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.
Voodoo Chile
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
(Its' 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, yeah
Voodoo chile
Hey!
Well, I make love to you
And Lord knows you'll feel no pain
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!)
Well, my arrows are made of desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur mines
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur 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
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 in New York drowns as we hold hands
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile
Yeah
The Jimi Hendrix Experience's song Voodoo Chile is a psychedelic blues rock classic that is known for its iconic guitar riff and Jimi Hendrix's signature guitar style. The lyrics are a combination of Hendrix's own experiences and his vivid imagination to create a mystical journey through his own life, filled with symbolism and mystery. The song begins with Hendrix declaring himself as a voodoo chile, a term that is thought to refer to someone who has a natural gift for music, as well as someone who is mystical and spiritual. The first verse describes the night that he was born, a night that was so intense that the moon turned fire red. He believes that his birth was predicted by a gypsy and that his mother died the moment he was born. In the second verse, he talks about how mountain lions found him and set him on an eagle's back, taking him to the outskirts of infinity. He is given a Venus witch's ring and told to "fly on, fly on" because he is a voodoo chile.
The third verse is more sexually charged, with Hendrix claiming that he can make love to someone without them feeling any pain. He is also a million miles away and at the same time, right in their picture frame. He repeats that he is a voodoo chile, and the fourth verse is even more abstract, with him describing his arrows as made of desire that come from Jupiter's sulphur mines. He talks about a hummingbird that hums so loudly that people think they're losing their minds, and then he floats in liquid gardens and the red sands of Arizona. The song ends with Hendrix saying that he tastes the honey from a flower named Blue in California and then drowns in New York as he holds hands with someone. Overall, Voodoo Chile is a song that is open to interpretation, with Hendrix using vivid imagery and symbolism to create a mystical journey through his own life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm a voodoo chile
I am a person who practices voodoo magic
Lord, I'm a voodoo chile
I am a person who practices voodoo magic and seeks the guidance of a higher power
Well, the night I was born
On the night I was born
Lord, I swear the moon turned a fire red
I vividly remember the moon appearing bright red on the night I was born
The night I was born
On the night I was born
I swear the moon turned a fire red
I vividly remember the moon appearing bright red on the night I was born
Well, my poor mother cried out "Lord, the gypsy was right!"
My mother was distraught and felt that the prediction of a gypsy about my birth turned out to be true
And I seen her, fell down right dead
I witnessed my mother collapsing and dying as a result of my birth
Well, mountain lions found me there waitin'
Mountain lions discovered me waiting in the aftermath of my birth
And set me on a eagles back
The eagles transported me away after the mountain lions found me
Well, mountain lions found me there
Mountain lions discovered me waiting in the aftermath of my birth
And set me on a eagles wing
The eagles transported me away after the mountain lions found me
(Its' the eagles wing, baby, what did I say)
(It was the eagle's wing that carried me away, as I previously mentioned)
He took me past to the outskirts of infinity
The eagle carried me beyond the limits of space and time
And when he brought me back
When the eagle returned me to reality
He gave me a Venus witch's ring
The eagle gave me a magical ring associated with the goddess of love
Hey!
Expressing approval or excitement
And he said "Fly on, fly on"
The eagle instructed me to continue my journey, to continue exploring beyond the limits of reality
Because I'm a voodoo chile, yeah
As a practitioner of voodoo magic, I have the capability to explore beyond what's possible physically
Voodoo chile
A nickname or term used to refer to a person who practices voodoo magic
Well, I make love to you
I engage in sexual activity with you
And Lord knows you'll feel no pain
You won't feel any pain during sexual activity with me
Say, I make love to you in your sleep
I engage in sexual activity with you while you're sleeping
And Lord knows you felt no pain
You didn't feel any pain during sexual activity with me while you were asleep
‘Cause I'm a million miles away
I'm physically distant from you by a great distance
And at the same time, I'm right here in your picture frame
Despite the distance, I'm still present and relevant in your life, symbolized by being in a picture frame
(Yeah! What did I say now)
(Expressing approval or excitement)
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
As a practitioner of voodoo magic, I have the capability to transcend physical distance
Lord knows, I'm a voodoo chile
I'm a person who practices voodoo magic and seeks the guidance of a higher power
(Yeah!)
(Expressing approval or excitement)
Well, my arrows are made of desire
My intentions and desires are strong and powerful, like arrows
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur mines
My desires are so strong that they're felt from a great distance away
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
My intentions and desires are strong and powerful, like arrows
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur mines
My desires are so strong that they're felt from a great distance away
(Way down by the Methane Sea, yeah)
(Referring to a location far away from the listener, expressing the power and distance of their desires)
I have a humming bird and it hums so loud
I have a unique and powerful companion, symbolized by a hummingbird that hums loudly
You think you were losing your mind, hmm
My presence and companionship are so intense that it feels like you're going crazy
Well I float in liquid gardens
I am surrounded by an otherworldly, mystical environment
And Arizona new red sand
A reference to the landscape of Arizona, symbolizing the exotic and mystical nature of their surroundings
(Yeah)
(Expressing approval or excitement)
I float in liquid gardens
I am surrounded by an otherworldly, mystical environment
Way down in Arizona red sand
A reference to the landscape of Arizona, symbolizing the exotic and mystical nature of their surroundings
Well, I taste the honey from a flower named Blue
I experience the sweet and pleasurable aspects of life, symbolized by tasting honey from a flower
Way down in California
Referring to the location of the flower and continuing the theme of exotic and mystical locations
And in New York drowns as we hold hands
Despite the distance between California and New York, our connection is powerful and meaningful
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
As a practitioner of voodoo magic, I have a unique perspective and capabilities that enable me to experience the world in a powerful and mystical way
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile
I'm a person who practices voodoo magic and seeks the guidance of a higher power
Yeah
Expressing approval or excitement
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jimi Hendrix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheMacedonianBackBreaker
If he’s not your favorite guitarist then he’s probably your favorite guitarists’ favorite guitarist
@ExcitedAnacondaSnake-hg8ec
I agree layman don’t get it but any guitarist fears him.
@parks3190
No, but this is so true tho
@niltonjuniocapote6518
Melhor comentário 🤝🤝
@franthevan65
Accurate
@rw2452
Dude, you are so correct. Slash is my favorite guitarist, got me into guitar, and Hendrix had a big influence on him. Jimi is right up there too
@paincakes7693
This is probably the highest quality 1970 video I have ever seen
@truthbetold6578
Wtf 1940s movies were crisp
@mubiusford8693
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef9QnZVpVd8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbBDrceCy8
These are great as well for their time!
@ladybugrona7321
Awesome! Jimmy rocked this cover of Voodoo Child.
He was the greatest in his area of rock and funk.