Hendrix arrived in England in October 1966, and auditions were launched to find him a backing band. Noel Redding was chosen for the bass spot. Even though he had never played bass before auditioning (he was a guitarist), Hendrix liked his look and attitude. Mitch Mitchell was a seasoned London drummer who brought jazz chops and a lead style of playing to the table. He would prove to be Hendrix's most valuable musical partner.
Though initially conceived as Hendrix's backing band, The Experience soon became much more than that. Along with Cream, they were the first group to popularize the "power trio" format, which essentially strips a rock band lineup down to the essentials: bass, guitar and drums. This smaller format also encourages more extrovert playing from the players involved, often at very high volumes. In the case of The Experience, Hendrix mixed lead and rhythm guitar duties into one, while also making use of then-revolutionary guitar effects such as feedback and wah-wah.
Mitchell played hard-hitting jazz-influenced grooves that often served a melodic role as much as they did timekeeping. Redding was the eye of the storm, playing deceptively simple bass lines that helped to anchor the band's sound. Visually, they decked themselves out in matching psychedelic costumes and permed afros.
The lineup first came to prominence during the Monterey Pop Festival, one of the first major music festivals. The band delivered a stellar performance, that ended with Hendrix famously setting his guitar on fire. The moment was immortalized in a photograph which was used as a cover of Rolling Stone[1] magazine. The appearance was also filmed and put into the documentary film Monterey Pop. This brought them to the attention of North American audiences. They were then asked to go on tour with The Monkees as the opening act. They abruptly left the tour after only a few dates. It was later revealed by Chas Chandler as being a publicity stunt.
With the band, Hendrix recorded his three most successful albums, Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland. In June of 1969, he decided to break up the group. Deteriorating relations with Redding had come to a head, and he also felt stilted by the trio format. He used a larger band lineup for his Woodstock concert in August 1969.
Hendrix would revert back to the trio format with Buddy Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass and called themselves the Band of Gypsys. A live self-titled album was released in March 1970. This line up only lasted a couple of months. From early 1970 they were back to the original The Jimi Hendrix Experience, except Noel Redding was replaced by Billy Cox on bass.
This line up continued until Jimi Hendrix died in London, England from a drug overdose on the 18th September 1970.
Long Hot Summer Night
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long, long hot summer night
As far as my eyes could see
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Well my heart was way down
Cold cold winter stone
Well my darlin' where can you be
Where can you be baby
There were three sugar walls
And two candy cane windows
But the silliest move melted all those inside
Well everybody's on fire, but its
A snowin' in a cold blizzard
Where are you in this a hot cold summer?
Where are you in this a hot cold summer?
Where are you in this a hot cold summer?
God, god, god
Around about this time the telephone
Blew its horn across the room
Scared little Annie
Clean out of her mind
Out of her mind
Roman the Candle he peeps out of his peekaboo hide and seek
And grabbed little Annie from the ceiling just in time
And the telephone keeps on screamin'
Yeah yeah yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Hello said my shakey voice, well how you doin'
I start to stutter
ah can't cha tell I'm ah doin' fine
There was my baby talkin' she's way down 'cross the border.
She says I'm gonna hurry to ya I've been a fool
And I'm tired of cryin'
Said I'm tired of cryin'
Yeah a long long long hot summer night
As far as my eyes could see
But I can ah feel the heat comin' on as my baby's gettin' closer
I'm so glad that my baby's comin' to rescue me
So glad that my baby's comin' to rescue me
So glad my baby's comin' to rescue me
Rescue, rescue, rescue
Rescue, rescue
Rescue, rescue, What'd I say
Rescue me, rescue me
Rescue, rescue me, rescue me
Rescue
The lyrics to The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Long Hot Summer Night are highly metaphorical and have multiple interpretations. The opening lines of the song paint a picture of a never-ending summer night with no relief from the heat, possibly symbolic of a feeling of being stuck in a tough situation that seems to have no end. Jimi Hendrix's mention of his heart being like a cold winter stone highlights his loneliness and desperation. He keeps asking his lover where she is, indicating his deep longing and desperation to find her.
The second stanza of the song is more surreal and challenging to interpret. Hendrix talks about three sugar walls and two candy cane windows, possibly symbolic of temporary pleasures or something that is visually attractive but lacks substance. The lines that follow suggest that despite everyone being "on fire," they are all burning out in a cold blizzard. This could refer to the feeling of being passionate and alive, but not being able to get past the cold, harsh reality of the world.
Later in the song, we hear about the singer's lover being way down across the border. She is eager to hurry to him, and he is glad that she is coming to rescue him. It is unclear what exactly she is rescuing him from, but it could be interpreted as rescuing him from his loneliness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Show us a long
The beginning of a request to witness a hot summer night.
Long, long hot summer night
Highlighting the oppressive and unyielding nature of the heat of the night.
As far as my eyes could see
The vastness of the summer night with no reprieve from the heat and solitude.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
An exclamation of approval and confirmation of the previous statements.
Well my heart was way down
A statement indicating a feeling of emptiness or loneliness.
Cold cold winter stone
Illustrating the coldness and hardness of the singer's heart in the absence of their loved one.
Well my darlin' where can you be
A plea or question to one's lover as to their location and absence.
Where can you be baby
A repeated, desperate inquiry or demand for the whereabouts of the artist's lover.
There were three sugar walls
A description of the surroundings or environment that may be sweet, but not enough to ease the pain of absence.
And two candy cane windows
Further describing that though the environment may be aesthetically pleasing, it cannot replace the feeling of being with a loved one.
But the silliest move melted all those inside
A statement indicating that even the sweetest surroundings are made insincere and insubstantial by the absence of one's loved one.
Well everybody's on fire, but its
A statement indicating that everyone is feeling the heat or excitement of summer but the artist is still feeling the coldness of their solitude.
A snowin' in a cold blizzard
A hyperbolic statement indicating that the singer is drowning in their emotions or feeling overwhelmed by their loneliness.
Where are you in this a hot cold summer?
A repeated rhetorical question aimed at the absent lover to emphasize their absence.
God, god, god
An exclamation of heightened emotion, such as frustration or desperation.
Around about this time the telephone
A shift in the narrative to describe a phone call or interruption.
Blew its horn across the room
An illustration of the phone ringing loudly and obtrusively.
Scared little Annie
A description of how the phone call frightened or startled the character of Annie.
Clean out of her mind
A hyperbolic statement indicating that Annie was perhaps overcome with emotion or temporarily insane.
Roman the Candle he peeps out of his peekaboo hide and seek
An absurd, surreal image of a person named Roman the Candle who is playing a game of hide and seek.
And grabbed little Annie from the ceiling just in time
An irrational or unbelievable plot point where Roman the Candle saves Annie from danger.
And the telephone keeps on screamin'
A reminder that the phone is still ringing and perhaps adding to the chaos.
Hello said my shakey voice, well how you doin'
The singer answering the phone with a hesitant voice and typical greeting.
I start to stutter
A description of the artist's nervousness or agitation in response to the phone call.
ah can't cha tell I'm ah doin' fine
The singer's attempt to sound calm and assured, but their stuttering betrays their true feelings.
There was my baby talkin' she's way down 'cross the border.
The revelation that the phone call was from the singer's lover, who is far away from them and their absence is not easily remedied.
She says I'm gonna hurry to ya I've been a fool
The singer's lover expresses regret and a desire for reconnection or reunion.
And I'm tired of cryin'
Further indication of the lover's hardship in being distant from the artist, and their desire to be reunited with them.
Yeah a long long long hot summer night
A reminder that the oppressive heat of summer is still present and possibly even intensified for the artist due to the absence of their lover.
But I can ah feel the heat comin' on as my baby's gettin' closer
The anticipation of being reunited with the lover and the excitement that comes with it.
I'm so glad that my baby's comin' to rescue me
A statement indicating how much the singer longs for their lover and how much they feel empowered or saved by their presence.
So glad that my baby's comin' to rescue me
A repeated statement emphasizing the relief and joy that the artist feels in anticipation of being united with their lover.
Rescue, rescue, rescue
An exclamation of the need for a savior or for help in dealing with the situation.
Rescue, rescue
Repeating the aforementioned sentiment.
Rescue, rescue, What'd I say
A playful or emphatic restatement of the previous sentiment.
Rescue me, rescue me
A direct plea for help and rescue from the artist's lover.
Rescue, rescue me, rescue me
Repeating the plea for extra emphasis and urgency.
Rescue
A final statement of the need for rescue and help in dealing with the situation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMI HENDRIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind