072

8y↑4

Of course Jimi owns this but the great unsung guitar player Roy Buchanan is spot on performing his live version of "Hey Joe".

@CreamFreshCream

7y↑1

Roy Buchanan's version is better and he sung it too!

@jameshafner1442

21w

RIP Roy.

@Farrah300

I have to say that my favorite versions are the original version by The Leaves, and of course the Jimi Hendrix Experience did a kick-butt version. I respect this version though.

@joegongora2200

6y↑2

This is a great cover version eventhough it's a fast moving song. I'm familiar with Jimi Hendrix's version & they're both cool songs. I also understand that this group has a unique sound & many cool songs.

@ladylakemusic5958

Just beyond ☮💛💜✨

@garethjenkins6273

I love this version. But for me, the ultimate version of Hey Joe is by the Shadows of Knight.

@michaelsheridan2748

8y↑5

I'll take Jimi's version over this anytime, but this does have certain punk flair!

@Drumcam

10y↑4

Apparently, "The Leaves" recorded it first... and "Love" seems to have done their own cover of "The Leaves'" version.

@alanmerrill7673

+Drumcam
The first version Hendrix heard was the Leaves' version.

@marcusteblano6376

Hendrix' version sounds like the Billy Roberts arrangement found on YouTube with an early 60's photo. Some have said that Roberts recorded that after Hendrix and copied him, not vice versa, which makes sense since Hendrix is not likely to have copied anybody. Bryan MacLean of Love heard it when the Byrds were performing it and Love started performing it. The Leaves, using the Love/Byrds arrangement recorded it before Love or the Byrds. That's what I pieced together.

@raddmann336

Love was doing Hey Joe during concerts way before the Seeds did it. The Byrds did it live before them too.

@glennmorris3370

4y↑1

Close to the Leaves version

@prudenceappleby5111

Fucking brilliant version👍

@sonjar1853

6y↑1

The intro sounds similar to me to The Searchers, Needles and Pins.

@suzannehankins380

9y↑3

Hey Joe was written by Jim Pons, bass player for The. Leaves. He was one of the best bass players around.

@gtrjay55

Billy Roberts wrote the tunr. This song has quite a history before Love recorded it.🙏🎵😷🎶☕❗👀

@headboy

6y↑4

You gotta put aside Jimi's great version if you can and enjoy this... it's great too :-)

@mikefelix6338

That’s hard to do - but after hearing this for the first time I recognize the main riff as something Jimi threw into a lot of his live solos. He was the King of guitar riff allusions.

@reddwing4368

@Justen1980

This sounds a lot like the "Leaves" version, which came out before the Jimi Hendrix version.. I'm curious if this is the typical British Rocker version before Hendrix came to perform it.

@VirreFriberg

1y↑1

All bands prior to the Hendrix version in December 1966 used the Leaves arrangement of the song. Love, the Standells and the Byrds all recorded it with this arrangement. Funnily, once Hendrix version came out every version of the song used his arrangement rather than the Leaves version.

@jsamc8420

9y↑1

David Crosby @ Monterey

@brittoverbaugh4035

6y↑7

BRYAN MACLEAN SINGS HERE!!!! Not Arthur Lee....

@Mattmattmovies

Guys, please listen to She's got medals by David Bowie, it sounds the same!

@milanlettrich3010

Hi,personel?bol člen kapely Charles Manson?NTX

@ardentartisticstonemasonry4756

✌🙂♥️🇺🇲🎗

@cumomsandcureloms

Sounds a lot like the Byrds' version. The singer even sounds like David Crosby.

@Shoegazings

Honestly, the best version was from Dukes of Hamburg (with former Mummies dude)

@marlaflores3190

OK , The bass player is better than the Leaves guy - picking notes pitsacado, but Leaves guy is running his bass thru the old fuzz box or just in 'the red ' volume level. Plus those 5 high notes in the intro
! And those guys screaming almost off key?! I Luv the Love but credit the Leaves ! Marla

@tonyblack3957

i listen to this , and i wanna take the fucking local council out, hope m.i5 ain't taking note of this shit

@linkinparkrulz2275

7y↑2

Love is one of my favorite bands, but Jimi Hendrix's version still blows this out of the water

@AmericanIsraeliJew

9y↑3

Because Hendrix had that drug essence to his music the Hippies went ape shit over him and yes I did too. But I like this version of Hey Joe by Love better. I think now post 9/11 Hendrix isn't as popular as he was before. Also I'm a US Marine Veteran. I always had a like for Hendrix because I had heard he broke his leg on a jump while on active and used his disability money to tour after his discharge and become famous but here is a quote from wiki "Hendrix later spoke of his dislike of the army and falsely stated that he had received a medical discharge after breaking his ankle during his 26th parachute jump." Here is another quote from wiki, "On June 29, 1962, Captain Gilbert Batchman granted Hendrix an honorable discharge on the basis of unsuitability. " You have to admit though Hendrix was able to make many new sounds on the his Stratocaster and his SG and was one hell of a guitar player. But I still like Love's version of Hey Joe better than Hendrix's version because love's version seemed less depressive.

@headlessspaceman5681

8y↑2

+AmericanIsraeliJew The world needs more a few more people courageous enough to refuse military service, in favor of enlightenment via art, music, consciousness expansion. Like Hendrix said, wars will end when the power of love overwhelms the love of power. Hendrix's anti-war sentiments were among his most passionate, eg. the song Machine Gun, his apocalyptic rendition of the national anthem, etc. Thank goodness he did not make a good soldier. That is something anyone should brag about. "Sorry, I'm just bad at killing complete strangers on command."

@chrishenniker5944

8y↑1

He was discharged from army by mutual agreement?

@AmericanIsraeliJew

Chris Henniker Read his wiki and decide for yourself.

@kurtstine2509

oorah Marine! Thank you for your time served in the USMC.
Army here. I like LOVE's version best as well. Upbeat and imo better depicts the mood of someone questioning JOE. In Jimi's version (which i do like) it's too laid back, and doesn't give me that sense of urgency?

Peace Out.

@xblood1978

Thats pure disrespectful you loser ....Jimis dead and cant exactly fight his corner CAN HE EH?

@paulfisher3596

2y↑1

This is ok, but I much prefer the slow original by Billy Roberts and the fast version by the Leaves.

@oldermuscleguy

Totally agree on the Leaves version of Hey Joe

@Mraudio714

10y

LOVE ARE/WERE THE BEST CORRECT..............BUT I DONT THINK ARTHUR LEE SANG HEY JOE-~~IT JUST DOES NOT SOUND LIKE HIM--~~???

@alanmerrill7673

8y↑3

+Mraudio714 Their guitarist Bryan Maclean sang the Love version.

@Del_o1

Acho essa melhor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCZNFPaz1iw

@gnashvillecat6654

I dont get these guys at all. It sounds like everybody in the band hated each other and were playing different styles of music at the same time and nobody gave a damn cause they were stoned on something.