The Jimi Hendrix Experience last album as a band Electric Ladyland was released in 1968. He would die in two years. All three members of the band are now dead. It is strange when most of the people in the 60s who made music are dead, except for The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
“And the Gods Made Love” is not really a song but more of an intro. It is a spacey cool intro to the soulful psychedelic “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)“.
I lol’d myself when I read the list of songs and saw that one song is called “Voodoo Chile“. I thought it was something to do with the country Chile. Hendrix is saying the word “child” without the “d”. Just give us the “d” next time because it does not make sense using the country Chile. The song is rocking, but it is way too long.
The band does more experimental sounds on this album. I like the floating sound in the speakers on “Gypsy Eyes“. Yet, Hendrix keeps the listener from drifting too far away with songs like “Burning of the Midnight Lamp” by being personal.
The morning is dead
And the day is, too
There’s nothing left here to meet me
But the velvet moon
All my loneliness I have felt today
It’s like a little more than enough
To make a man throw himself away…
…I continue
To burn the midnight lamp
Lord, alone Loneliness is such a drag…
His lyrics show that even with fame loneliness does not necessarily leave you alone. Loneliness is the one thing that does not like to be alone. It finds us and smothers those of us who are to weak to fight against it.
“1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)” is the most beautiful song on any of his albums. It should have been called “Stoner’s Delight“. I can imagine it sounds awesome on real speakers. One day I will get a real stereo or at least a pair of speakers. Hendrix sings about being reborn at the sea and getting away from the noise of life. I can relate to that feeling. Everything seems noise in the outside world. I like to get away to an environment where I can control the noise. I feel like the song is better without the lyrics.
“Still Raining, Still Dreaming” is exactly where Steve Vai learned to play guitar. I remember Vai making the guitar talk in David Lee Roth’s song Yankee Rose.
“House Burning Down” is Hendrix singing about the riots against the Vietnam War. He is guitar is sounding like a fire burning up the song.
Even Hendrix knew that he should do a Bob Dylan song. “All Along the Watchtower” is one of Dylan’s songs that I knew from many other artist, especially U2 for their Rattle and Hum album. Hendrix burned the watchtower down. I found Dylan’s song on Spotify. It is great. There is a whole album called John Wesley Harding that is not in the list of 1001 albums. I will have to keep track of the albums that I have to listen to after this adventure.
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” returns with a shorter and better song for the closing of the album. Hendrix knew how to play the guitar.
This is a really amazing album for a final one from The Jimi Hendrix Experience. I recommend listening to it over all their other albums. 9/10.
an ocean roars 