Hendrix on stage at Gröna Lund in Stockholm, Sweden in June 1967
Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American musician who recorded over 170 different songs during his career from 1966 to 1970. Often considered one of the most accomplished and influential electric guitarists, Hendrix wrote most of his own material in a variety of styles.[1] Some show his blues and R&B roots and others incorporate jazz and early funk influences.[2] Some songs, such as "Purple Haze", "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", and "Machine Gun", feature his guitar-dominated hard and psychedelic rock sound, while others including "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Little Wing" take a slower, more melodic approach.[2] Two of his best-known single releases were written by others: "Hey Joe" by Billy Roberts and "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan. Hendrix supplied his own interpretations, however, which gave them a much different character than the originals.[3]
Hendrix was known for his live performances.[2] While he often played the numbers from his studio albums, several released songs exist only in live recordings. His radical interpretation of "The Star-Spangled Banner", which he performed at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, was a highlight of the event's 1970 documentary film, becoming "part of the sixties Zeitgeist."[4] The live "Machine Gun" is often lauded as Hendrix's greatest achievement, in which he used the guitar to create sounds of a battlefield and noises similar to explosions, bombs dropping, and machine guns.[5] Other songs only performed in concert show his interest in different styles of music.[2] These include interpretations of blues songs by artists such as Howlin' Wolf ("Killing Floor"), B.B. King ("Rock Me Baby"), and Muddy Waters ("Catfish Blues"); the early rock and roll numbers "Johnny B. Goode" and "Blue Suede Shoes"; as well as the more contemporary rock "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy".[6]
At the time of his death, Hendrix was writing and recording for a planned fourth studio album.[7] Songs such as "Freedom" and "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" signaled a new direction in Hendrix's music, which included a more integrated mix of hard rock with elements of R&B and multiple guitar parts.[8] He also left behind a large number of partially completed songs, demos, and jams in a variety of styles, which continue to be issued.[1] Although he toured and mostly recorded as a three-piece,[a] several Hendrix songs featured additional musicians, such as background vocalists, percussionists, and keyboardists. The long studio jam "Voodoo Chile", which Hendrix developed into "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", was recorded with organist Steve Winwood and bassist Jack Casady.[9] Jamming was integral to his songwriting process[10] and several posthumous post-1980 albums contain songs that are largely studio jams with various players.[11][12][13] How much of this material Hendrix would have completed or released is unknown, but nonetheless has become part of his recording legacy.[14]
In his writings, performances, and in the recording studio, Hendrix often referred to songs using alternate titles.[15][b] Record companies in the US and UK sometimes issued his songs with differences in the spelling; Track Records (UK) used "Foxy Lady", while Reprise Records (US) spelled it "Foxey Lady".[19] Later album producers changed some titles or supplied their own, when a formal name had not been identified.[c]
Main songs (1966–1970)
Sixty songs were issued during Hendrix's lifetime, principally on the first three studio albums, a compilation, and a split live album under the Jimi Hendrix Experience name:[21][22]
At the time of his death, Hendrix had a large number of songs in various stages of recording.[7] Some were for a planned fourth studio album; 15 songs from his proposed track listings were released on the first three posthumous Hendrix albums produced by longtime associates recording engineer Eddie Kramer and drummer Mitch Mitchell:[53]
Beginning in 1975, more unfinished songs were released on albums produced by Alan Douglas.[1] Most of the original recordings were edited and often had overdubs by musicians who had never played with Hendrix.[1] In 1997, Experience Hendrix, a family company, took control of his recording legacy. Its first release, First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997), combined songs from the 1971–1972 albums in the most complete attempt at presenting his unfinished fourth studio album.[1] Experience Hendrix continues to issue additional unfinished songs, alternate takes, demos, and jams (including restored recordings from the Douglas era).[1][14] All songs listed are from official releases.[54][55]
^Hendrix usually introduced performances of "Hear My Train A Comin'" as "Get My Heart Back Together", but added a train reference such as "Lonesome Train",[16] "I See My Train",[17] and "Waitin' Down at the Train Station".[18]
^Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, later titled an unnamed studio jam "Pali Gap" in an attempt to make it appear related to the Hawaiian locale of his 1971 Rainbow Bridge film project.[20]
^ ab"3rd Stone from the Sun" was retitled "Third Stone from the Sun" and included on the US edition of Are You Experienced.[25]
^"51st Anniversary" was released as the B-side of "Purple Haze" in the UK.[27]
^ abcdefgh"Hey Joe", "Stone Free", "Purple Haze", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Burning of the Midnight Lamp", "All Along the Watchtower", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Gypsy Eyes" were released as single A- or B-sides in both the US and UK.[31]
^"Can You See Me" was included on both UK and US editions of Smash Hits.[33]
^"Come On (Part 1)" was retitled "Come On" for the UK edition of Electric Ladyland.[35] It was also subtitled "Let the Good Times Roll" and released as a single.[36]
^"Crosstown Traffic" appears as "Cross Town Traffic" on the UK edition LP label of Electric Ladyland.[35]
^ ab"Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)" appears as "Electric Ladyland" on the UK edition gatefold of Electric Ladyland.[35]
^"Fire" was retitled "Let Me Light Your Fire" for a UK 1969 single.[24]
^"Foxy Lady" was retitled as "Foxey Lady" and included on the US edition of Are You Experienced.[25]
^"Gypsy Eyes" was retitled "Gipsy Eyes" and included on the UK edition of Electric Ladyland.[35]
^"Highway Chile" was released as the B-side to "The Wind Cries Mary" in the UK.[27]
^"If Six Was Nine" was retitled "If 6 Was 9" and included on the US edition of Axis: Bold as Love.[37]
^"If 6 Was 9" was released as the B-side to "Stone Free" in the US.[24]
^ ab"Villanova Junction" was titled "Instrumental Solo" on the Woodstock film soundtrack.[46]
^ ab"Stepping Stone" and "Izabella" were released on a single in the US. They were subsequently reworked and included on War Heroes.[48]
^"Long Hot Summer Night" was released as the B-side to "All Along the Watchtower" in the UK.[41]
^The original Capitol Band of Gypsys album listed the song title as "Message of Love".[42] However, Track (UK), Barclay (France), and others used "Message to Love".[43] A different take titled "Message to the Universe" was included on South Saturn Delta".[44]
^"One Rainy Wish" was released as the B-side of "Up from the Skies" in the US.[28]
^The original Capitol Band of Gypsys album listed the song title as "Power to Love".[42] However, Track (UK), Barclay (France), and others used "Power of Soul".[43]
^A different take of "Red House" was included on the US edition of Smash Hits.[45]
^"Remember" was included on the US edition of Smash Hits.[24]
^ abcdWoodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More and Woodstock Two include songs by various artists.
^"The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" was released as the B-side to "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" in the UK.[47]
^"Up from the Skies" was as a single in the US.[28]
^"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" was retitled "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" and included on the UK edition of Electric Ladyland.[35] It was released as a single in the UK with the title "Voodoo Chile".[51]
^A composite of two different takes titled "Voodoo Chile Blues" was included on Blues.[52]
^"You've Got Me Floating" was retitled "You Got Me Floatin'" and included on the US edition of Axis: Bold as Love.[37]
^ abEarlier demo versions titled "Sweet Angel" were later released on South Saturn Delta and the Jimi Hendrix Experience box set.[44][59]
^The "Angel Caterina", recorded March 13, 1968, and included as a bonus track on the Electric Ladyland 50th Anniversary Edition is a forerunner of "1983"[61] and is different than "My Angel Catherina (Return of Little Wing)", which became "Angel".[62]
^ ab"Beginning" was titled "Jam Back at the House" on Woodstock Two.[65]
^Mitch Mitchell is credited with "Beginning" on War Heroes.[66] Hendrix is credited with "Jam Back at the House" on Woodstock Two.[67]
^"Bleeding Heart" is credited to "Robinson" on Experience and More Experience[68] (Bobby Robinson was Elmore James' producer); Hendrix received the credit on War Heroes,[66]The Jimi Hendrix Concerts, and South Saturn Delta;[44]Blues lists "Traditional, Arranged by Jimi Hendrix";[52] and Elmore James is credited on Valleys of Neptune and People, Hell and Angels.[69][70]
^"Calling All the Devil's Children" was released as the B-side of "Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)".[36]
^Songwriter credit for "Catfish Blues" is sometimes listed as Robert Petway or "Traditional Arranged by Jimi Hendrix".[59][52]
^An edited version of "Crash Landing" was used as the title track for the Alan Douglas-produced album.[70]
^ abcdEdited versions of "Drone Blues", "Easy Blues", "Jimi Jimmy Jam", and "Young/Hendrix" were included on the Alan Douglas-produced album Nine to the Universe.[12][70][58]
^"Electric Church Red House" is a composite of a jam called "Electric Church" and "Red House", recorded with organist Lee Michaels at TTG Studios.[52]
^ ab"Hear My Train A Comin'" was titled "Get My Heart Back Together" on Woodstock Two.[67]
^ ab"Hey Baby" is sometimes titled "New Rising Sun", although that is also the title of a different earlier demo; another different take, titled "Hey Gypsy Boy", was included on People, Hell and Angels.[70]
^ abA studio version of "Lover Man", titled "Here He Comes (Lover Man)", was included on South Saturn Delta and The Jimi Hendrix Experience box set.[44][59]
^A different take of "Jam 292" titled "Jelly 292" was included on Blues and a more complete version was included on Hear My Music.[12]
^ abAn earlier take of "Look Over Yonder", titled "Mr. Bad Luck", was later included on Valleys of Neptune and West Coast Seattle Boy.[69][58]
^A different take of "Lullaby for the Summer" was titled "Touch You" and released as the B-side of "Fire" in the UK.[86]
^An edited version of "Mannish Boy" was included on the Alan Douglas-produced Blues.[57]
^ abA somewhat longer version of "Midnight", titled "Trash Man", was recorded two days later and was released on Hear My Music as well as on a single. An edited version of "Trash Man" was included on the Alan Douglas-produced album Midnight Lightning.[12]
^"MLK" is part of a 20-minute jam titled "Ezy Ryder/MLK jam" (from 13:50 to 17:20). Alan Douglas produced an edited segment titled "Captain Coconut", which was included on Crash Landing.[13]
^An edited version of "New Rising Sun" was released on the Alan Douglas-produced Voodoo Soup.[88] The instrumental is "vastly different both in sound and scope from the 'Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)' later featured as part of Rainbow Bridge".[89]
^An edited version of "Once I Had a Woman" was included on the Alan Douglas-produced album Midnight Lightning.[90]
^Edited versions of "Peace in Mississippi" were included on the Alan Douglas-produced albums Crash Landing[91] and Voodoo Soup.[88] It was also released as the B-side of "Bleeding Heart" in the UK.[92]
^ ab"Come On (Let the Good Times Roll" / "Calling All The Devil's Children" (liner notes). Jimi Hendrix. US: Experience Hendrix. 2010. 88697 77217 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Love or Confusion" / "12 Bar with Horns" (liner notes). Jimi Hendrix. US: Experience Hendrix. 2010. 88697 77217 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Fire" / "Touch You" (liner notes). Jimi Hendrix. UK: Experience Hendrix. 2010. 88697 881517.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Bleeding Heart" / "Peace In Mississippi" (liner notes). Jimi Hendrix. UK: Experience Hendrix. 2010. 88697671187.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
