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.
Still Raining Still Dreaming
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Lyrics
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Ain't no use in gettin' uptight
Just let it groove its own way
Let it drain your worries away yeah
Lay back and groove on a rainy day hey
Lay back and dream on a rainy day
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back and dream on a rainy day
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back and dream on a rainy day
Lay back and, lay back, lay back, lay back and groove
Ooh
Aah
Still rainin' still dreamin'
The Jimi Hendrix Experience's song Still Raining Still Dreaming starts with the singer narrating about a rainy day where it has been raining all day long. The lyrics imply that there's no need to be anxious or worked up about the rain as it will pass and going with the flow will help to relieve stress. The song encourages one to relax and allow the rain to wash their worries away. The chorus repeats the words, "Lay back and groove on a rainy day," emphasizing the need to take it easy and enjoy the moment. The lyrics of the song suggest that it is not only essential to go with the flow during hard times but also to find happiness amidst these times.
The second half of the song's lyrics bring out the theme of dreaming. Hendrix calls out, "Still raining, still dreaming" to express that even when one faces a stormy time personally, they can still dream about a better future. The song repeatedly emphasizes the need to lay back and groove, meaning that even when life is tough, it's essential to take a break, relax and enjoy the ride. The lyrics offer a powerful message that one can still dream during challenging times and that relaxation can bring renewed energy to keep moving forward. The rain in the song represents the trials of life, and the message is about confronting them and taking things in stride.
Line by Line Meaning
Rainy day, rain all day
It's a rainy day, and it has been raining all day long.
Ain't no use in gettin' uptight
It's useless to get anxious or upset about the rain.
Just let it groove its own way
Just let the rain fall and flow as it wants to naturally.
Let it drain your worries away yeah
Allow the rain to help you let go of your worries and stress.
Lay back and groove on a rainy day hey
Take it easy and enjoy the chill vibe of a rainy day.
Lay back and dream on a rainy day
Relax and let your mind wander and dream while listening to the rain.
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Take it easy and enjoy the vibe of a rainy day.
Lay back
Just relax and take it easy.
Oh yeah
Expressing agreement with the idea of taking it easy on a rainy day.
Still rainin' still dreamin'
It's still raining outside, but we can still dream and relax inside.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMI HENDRIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind