Hendrix claimed this was inspired by a dream where he was walking under the sea. In the dream, he said a purple haze surrounded him, engulfed him and got him lost. It was a traumatic experience, but in his dream his faith in Jesus saved him.
Hendrix claimed this had nothing to do with drugs; instead it could refer to some themes in Sci-Fi comics he was fond of about purple rays. However the lyrics seem to vividly portray an acid trip, and Hendrix was doing plenty of drugs at the time.
The single peaked at number three in the UK but only number 65 in the US, where it was released on June 19, a month after the UK LP “Are You Experienced” and three months after the UK single. In March 2005, Q magazine ranked “Purple Haze” at number one in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. The Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at No. 17 in their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Purple Haze
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lately things they don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
Excuse me while I kiss the sky
Purple haze, all around
Don't know if I'm comin' up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Help me
Help me
Oh, no, no
Ooh, ah
Ooh, ah
Ooh, ah
Ooh, ah, yeah!
Purple haze all in my eyes
Don't know if it's day or night
You got me blowin', blowin' my mind
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?
Ooh
Help me
Ahh, yeah, yeah, purple haze
Oh, no, oh
Oh, help me
Tell me, tell me, purple haze
I can't go on like this
(Purple haze) you're makin' me blow my mind
Purple haze, n-no, no
(Purple haze)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience's song "Purple Haze" is known for its iconic guitar riff and psychedelic lyrics. The song is all about feeling disoriented and unsure, with the singer questioning their own sanity and reality. The lyrics speak to the confusion and trippy sensations that come with drug use, specifically LSD.
The opening line, "Purple haze, all in my brain," refers to the hallucinogenic effects of LSD, which can distort a person's perception of reality and cause vivid, often colorful hallucinations. The second line, "Lately things they don't seem the same," further emphasizes this theme of disorientation and confusion. The singer is experiencing strange sensations and a loss of control, yet they don't know why.
The line, "Excuse me while I kiss the sky," is often interpreted as a reference to getting high. But it could also mean that the singer is trying to connect with something beyond themselves, reaching for a higher power or a greater sense of clarity. Whatever the case may be, the song is a perfect representation of the psychedelic era, with its swirling guitar solos and dreamlike lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Purple haze, all in my brain
The singer feels a disorienting fog in their consciousness.
Lately things they don't seem the same
The singer is experiencing a significant change in their life recently.
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
The singer is behaving strangely, but can't pinpoint the cause.
Excuse me while I kiss the sky
The artist feels like they are transcending beyond their consciousness.
Purple haze, all around
The disorienting fog extends beyond the artist's consciousness into their environment.
Don't know if I'm comin' up or down
The singer is unsure if they are ascending or descending in their journey.
Am I happy or in misery?
The singer is unsure if the changes they are undergoing are good or bad.
What ever it is, that girl put a spell on me
The artist believes that a woman is the cause of their bewilderment.
Help me
The artist requests aid in navigating their journey.
Ooh, ah
An expression of the artist's intense emotions.
Ooh, ah
Continuation of the singer's expression of intense emotions.
Ooh, ah
Continuation of the artist's expression of intense emotions.
Ooh, ah, yeah!
Exclamation of the singer's intense emotions.
Purple haze all in my eyes
The singer's vision is obscured by the disorienting fog.
Don't know if it's day or night
The singer's sense of time is distorted by the fog.
You got me blowin', blowin' my mind
The woman who the artist believes is causing their confusion is having a significant emotional impact on them.
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?
The artist is unsure if there is a future beyond their current state of mind.
Ahh, yeah, yeah, purple haze
The singer expresses their confusion and disorientation.
Oh, no, oh
The singer expresses distress and uncertainty.
Tell me, tell me, purple haze
The artist pleads for an explanation for their confusion.
I can't go on like this
The artist is struggling to continue through their current state of mind.
(Purple haze) you're makin' me blow my mind
The artist believes that the purple haze is causing them to lose control of their thoughts.
Purple haze, n-no, no
The singer continues to express their displeasure with the state of mind they are experiencing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jimi Hendrix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@harrystanford1114
Fun fact : if Jimi Hendrix is not your favourite guitarist, he is your favourite guitarist's favourite guitarist.
@sexypigeonlover4631
this is true. mine is george harrison
Edit: Spelling corrected
@emrekarsidag188
Yeah, jimmy page
@harrystanford1114
@@emrekarsidag188 he is my favourite too 🔥
@emrekarsidag188
@@harrystanford1114 finally, a fellow
@Foxikaze
I like Kurt Cobain and Jimi. Two of my inspirations
@AidenProjects
50 years since Jimi passed but he is still gaining new fans everyday
@Victor-mu8rf
Literally today was my first day listening to him lmao
@graciebergheger7129
My baby cousin Hendrix was born today (he’s named after Jimi) crazy how the circle of life works
@flushwrite
He didn't pass away. Aliens dropped him off said show them how it's done and took him back after that