This song was written by Bob Dylan and he has described his reaction to hearing Jimi Hendrix's version: "It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually and continue to do it to this day." Also, in the booklet accompanying his Biograph album, Bob Dylan said: "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way... Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."
It must be odd for Dylan to hear a song that he penned become synonymous with Hendrix’s version, even to himself. I think that also happened to Nine Inch Nails Hurt when Johnny Cash covered it.
I'm a drummer so I just want to give a shoutout to Mitch Mitchell, maybe the most underrated drummer of the era for no other reason than he sat behind the greatest guitarist of all time.
Yes, he was underrated, but it was his bad luck to have to play when Ginger Baker was around--and the rest of Cream, which was who Jimi wanted to see when he came to England and would only come if his manager could arrange to meet Eric Clapton--they of course became fast friends and mutual admirers. Great time for musical adventures.
If I were getting royalties every time someone bought a cover of my song I'd praise the cover. My first problem with the song -- and I bought the Dylan LP (early 1968) before the Hendrix was released (October 1968) is: What in hell does it mean?
@@jnagarya519 like much of Mr Zimmerman's writing, you can read into it whatever you want ! I'm currently reading "The Philosophy of Modern Song", which ranges from pure brilliance to "WTF are you on about, Bob ?" .... sometimes within the one page 😂
She is very good! The Acid he dropped probably helped this song huh? At least his guitar work. Probably a, ''4 Way-Hit," is what was going around in England 1972!
@@mdhj67 The Acid in England was very good...I got a few dates mixed up looks like! I graduated 1968...My friend said at that time...HENDRIX IS GOD!...lol He was right! lol
I was in Xi'an, China a couple of months ago. That is the city that ws at the eastern end of the fabled Silk Road of antiquity. it was a walled city and the wall still stands, along with its watchtowers. Back then, the wall and watchtowers faced out on the desert and the steppes and the Mongol nomads. Those last lines, "Outside in the distance, a wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching and the wind began to howl." They echoed in my mind for days. i could see those soldiers facing the unknown enemy without.
People who want to talk about the history of rap, they really need to listen to "Castles Made of Sand". I would honestly put it into a realm of melodic rapping. One of my favorite Hendrix songs.
I had the pleasure of seeing Jimi perform 4 times. What you've seemed to understand, and it's something very few people do, is that Jimi in his performances was frequently funny, playful, silly, and irreverent. That along with being wildly exciting and unpredictable. Thanks for bringing back so many memories of the best of days. As a guitarist Jimi was an exploratory and dynamic texturalist and colourist who loved to paint a picture or frequently, as here, a series of snapshots, giving you an insight into the theme of song and the mind of the performer while taking you on a, well, internal and frequently, psychedelic journey. His earlier "Wild Thing" pretty much epitomizes this part of his nature. However, Jimi in his later years had a much more serious side as evidenced by his version of "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Machine Gun".
Also what you forgot to mention was they didn't make left handed guitars back in them days.lol. Jimi played a right handed guitar upside down..✌️ I loved your comment though.👍
@@robertkiser8465 Yes, Jimi did turn the guitar around because he was left handed. But he restrung the guitar so that they were the normal EADGBE, and if you look closely you can see it's so.
Jimi was insecure about his voice, but I think his voice is just perect for his music. Such soul, emotion, expression, passion, energy and softness when called for. Perfectly complements his music.
@@danvarnes7127 Dylan wrote it, but Jimi turned it into a masterpiece. Dylan stopped playing it the way he wrote it after Jimi recorded this version. Listen with headphones on and feel the colors Jimi painted this picture with.
1968, as a 9th Grader, late at night, studying about the Dark Ages, and the Black Death, and castles and sieges, and this song comes on my little transistor radio. Mind blown! Greatest song in rock history!
When you were listening to him on your radio, I was at the Atlanta International Rock Festival watching him perform. Wanna know what that was like? There was a film crew there and they recorded the whole thing and you can watch it on Blu-ray DVD. It's called electric church His best performance ever...a month later Jimi was dead.
Im so old i watch him open for the Monkees when my 13 year old sister went to see Davey Jones. My mother made me take her. And i got the bigg st contact high from the crowd. Half who left as soon as Hendrix finish. Ah my youth
@@johncrafton8319I can understand why he thought he sucked based on comparing himself with certain traditional singing standards, I think he probably was too ahead of his time in this too to appreciate the values of his singing.
@@dago87able By that time, other non-traditional singers were already getting accolades. People like Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Colin Blunstone were well-enough regarded as singers that I don't think it was an issue of being "ahead of his time" in that regard. I do expect his reluctance to see himself as a good singer came partially from his comparison with traditional standards, as well as the fact that he was never trained to sing. It's really difficult for someone to know the effect they're having on those around them - especially when they simply can't bring themselves to believe it. Remember: Hendrix was extremely humble regarding his guitar talents, so why would he not be just as humble regarding his singing ability?
I love when Elizabeth reviews a song that I have been listening to for decades, because her insights allow me to hear it fresh, in a way that I have never heard it before; to appreciate it with a new depth of understanding. Thank you Elizabeth.
This song was recorded in 1968 and some people believe the lyrics reference a conversation between Jesus on the cross and the thief - a very serious topic for a song. Jimi's interpretation of this Bob Dylan classic was brought to unheard of heights with ground breaking guitar work and over all sound conception. I'm so glad you took the time to examine this masterpiece .
It’s just a breath taking piece of music, the feel of it, the tones Jimi uses, the little pieces of soul he creates with that guitar is brilliant. The little riffs he uses like after “I can’t get no relief” is just perfection.
Bloody well right; he travelled to England to escape American race prejudices that were denying him the kind of success he knew he could have. Thankfully, England never had slaves on their own soil, and while there were still racist persons in England, they were a relatively quiet few-especially among the young people, which is why he enjoyed such success and adoration there.
@@riphopfer5816There were particular Music/Art scenes and communities in England that he felt more comfortable being in. He could sequitur himself within it there easier was the driving force.
@rigel2112 Yes he was but not until Chas Chandler of The Animals became his manager and brought him to England where his first album was recorded. In America racism gives way to fame, the ultimate leveller. When Nat King Cole had his American TV show he often looked a bit odd and that was because the producers insisted on plastering him with makeup to lighten his face so he would be acceptable to the white audience. Don't get me wrong, we have racists here too but they're generally less in your face (literally in this case) about it.
@@riphopfer5816 He could have went to Motown records and been a hit overnight. (If he was willing to sell out and sound exactly like they would have wanted him to.)
That extra high pitched sound you hear in the intro is the percussion instrument “the vibraslap”. It looks sort of like a wooden cowbell with a line of rattlers inside, all attached to a striker ball via a rigid bent bar. It can also be heard in "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne, "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith, "Closer to the Heart,” by Rush, and ”Orange Crush" by R.E.M. In this song (All along the Watchtower) the vibraslap is being played by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones. Hope this helps.
My favourite episode so far, thank you for doing this. I gained insights into one of my biggest musical heroes that had not occurred to me in my 51 years to date.. brought tears to my eyes
The vibraslap comes in on the third beat of a four beat bar, which is interesting. Also interesting is that the rythmn on 12 string guitar is palyed by Dave Mason
Mr. Hendrix was totally in touch of his instrument; he knew exactly what he could do with it and when to do it. His notes were so exact and smooth; he was singing with his guitar as well as with his voice. So natural and relaxed...
I never saw Hendrix live (I was only 14 when he died) but listening to his live recordings he really gave an impression of quiet confidence -- confidence with self-deprecating humor rather than bragging. He really gives the impression that he was at his happiest playing the guitar and singing.
One thing you will notice if you listen to a lot Jimi is he never made a sound in the studio he couldn’t replicate live. The way he used his thumb to play a bass rhythm while playing chords and leads was insanity.
Love your analysis, not only of Jim's playing but also his singing. . The way he brings out emotions with both. . You can hear them and explain them for people who may have heard this a thousand times, but perhaps only on a superficial level. You are helping them learn to appreciate it even more. Thanks!
Little wing, wind cries Mary, voodoo child are all some really great songs by Jimi. Both lyrically and with his incredible guitar playing. Especially in Little Wing
I really, really wish that those songs had been suggested instead of his Dylan cover if they wanted her to experience his guitar playing. What a missed opportunity..
Ya little wing and machine gun have a amazing guitar 🎸 riffs thats one thing whith Jimmy best left hand guitarists ever it fit that time so good for 68 its to bad will never half new music like this again
Regarding "Little Wing." The song is literally impossible to have been predicted. AI will never produce anything nearly as remarkable. It's solely a Hendrix invention and a miracle. Now, every guitarist has his or her own take on the song. Stevie Ray Vaughan's interpretation is among the best of the more than 50(!) versions I've heard so far. Hendrix was a unique visionary who saw colors in his music, and heard more in his head than he was physically able to play. It's been more than 50 years and I still mourn his passing. He gave us just a glimpse and was gone.
If you're interested to hear more from him, I would strongly suggest "Little wing". This one short but such a gem! Stevie Ray has a longer version too if you're interested
I think SRV doing little wing is much like this song in that the guy who covered the song took it to new heights. Although SRV version with no vocals, even though SRV made his guitar sing, might not be best for vocal reaction but that said I'd love to see it
Dylan's lyrics are mythic poetry, and Jimi's voice and guitar are a shamanic journey into their depth. This recording is like a vision on a mountain top.
'A Merman I Should Turn To Be' is one you should check out. You headphones will take you to a new realm, it sways back and forth like no other song I've ever heard. Jimi was a magic musician, like no other. Still my all time favotite tune.
I continue supporting that channel so that: a) I get a detailed analysis of songs I've always know but only knew on a surface level, and b) so that Elizabeth catches up on classic songs she inexplicably missed somehow. She has to stop the song every few seconds just to explain something, and she stills immediately enjoy it on a deeper level than I ever did. It's like we're setting her up on dates, and she falls in love (almost) every time.
Many guitarists in rock bands at the time were stunned by what Hendrix was doing. The quality of his vocals I've always been amazed at, so clear as you point out, so expressive in a relaxed kind of way, and then the passion rings out. That leading riff intro into the song is probably my favorite in rock and roll, and so iconic.
He stated in several interviews that he HATED his own voice and originally wanted to find a singer for his band, but Chas Chandler wouldn't allow it (he certainly knew his voice was unique and special).
Jimi was an underrated singer - even by himself. He was so self-conscious about his singing that he would insist on not being seen while he did it in the studio. "All Along the Watchtower" features his singing and playing with some aggression and power but for me his best moments (again both singing and playing) are the delicate ones. "Little Wing" and "Drifting" are both lovely songs with nuanced and heartfelt performances. They reflect the side of him that got lost in his explosion on the music scene in 1967. He was famous for his aggressive pyrotechnics on the guitar but, in truth, he was a quiet and gentle man who had a lot of depth. His later music really shows his true nature coming to the fore after he got bored being the wild man on stage.
Little Wing was also apparently the inspiration for Mike McCready to write the song Yellow Ledbetter for Pearl Jam. Once I read that, it's had not to make the comparison
All so true. I believe he started feeling better about his singing after a couple albums. Another song that showcases his singing is Castles Made of Sand.
Hendrix has always been my favorite. He's often been copied, but never duplicated. You can hear a definite difference between himself and others. Listening to this song today, I was struck at how his singing sounds like someone narrating the action as it happens while running alongside. Very powerful to hear.
The “sharper sound” that you’re wondering about 01:51 - 02:15 is a percussion instrument called a vibraslap. It was played by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones!
There’s the old tale of Aerosmith having a vibraslap break in the intro of “Sweet Emotion” and they left it in the recording, More recently one was put to prominent use by seemingly every song by Cake.
Jimi was a master of the guitar, but he was also a master of sound. His bends, his tone, the textures he used, everything was so creative, so precise, and so perfect for each song. The care and nuance he put into his music definitely make him my favorite guitarist.
Elizabeth, that reverberating sound at the end of each bar in the beginning of the song, that sound that you couldn't identify, is a vibraslap. It's a percussion instrument -- basically, a wooden ball attached by a wire to a small wooden box filled with metal teeth. You hold the box in the palm of your hand, slap the ball against the box with it with your other hand, and the metal teeth rattle inside the box to create the sound. It's the modern version of an ancient instrument called a jawbone that used, literally, the jawbone of a donkey, with the loose teeth attached to the jaw creating the distinctive rattle. The interesting thing about the use of the vibraslap at the beginning of "All Along the Watchtower" is the person playing it: Brian Jones, the ill-fated guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of the Rolling Stones, who, like Jimi Hentrix, was fated to become a member of the infamous 27 Club -- the surprisingly large group of rock legends who each died when they were 27 years old.
When I think back ... I was 17 and a drummer in a garage band ... listening to Hendrix the first time was just mind-blowing. Like, you had to be there to fully appreciate how I felt. Thanks for doing this song
Fun Fact: Hendrix, against the wishes of his recording engineer, would often wear and play his guitar (unplugged) while recording his vocals in the studio. If you ever find isolated audio of his vocals you can hear him strumming. He felt uncomfortable singing without it. His guitar was an extension of his voice, and vise versa. Just amazing how connected he was to his guitar
I find I'm similar. I find it easier to sing with a guitar in my hands. Also, if I recall correctly, Jimi was kicked out of the military because they couldn't get him to do anything if he didn't have access to a guitar. It's very possible he was on the spectrum (like me).
@@bareakonI don’t know about the military, but I’ve heard it said he described sounds as colors and textures. So there are strong odds he was on the spectrum. At least imo. But I am no expert either.
His version of the "Star Spangled Banner" is my favorite. And "Purple Haze" is my favorite song by him. He has so many great performances. What a legend.
Jimi's live performance of "Sargent Pepper, With Paul MAcCartney and George Harrison, ( and many other '60s era British invasion stars) in the audience. Not long enough to do a deep dive, but a lot of fun for a short performance.
This is my very favorite Hendrix song. I think the guitar work on this is some of his very best. I got to see him live in 1970, just a short time before he passed away. I was struck by his playing and the fact the his hands were barely moving and there was a flurry of notes coming out of the speakers. I attribute this to the fact that he knew his neck so well he could play things like that in one position on the fret board. He was phenomenal but he left us so much too soon.
Here’s the beautiful thing about your videos: Many times, I think, “Boy, I wish I could experience this [movie | book | song | painting | etc] for the first time again!” It’s not possible, of course. But not only do your videos give me that experience by _you_ reacting, you give me reason to revisit (and gain better appreciation of) so much of the music I have been listening to since I was a teen. It’s wonderful, and I thank you for it.
I love your take on this, my favorite song of all time. It will be played at my funeral, as I will then have found "some kind of way out of here" - in a very good way - 😊 - with Jimi Hendrix! The song has a long history, but I always loved the bit where Jimi was so shy to release it, as it was written by the great Bob Dylan. However, Bob embraced Jimi's version and even gifted the copyright to the Hendrix estate and has played it in the Hendrix vein ever since (even saying "This is a song by Jimi Hendrix."). Hats off to two of the really greats.
And I agree about Red House coz I do like the Blues. Did you know that the version on the UK release of the album is different than the American release? Also UK Red House was a mono version although I later found a stereo version, I think on a compilation. I prefer the UK version.
Jimi was an absolute force of creativity and talent. The things he was able to create in the studio were absolutely groundbreaking - especially considering many of the recording studios at the time were using 4 and 8 track tape. Many of his live performances are worth checking out, but I'd say the Band of Gypsys was his best - especially "Machine Gun", which is a 12 minute masterpiece that will give you chills and goosebumps.
The ""Hawaiian"" part is one of the first recordings to popularize use of the Wah Wah pedal. Also Jimi and his Sound engineer Eddie Kramer developed that "panning" sound you hear. Its called Stereophonic Phasing and on his albums Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland were the first ever recordings to use this technique. It was done at Electric Ladyland Studios in New York in 1967 and 1968. No computers, they rewound the tapes by hand and overlayed them with slight delay to create the sound of the music going from one side of the speakers to the other
I dearly love Hendrix, and I have to correct this writers' mistakes in his technical descriptions. I am a professional musician, and producer, and engineer. I have been to school and know the physics of recording etc. that said ......the " hawaiian part" was done with Jimi's ring used as a SLIDE guitar, not a wah-wah pedal that comes in in the 3rd section of the Jimmy and Eddie did develop the wider use of panning...which I'll explain as I address his final error.... what this is NOT is stereo phasing...phase shifting is a totally different. Phasing is what we call a modulation effect because it is the result of a time delay ...panning is not that .......The song Axis bold as Love does feature the 1st use of stereo phasing when the main solo ends and that drum solo enters and to the end of the song. The way you make the sound go from "side to side" is very simple and has nothing to do with messing with the tape. simplest way to explain is ...remember your old stereo??? it had a knob along with the volume knob that said balance ...and you always set it in the middle, so you heard the record in proper stereo .... that is called a pan pot pan stands for "panorama" it moves the sound on that channel "clockwise" left to right or vise-versa. That is how it's done also when you make records ......where this fellow got his info is, well incorrect. And since Jimi and Eddie were so amazingly innovative, I feel it was necessary to explain what they really did properly instead, of nonsense. They were too good to deserve less.
@@terryutain9897 I've always heard he played the slide part with a lighter. Do you happen to have a citation that it was his ring? Great breakdown on the recording techniques.
That very liquid, upfront and 'present' sound Jimi is getting on his lead guitar is definitely an Echoplex! He's got it dialed in with only a slight bit of echo, but in doing that it really makes every nuance of the lead guitar 'speak' and gives it an extremely fluid effect. And it's the bigger than life tone of the Echoplex preamp as much as it is the echo effect that makes this great sound! Echoplex was a "Magic Box" in so many ways...out of this world!
yes, and the wah parts were kind of re amped in the studio by the legendary Eddie Kramer, that's what gives them that extra oomf. Van Halen used an echoplex as well its famously how the long dive bomb at the end of Eruption is played by slowing the speed as the note is sounding it drops the pitch.
Not sure the Echoplex existed in the 60's. We had fuzz box and wah wah pedals, lipstick case for doing slides, and the tremolo bar on strats. But my mind was in a purple haze back then, so there's that. Now there are distortion pedals for blues harps (which I played back then), which is incredible. Listen to the Jimmy Page solo on You Shook Me (Zep's 1st album) if you want to hear masterful guitar distortion.
All Along the Watchtower is on the Watchmen movie soundtrack. And it’s the most perfect timing for a song. When Jimi sings “”2 riders were approaching and the wind began to howl” two characters are riding across the Antarctic ice to approach the bad guy’s fortress. Just perfect.
That was straight out of the comic. The end of every issue of Watchmen quoted a poem, song, or what-not. All Along the Watchtower quoted at the end of of issue 11, which ended with Rorschach and Nite Owl approaching Adrian Veidt's fortress.
He came up in a time when musical instruction and orthodoxy was super stodgy so all of this was new and revolutionary. People will never stop digging this. I love it!
This woman is amazing and an encourage,ent. An encouragement that some one intelligent is listening, comprehending and appreciating what is being offered. This woman is a treasure.
Jimi sang very much like he spoke. He had that ultra-cool, smooth hipster delivery, and seemed to luxuriate on particular words and thoughts. He would also roll off the ends of words and phrases just the way he does here, where the pitch slides down at the end.
Jimi created music with his voice and guitar that will last for centuries. I thought it was great when elizabeth said something about motzart or beethoven. Jimis guitar music was symphonious
Jimi Hendrix is like the big bang of the rock guitar. I can’t wait until you get to see him do his thing live too. Speaking of the “big bang”, his performance of Wild Thing at Monterrey Pops festival was his welcome back home gig that Paul McCartney helped bring about when the Beatles couldn’t make it. Talk about an amazing suggestion. It’s the type of performance that solidified the guitar god archetype.
You know, we spend so much time marveling over Hendrix's guitar (rightfully so), it is great to spend time appreciating the charisma of his voice. This really is such a great example of how wonderful his vocal performance was. ❤❤
This song is perfect from start to finish. A+ Material. This one is engrained in my memory to where I hear it nearly anytime I have it triggered. I'm happy that you recognize the value of this. Thank you for giving respect.
Love to listen to his vocals on things like "Wind Cries Mary", "Fly on My Sweet Angel", etc. Crosstown traffic is another great one; they're all great😁
One of the greatest rhythm sections in rock and rol history. Took me a very long time to really appreciate Hendrix, I was all about the precise and clean players and didn't realise just how much there was to be appreciated in players who let rip and let the idea run loose. Phenomenal song and talent. This song always feels mystical to me, like it's coming through from another dimension. It worked so perfectly in Battlestar Galactica for that reason.
The song on Electric Ladyland that gives me goose bumps is 1983 ( A Mermaid I Should Turn To Be ). It's a long song but a minute or so in he plays this tasty powerful riff and builds off it. Then throws this frazzled lead over it. Absolutely genius. He lays you back then wakes you up and shakes you.
1983 was the first song on my "Dive" playlist for my underwater MP3 player... Amazing to listen to when dropping onto the Sea Tiger off the south shore of Oahu...
1983 has his signature haunting melody line, as does 3rd stone from the sun. Thats what other guitarist lack even when they master his technique , they don't have his imagination because they're too focused on the method.
You gotta hear a live performance of Hendrix to truly get his genius. Specifically the song "Machine Gun" from the Band of Gypsy's live album. It's also about Vietnam and the guitar work on it puts you right in the middle of a warzone. It's incredible. Brings tears to the eyes.
Absolutely spot on. The song is a combination of guitar playing genius and emotion. The sounds Jimi made are incredible given that there were no digital effects in those days.
I've been listening to Jimi since the minute the album first hit the store... watching you FEEL the nuances of his voice and guitar brought tears to me eyes. I love what you do here. You're brilliant. Keep it up. Thank you! 🙏
The thing with that last guitar note is that he has restrained going to the high octave root note for the whole song, so it is really satisfying / emotional / powerful when he finally uses it.
Your analogy of a chef adding different flavors was spot on. This album was recorded with one of the first multi-track reel to reel recorders, so you are actually hearing Jimi adding overdubs. Before this, an overdub went over the original tape and if it didn't work, you had to scrap the whole thing and start over. The part you liked before the Wah Wah you said 'I think that was made with guitar... and some kind of cool harmony...' , was Jimi overdubbing a slide guitar part on several strings of a 12-string electric guitar, creating a slide effect with harmony. I think he used a double A battery for the slide on this one.
Apparently some guy in America was telling someone in London the title of Jimmy's new song Voodoo Child, but he misheard and wrote Voodoo Chile. That title remained in the UK.
@@richardbrown9760 Voodoo Chile is a slow blues 15 minutes long. It was too long for the album so Hendrix made it shorter (and a bit faster) 6 minutes long that fit the album. The shorter version is called Voodoo Child (Slight Return). But yes, I have also seen some people call the short version Voodoo Chile.
the little wall-e comment and mimicking the sound of it just made me even more of a fan of you. love the work. you do such a great job in explaining/analyzing. :) keep up the great work!
I literally was listening to Jimi last night and was thinking Elizabeth should do a Jimi video! There's the guitar god aspect, of course, but Jimi's vocals are CRIMINALLY underrated.
I don’t know why but this song chokes me up so much! Jimi has been my biggest influence since I was 5 when I started playing, there’s tears in my eyes just listening to his short solos. He might not be the greatest singer ever, but man he could play with soul, something that music neglects these days
Great analysis. I've listened to this song countless times since my teen years in the 70's and you pointed out things I'd never noticed on a first listen. That lead in the middle sounds like four different guitarist. What is even more impressive is that the base tone of the amp does not seem to be significantly altered. Mr. Hendrix used a slide for one section and the wah-wah pedal for another section.
I love the insight you bring to all of these performances. Comparing Hendrix to a chef, but one who is manipulating words and sounds rather than food, is brilliant and makes me appreciate the masterpiece even more. Thank you.
If your diving further into Jimi, Voodoo Child is my favorite and simply cannot be played loud enough. I always thought Crosstown Traffic was very underrated as well - awesome that he used a homemade kazoo (comb and cellophane) to double the guitar and get the sound he wanted.
since i was a child i love that song, somehow... never watched someone analyzing it, i feared it would lose its magic to me...but you did manage to make it not lose it...instead you helped me to find out things i never ever heard in 40 something years....
Excellent analysis! This is one of my fav's from back in the day and it still gives me the same chills now as it did then The guitar cuts through you like a knife. What an absolute master he was. Thank you!
Shannon Hoon is the most underrated vocalists out of the 90's and it feels almost criminal that I've not heard you cover him. His voice was so good and was sang with such soul, he'll move you with it. And the way he was able to hide such depressing lyrics in such beautiful music made him a chameleon and able to do it all these years later still makes him relevant. Please, give Blind Melon Mother or change a listen and let him blow your mind.
So good to listen to this masterpiece by Jimi. His stated artistic goal was to communicate ideas and emotions clearly and explicitly with sound. He came as close as anyone ever has, probably closer than anyone else I've ever heard. And not just because he could talk with his guitar (Once he made it say "Thank you!" after a song in Winterland, I started listening for more; and I do believe I heard more speech from it). Besides this song, I feel he got there with songs like Little Wing, May This Be Love, Are You Experienced?, and many others. IMHO, the under-appreciated musical journey from the shore out to the deep sea in 1983: A Merman I Shall Turn To Be ranks with Beethoven's Pastoral 6th symphony, for conveying a sense of place. Just riding the sensations this music stirs up in your body is probably as rewarding a way to spend some time today as anything else a person could do. Thanks, Elizabeth, and all y'all.
Great post. 1983 is possibly my favorite song ever. The emotion, imagination, and haunting melody. I find it impossible to explain the affect I feel when listening to it. An awesome song. It is underrated and not understood by people. Thank you.
I still remember the first time I heard this on the radio. I was sitting in the back seat of my mates vw at Cabramatta railway station. We were stunned and sat there in amazement. The dj had also played it for the first time and immediately played it again. Amazing track.
You know, I've listened to this song countless times and never get tired of it, and yet when Elizabeth is reacting and analyzing what she is hearing, as always, I end up hearing something new. Her description of how Jimi is hitting a pitch and then moving off of it rather quickly made me think that Jimi was channeling his inner Bob Dylan at times in his vocal delivery. Am I crazy, or was Jimi making a deliberate choice there?
Every time I hear this song, all I can hear is Jimi using Dylan's vocal style. It's hard to tell until you listen to a lot of Bob Dylan and then go back to it. Then it's all you can hear.
Saw him live in concert in Kansas City. Played one part of a song with his teeth (yes his teeth), and another behind his back. The whole concert remains a vivid joyous vision of exquisite performance and emotion. Long may he wave...
It's a gimmick , he's actually doing hammer ons and pull offs with his hand while pretending he's playing with his teeth. That would be REALLY REALLY uncomfortable to do with one's teeth and you'd need to have incredibly buck, protruding teeth to even do that😊
Do you remember where in KC? The first Hendrix I ever remember being exposed to was my parents records, Rare Hendrix and Jimi Hendrix In The West. I think those were bootlegs. It was '71...and I was 6yrs. old. My dad says he saw him but I don't remember where. I wonder if it was at the old Municipal Stadium where the KC Athletics played before they moved to Oakland. Memorial Hall maybe? What do you remember about that concert?
This version is one of my first memories of life because my dad would (and still does blare it). I would always be so utterly mesmerized when I was little. Hearing it still takes me back to that pleasant time of life. Seeing your entire thought process about this masterpiece is a delight.
The point about how a singer's style often reflects their instrument is fascinating; I had never noticed that. Jimi's voice is unique and special but often overshadowed by his innovative and expressive guitar playing. The dominant 7#9 chord on guitar is now universally known as the "Hendrix chord". His approach to the guitar creates a distinct and powerful atmosphere that can influence your mentality, and his voice compliments it. Thank you for appreciating him.
Love your enthusiasm for Hendrix's version of this song. Jimi's expressive voice is often overlooked due to his brilliant guitar playing, but they are so harnomious together.
I love the way Jimi could make a guitar sing, he gave the instrument a voice. There are a lot of amazing guitarists in our history on up to present, but there will never be another Jimi.
Great reaction and it's definitely a great introduction to Jimi Hendrix since it has so much of Hendrix's arranging and composition expression, both in his voice and guitar. His different tonalities and flavors of the sounds he can make with his guitar, with his voice and both combined. Amazing reaction and analysis as always, thank you so much!!!
I enjoy watching someone get excited about the music I've loved for years. With your education, training, and your natural childlike charm your commentary gave me a new insight on this song. It is one of those songs that got played so much that it has become a faded old masterpiece. Thank you for an enjoyable post.
I've just found your Channel and am enjoying it. I won't comment much but on Jimi Hendrix I do have to say a couple of things. Jimi Hendrix was groundbreaking in his guitar playing and ushered in the Psychedelic era of rock music. A person born today, hearing all the new songs and then hearing Jimi Hendrix probably would not be impressed because after Jimi we were all given part of his DNA. In every musician who came after that carried a little bit of Jimi's DNA with them into their music. But for those who understand how radical his playing was back in the day they understand the groundbreaking chances he took in his music. If you really want to enjoy Jimi you should watch his live performances. Hearing his music and watching him at the same time is incredible. After this song you should listen to Purple Haze and then when you're ready watch his performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock. You will never be the same.
How do you know he didn't self extinguish like Kurt Cobain? You write of the world suffering which seems to be excessive exaggeration in my opinion. Wasn't his so called music underground criminal junky music? So there may have been a lot of people in The World who did not want some one as sick as he was being any form of role model for their children. So some may have thought. 'Another one bites the dust. And another one gone'. He sang also the song of the notorius heroin user Bob Dylan and sang lyrics such as 'There are some among us who think life is but a joke'. More gabbage lyrics by a drug abuser who redily destroys his with illegal drugs his normal sense or reality. So if that was what he thought was reality then in reality why would some or every one think or imagine his death was a tragic loss? More junkies die than the norm. Just a fact of life and fact of drug abuse. Same with alcohol. The facts are known before the person becomes a drunkard druggy alcoholic. So whilst it is a tragedy when they die or if found dead. Why grive as that was basically what they wanted. Some exit licence from reality.
He did change the world. Problem is he was an alcoholic and drug addict. Living longer would have just been him suffering going in and out of spirals until he eventually died.
@@Pix2GoStudios So far he's been ignored. I actually feel bad for him. I would hate to have such ugly thoughts come so readily to my mind, ya know? And then be the type of person to post it thinking I'm the righteous one... wow.
Just as good today as it was 50+ years ago. This was his only song that made it to the top 10, but, his catalog is full of wonderful, innovative guitar. Always loved his voice.
I am so glad I found this channel. You are amazing at bringing out the nuances of the music. Can I recommend exploring Linda Ronstadt. To me, she had one of the most beautiful and versatile voices ever. I would love to hear your analysis
Younger people probably don't realize that there were only three people on stage in his concerts and that the electronics of the day consisted of a fuzztone, a Swiss Echo (don't think Jimi used one), the reverb springs in amps, and most amps had an electronic tremolo. What you were hearing was Jimi on guitar, Noel on base and Mitch on drums - that's it. Jimi played a normal guitar left-handed. Seeing them live was absolutely amazing. You should do Purple Haze next!
"Pedals didn't exist, fuzztones had one button, and when I saw him in person, there was nothing else. It was an interesting subject for my because I made the electronics and speaker systems for my band. I don't remember seeing one, but he might have used a WahWah pedal as they existed by then. His fingers were his whammy - he broke strings a lot and kept playing. The lead guitar in my band traveled with him a tuner on summer and they would hand him a new guitar when too many strings broke - usually between songs.
OMG! You just nailed it on that last sustained guitar note - its like hes asking for someone to hear him... if you go through his catalogue - you''ll find a lot of those moments - he had this way of sounding both triumphant and utterly defeated. He didint have an easy life - he was one of those folks that felt like an alien - alone in a crowd - and when folks heard him play - and folks started making money from his passion - too much too soon. He was only 27 when he died. Look at all the music that cat made - not to mention the studio he built in NYC thats still in use today - all before the age of 27. He was in talks with Miles Davis about doing a project together... can you imagine??
Elizabeth, you are making your way through the guitarists that make their guitars "sing", pitch bends and all. You've done David Gilmore (Pink Floyd), Randy Rhoads (Ozzy), Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), now Jimi Hendrix, a pioneering guitarist that was left handed and played the guitar upside down, but stringing was NOT upside down for left hand play. Keep going, more artists that make their guitar "sing"
What made this song awesome was in the third solo you’ve got the first solo with his normal solo tone,then the clean slide with heavy compression, wah wah and then the rythym solo just amazing!
Jimi's brilliance with the guitar and with crafting a soundscape are indisputable, but his voice really gets me too. It feels warm and friendly to me, like sitting by a campfire as a dear friend relates an incredible story. He conveys so much emotion, which to me is the whole point of music.
This song was written by Bob Dylan and he has described his reaction to hearing Jimi Hendrix's version: "It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually and continue to do it to this day."
Also, in the booklet accompanying his Biograph album, Bob Dylan said: "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way... Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."
Great comment.
One of the few examples of a cover song surpassing the original, and the original artist not only agreeing but playing it that way from thereon out
I saw Dylan in 05 and they did it Hendrix style
@@Stevie8654 Dylan obviously wasn't on lead guitar!
It must be odd for Dylan to hear a song that he penned become synonymous with Hendrix’s version, even to himself. I think that also happened to Nine Inch Nails Hurt when Johnny Cash covered it.
I'm a drummer so I just want to give a shoutout to Mitch Mitchell, maybe the most underrated drummer of the era for no other reason than he sat behind the greatest guitarist of all time.
Agreed. If Mitch was in almost any other band of that era he would've been the main man. A bit like Alex Lifeson and Rush.
Jimi and Mitch had a special chemistry. I love those jazzy drummers.
Yes, he was underrated, but it was his bad luck to have to play when Ginger Baker was around--and the rest of Cream, which was who Jimi wanted to see when he came to England and would only come if his manager could arrange to meet Eric Clapton--they of course became fast friends and mutual admirers. Great time for musical adventures.
Mitch Mitchell was the perfect drummer for this song.
@@jimsilvey5432 Mitch Mitchell was the perfect drummer for Hendrix I think.
The simple fact that Bob Dylan says that Jimi's version is the definitive version tells the world of Jimi's greatness.
Interesting to note this is Jimi’s only top-40 hit.
@@jss27560 "Purple Haze" was a hit. Otherwise, pretty soon FM radio took over from AM radio.
Especially since Hendrix flubs 1/6 of the words
If I were getting royalties every time someone bought a cover of my song I'd praise the cover.
My first problem with the song -- and I bought the Dylan LP (early 1968) before the Hendrix was released (October 1968) is:
What in hell does it mean?
@@jnagarya519 like much of Mr Zimmerman's writing, you can read into it whatever you want ! I'm currently reading "The Philosophy of Modern Song", which ranges from pure brilliance to "WTF are you on about, Bob ?" .... sometimes within the one page 😂
When you said he sings like he's being a guitar string. I'll never be able to unhear that. God damn, that's some good analysis.
She is very good!
The Acid he dropped probably helped this song huh? At least his guitar work. Probably a, ''4 Way-Hit," is what was going around in England 1972!
@@Blivot All Along the Watchtower was released on the Electic Ladyland album in 1968.
@@mdhj67 The Acid in England was very good...I got a few dates mixed up looks like! I graduated 1968...My friend said at that time...HENDRIX IS GOD!...lol He was right! lol
“two riders were approaching… and the wind began to howl “… that lines gives me chills every time.
Bob Dylan thought so too
Bob really out did himself with that one
Yup! Me too. For many years now. Every time!
I was in Xi'an, China a couple of months ago. That is the city that ws at the eastern end of the fabled Silk Road of antiquity. it was a walled city and the wall still stands, along with its watchtowers. Back then, the wall and watchtowers faced out on the desert and the steppes and the Mongol nomads. Those last lines, "Outside in the distance, a wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching and the wind began to howl." They echoed in my mind for days. i could see those soldiers facing the unknown enemy without.
Same. Every single time.
"Castles Made of Sand" is easily my favorite Jimi Hendrix vocal performance. It's beautiful.
Definitely agree on that, it's one of if not his best lullaby songs, others being Little Wing and Angel.
The story in that song solidified it as my favorite years ago
i like little wing, bleeding heart and one rainy wish
People who want to talk about the history of rap, they really need to listen to "Castles Made of Sand". I would honestly put it into a realm of melodic rapping. One of my favorite Hendrix songs.
And "Hey Joe" is my vibe!
Jimi's voice is rarely given the credit it deserves because his guitar chops were so massive but he has a magnificent voice
talking isnt singing...magnificent voice😂
Agree so much. Hendrix seemed to understand that the vocals were just as important to this song as the instrumentation. He nailed it.
Magnificent is a bit too much, but he had a decent voice. Nowhere near the level of his guitar playing
@@kaned3570ya go tell that to Kurt... I bet you think you're some expert.
Apparently he hated his own voice. He was a perfectionist on guitar and probably saw his voice as a deficit in comparison
I had the pleasure of seeing Jimi perform 4 times. What you've seemed to understand, and it's something very few people do, is that Jimi in his performances was frequently funny, playful, silly, and irreverent. That along with being wildly exciting and unpredictable. Thanks for bringing back so many memories of the best of days. As a guitarist Jimi was an exploratory and dynamic texturalist and colourist who loved to paint a picture or frequently, as here, a series of snapshots, giving you an insight into the theme of song and the mind of the performer while taking you on a, well, internal and frequently, psychedelic journey. His earlier "Wild Thing" pretty much epitomizes this part of his nature. However, Jimi in his later years had a much more serious side as evidenced by his version of "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Machine Gun".
The live performance(s) where he clearly sings "Scuse me, while I kiss this guy" with a huge smile in his voice slay me.
Also what you forgot to mention was they didn't make left handed guitars back in them days.lol. Jimi played a right handed guitar upside down..✌️ I loved your comment though.👍
@@robertkiser8465 Yes, Jimi did turn the guitar around because he was left handed. But he restrung the guitar so that they were the normal EADGBE, and if you look closely you can see it's so.
@@SingularlyNakedI believe it’s kiss the sky, it’s written on the album cover. It does sound like it though.
Well said - I agree . He was also a genius song writer .
Jimi was insecure about his voice, but I think his voice is just perect for his music. Such soul, emotion, expression, passion, energy and softness when called for. Perfectly complements his music.
Jimi was an artist creating paintings with sound.
But it was written by Bob Dylan
@@danvarnes7127this song yeah, but Jimi has quite a few other songs in case you weren’t aware lol
@@danvarnes7127 Dylan wrote it, but Jimi turned it into a masterpiece. Dylan stopped playing it the way he wrote it after Jimi recorded this version.
Listen with headphones on and feel the colors Jimi painted this picture with.
That was nicely put
Also, that statement reminds that I miss my mild synestesia.😮
1968, as a 9th Grader, late at night, studying about the Dark Ages, and the Black Death, and castles and sieges, and this song comes on my little transistor radio. Mind blown! Greatest song in rock history!
When you were listening to him on your radio, I was at the Atlanta International Rock Festival watching him perform. Wanna know what that was like? There was a film crew there and they recorded the whole thing and you can watch it on Blu-ray DVD. It's called electric church His best performance ever...a month later Jimi was dead.
My dad always maintains that Jimi is one of the few, if not the only, guitarist that could make a guitar talk
I would also add David Gilmour
Also listen to "VooDoo Chile" It Taliks until it blows your mind
I would say Jeff Beck, Roy Buchanan, Stevie Ray Vaughn & David Gilmour can/could do so as well.
then you dad had a very narrow range of music
Your dad advice was fair. Terry Kath can do it too !!❤❤❤❤❤
I've always adored Jimi's voice, and was amazed nobody ever seemed to talk about it. He is a great singer!
Im so old i watch him open for the Monkees when my 13 year old sister went to see Davey Jones. My mother made me take her. And i got the bigg st contact high from the crowd. Half who left as soon as Hendrix finish. Ah my youth
He hated his own voice, and considered himself a terrible singer. I guess that's just human nature.
@@johncrafton8319I can understand why he thought he sucked based on comparing himself with certain traditional singing standards, I think he probably was too ahead of his time in this too to appreciate the values of his singing.
He hated his voice
@@dago87able By that time, other non-traditional singers were already getting accolades. People like Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Colin Blunstone were well-enough regarded as singers that I don't think it was an issue of being "ahead of his time" in that regard.
I do expect his reluctance to see himself as a good singer came partially from his comparison with traditional standards, as well as the fact that he was never trained to sing. It's really difficult for someone to know the effect they're having on those around them - especially when they simply can't bring themselves to believe it.
Remember: Hendrix was extremely humble regarding his guitar talents, so why would he not be just as humble regarding his singing ability?
I love when Elizabeth reviews a song that I have been listening to for decades, because her insights allow me to hear it fresh, in a way that I have never heard it before; to appreciate it with a new depth of understanding. Thank you Elizabeth.
This song was recorded in 1968 and some people believe the lyrics reference a conversation between Jesus on the cross and the thief - a very serious topic for a song. Jimi's interpretation of this Bob Dylan classic was brought to unheard of heights with ground breaking guitar work and over all sound conception. I'm so glad you took the time to examine this masterpiece .
have read a number of theories about this song and have also heard that Bob changed his story about this song from time to time
It’s just a breath taking piece of music, the feel of it, the tones Jimi uses, the little pieces of soul he creates with that guitar is brilliant. The little riffs he uses like after “I can’t get no relief” is just perfection.
For how legendary this man is, a lot of people don't realize how much he struggled and was mistreated in his life, even after he became famous.
What do you mean by mistreated? The racism or the fact that he hung around Mafia dudes?
Bloody well right; he travelled to England to escape American race prejudices that were denying him the kind of success he knew he could have. Thankfully, England never had slaves on their own soil, and while there were still racist persons in England, they were a relatively quiet few-especially among the young people, which is why he enjoyed such success and adoration there.
@@riphopfer5816There were particular Music/Art scenes and communities in England that he felt more comfortable being in. He could sequitur himself within it there easier was the driving force.
@rigel2112 Yes he was but not until Chas Chandler of The Animals became his manager and brought him to England where his first album was recorded. In America racism gives way to fame, the ultimate leveller. When Nat King Cole had his American TV show he often looked a bit odd and that was because the producers insisted on plastering him with makeup to lighten his face so he would be acceptable to the white audience. Don't get me wrong, we have racists here too but they're generally less in your face (literally in this case) about it.
@@riphopfer5816
He could have went to Motown records and been a hit overnight. (If he was willing to sell out and sound exactly like they would have wanted him to.)
That extra high pitched sound you hear in the intro is the percussion instrument “the vibraslap”. It looks sort of like a wooden cowbell with a line of rattlers inside, all attached to a striker ball via a rigid bent bar.
It can also be heard in "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne, "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith, "Closer to the Heart,” by Rush, and ”Orange Crush" by R.E.M.
In this song (All along the Watchtower) the vibraslap is being played by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones.
Hope this helps.
omg thank youuuuuu for reminding me what that instrument's called!! i was about to google 'wooden cowbell' LOL
My favourite episode so far, thank you for doing this. I gained insights into one of my biggest musical heroes that had not occurred to me in my 51 years to date.. brought tears to my eyes
Thank you. I know how it look like but I didn't know the name.
The vibraslap comes in on the third beat of a four beat bar, which is interesting. Also interesting is that the rythmn on 12 string guitar is palyed by Dave Mason
Mr. Hendrix was totally in touch of his instrument; he knew exactly what he could do with it and when to do it. His notes were so exact and smooth; he was singing with his guitar as well as with his voice. So natural and relaxed...
I never saw Hendrix live (I was only 14 when he died) but listening to his live recordings he really gave an impression of quiet confidence -- confidence with self-deprecating humor rather than bragging. He really gives the impression that he was at his happiest playing the guitar and singing.
relaxed yes, that proved his complete control.
The two people I've noticed with that relaxed ease with their instrument were Hendrix and Itzhak Perlman. Their hands while they play are mesmerizing.
I'm sure you're right. You can hear it in the music. @@MalnatiFamily
One thing you will notice if you listen to a lot Jimi is he never made a sound in the studio he couldn’t replicate live. The way he used his thumb to play a bass rhythm while playing chords and leads was insanity.
Love your analysis, not only of Jim's playing but also his singing. . The way he brings out emotions with both. . You can hear them and explain them for people who may have heard this a thousand times, but perhaps only on a superficial level. You are helping them learn to appreciate it even more.
Thanks!
Little wing, wind cries Mary, voodoo child are all some really great songs by Jimi. Both lyrically and with his incredible guitar playing. Especially in Little Wing
Totally agree.
I really, really wish that those songs had been suggested instead of his Dylan cover if they wanted her to experience his guitar playing. What a missed opportunity..
The opening to Little Wing is basically a religious experience to me. Hair on arms stands up every. single. TIME!
Ya little wing and machine gun have a amazing guitar 🎸 riffs thats one thing whith Jimmy best left hand guitarists ever it fit that time so good for 68 its to bad will never half new music like this again
Regarding "Little Wing." The song is literally impossible to have been predicted. AI will never produce anything nearly as remarkable. It's solely a Hendrix invention and a miracle. Now, every guitarist has his or her own take on the song. Stevie Ray Vaughan's interpretation is among the best of the more than 50(!) versions I've heard so far. Hendrix was a unique visionary who saw colors in his music, and heard more in his head than he was physically able to play. It's been more than 50 years and I still mourn his passing. He gave us just a glimpse and was gone.
If you're interested to hear more from him, I would strongly suggest "Little wing". This one short but such a gem! Stevie Ray has a longer version too if you're interested
Stevie's version doesn't contain vocals though, which probably makes it a no go for a vocal analyst!
@@ChippyL93there may not be vocals, vut there's definitely singing. Stevie's guitar is absolutely singing in Little Wing.
@@craenor of course! I absolutely adore SRV's version
Talking to a salesman when the SRV Strat came out. He said listening to Stevie's "Little Wing" was like going to church. : )
I think SRV doing little wing is much like this song in that the guy who covered the song took it to new heights. Although SRV version with no vocals, even though SRV made his guitar sing, might not be best for vocal reaction but that said I'd love to see it
Dylan's lyrics are mythic poetry, and Jimi's voice and guitar are a shamanic journey into their depth. This recording is like a vision on a mountain top.
Love this comment.
Oh so true.
Love your comment!
'A Merman I Should Turn To Be' is one you should check out. You headphones will take you to a new realm, it sways back and forth like no other song I've ever heard. Jimi was a magic musician, like no other. Still my all time favotite tune.
Precomputers
God I love 1983, the way a mermaid should be. It's crazy that Jimi created songs like this on the equivalent of a 4 track!
One of his best compositions with beautiful guitar and drumming work.
I continue supporting that channel so that:
a) I get a detailed analysis of songs I've always know but only knew on a surface level, and
b) so that Elizabeth catches up on classic songs she inexplicably missed somehow. She has to stop the song every few seconds just to explain something, and she stills immediately enjoy it on a deeper level than I ever did. It's like we're setting her up on dates, and she falls in love (almost) every time.
Many guitarists in rock bands at the time were stunned by what Hendrix was doing. The quality of his vocals I've always been amazed at, so clear as you point out, so expressive in a relaxed kind of way, and then the passion rings out. That leading riff intro into the song is probably my favorite in rock and roll, and so iconic.
Couldn't agree more!
He stated in several interviews that he HATED his own voice and originally wanted to find a singer for his band, but Chas Chandler wouldn't allow it (he certainly knew his voice was unique and special).
Jimi was an underrated singer - even by himself. He was so self-conscious about his singing that he would insist on not being seen while he did it in the studio. "All Along the Watchtower" features his singing and playing with some aggression and power but for me his best moments (again both singing and playing) are the delicate ones.
"Little Wing" and "Drifting" are both lovely songs with nuanced and heartfelt performances. They reflect the side of him that got lost in his explosion on the music scene in 1967. He was famous for his aggressive pyrotechnics on the guitar but, in truth, he was a quiet and gentle man who had a lot of depth. His later music really shows his true nature coming to the fore after he got bored being the wild man on stage.
Who ever unrated Jimis voice? Why do people say that? Ridiculous.
only underrated by those who do not know,
Little Wing was also apparently the inspiration for Mike McCready to write the song Yellow Ledbetter for Pearl Jam. Once I read that, it's had not to make the comparison
All so true. I believe he started feeling better about his singing after a couple albums.
Another song that showcases his singing is Castles Made of Sand.
@@MichaelGalok so true!!
Hendrix has always been my favorite. He's often been copied, but never duplicated. You can hear a definite difference between himself and others. Listening to this song today, I was struck at how his singing sounds like someone narrating the action as it happens while running alongside. Very powerful to hear.
Yes, narrating the words is very fitting, it is almost like a ghost alongside the musical instruments.
The “sharper sound” that you’re wondering about 01:51 - 02:15 is a percussion instrument called a vibraslap. It was played by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones!
Side note, you can change the duration of the buzz, by screwing the rattle in or out on the shaft. Pops up a lot in music if you listen for it.
Thank you I’ve always loved the sound it makes but never knew what it was
@@18jutt90 It's also prominent in Joe Cocker's version of Feelin' Alright, for one.
She has no idea. It takes a wolf to identify a wolf
There’s the old tale of Aerosmith having a vibraslap break in the intro of “Sweet Emotion” and they left it in the recording, More recently one was put to prominent use by seemingly every song by Cake.
Jimi was a master of the guitar, but he was also a master of sound. His bends, his tone, the textures he used, everything was so creative, so precise, and so perfect for each song. The care and nuance he put into his music definitely make him my favorite guitarist.
Without computers!
he had a rare combo: quick perception & feeling for ages, he didnt make it look like childs play I truly believe thats exactly what it was for him RIP
Elizabeth, that reverberating sound at the end of each bar in the beginning of the song, that sound that you couldn't identify, is a vibraslap. It's a percussion instrument -- basically, a wooden ball attached by a wire to a small wooden box filled with metal teeth. You hold the box in the palm of your hand, slap the ball against the box with it with your other hand, and the metal teeth rattle inside the box to create the sound. It's the modern version of an ancient instrument called a jawbone that used, literally, the jawbone of a donkey, with the loose teeth attached to the jaw creating the distinctive rattle.
The interesting thing about the use of the vibraslap at the beginning of "All Along the Watchtower" is the person playing it: Brian Jones, the ill-fated guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of the Rolling Stones, who, like Jimi Hentrix, was fated to become a member of the infamous 27 Club -- the surprisingly large group of rock legends who each died when they were 27 years old.
one other thing that was used on this was an old 12 string that Jimmi found laying around
When I think back ... I was 17 and a drummer in a garage band ... listening to Hendrix the first time was just mind-blowing. Like, you had to be there to fully appreciate how I felt. Thanks for doing this song
Fun Fact: Hendrix, against the wishes of his recording engineer, would often wear and play his guitar (unplugged) while recording his vocals in the studio. If you ever find isolated audio of his vocals you can hear him strumming. He felt uncomfortable singing without it. His guitar was an extension of his voice, and vise versa. Just amazing how connected he was to his guitar
I find I'm similar. I find it easier to sing with a guitar in my hands.
Also, if I recall correctly, Jimi was kicked out of the military because they couldn't get him to do anything if he didn't have access to a guitar.
It's very possible he was on the spectrum (like me).
@@bareakonI don’t know about the military, but I’ve heard it said he described sounds as colors and textures. So there are strong odds he was on the spectrum. At least imo. But I am no expert either.
@@cmatte82 Well... LSD can also contribute to synesthesia. Maybe it was both.
@@bareakones, I often find myself thinking to myself how similar Hendrix is to you 😘
@@p3x1967 yeah that can do it too. Haha.
His version of the "Star Spangled Banner" is my favorite. And "Purple Haze" is my favorite song by him. He has so many great performances. What a legend.
His rendition of the national anthem is one that can’t be topped, IMO.
I was gonna suggest that she watch his live performance of the national Anthem from Woodstock. Pure beauty IMHO.
Elizabeth would lose her mind if she were to react to Jimi’s version of the National Anthem. So much going on in that masterpiece.
Jimi's live performance of "Sargent Pepper, With Paul MAcCartney and George Harrison, ( and many other '60s era British invasion stars) in the audience. Not long enough to do a deep dive, but a lot of fun for a short performance.
Technical proficiency is not all that constitutes greatness. Jimi translates soul. Mind blowing.
Then you never heard Jimi play jazz
I don’t believe that I disparaged his talent at all. Does Jimi perform jazz poorly?
This is my very favorite Hendrix song. I think the guitar work on this is some of his very best. I got to see him live in 1970, just a short time before he passed away. I was struck by his playing and the fact the his hands were barely moving and there was a flurry of notes coming out of the speakers. I attribute this to the fact that he knew his neck so well he could play things like that in one position on the fret board. He was phenomenal but he left us so much too soon.
Greatest cover tune in history.
Jimi... a man taken before his time 😔.. he could sing song without saying a damn word all with his guitar, pure talent ❤
Here’s the beautiful thing about your videos:
Many times, I think, “Boy, I wish I could experience this [movie | book | song | painting | etc] for the first time again!” It’s not possible, of course. But not only do your videos give me that experience by _you_ reacting, you give me reason to revisit (and gain better appreciation of) so much of the music I have been listening to since I was a teen. It’s wonderful, and I thank you for it.
I love your take on this, my favorite song of all time. It will be played at my funeral, as I will then have found "some kind of way out of here" - in a very good way - 😊 - with Jimi Hendrix!
The song has a long history, but I always loved the bit where Jimi was so shy to release it, as it was written by the great Bob Dylan. However, Bob embraced Jimi's version and even gifted the copyright to the Hendrix estate and has played it in the Hendrix vein ever since (even saying "This is a song by Jimi Hendrix."). Hats off to two of the really greats.
A song that captures the genius of two people, Jimi’s musical abilities and Dylan’s songwriting and lyrics.
Absolutely!
Wind Cries Mary is a must listen. Theres so much poetry in it. And if you like the blues, Red House is a great song too.
I agree with this! Wind Cries Mary is my favorite Hendrix song. Cheers!
And I agree about Red House coz I do like the Blues. Did you know that the version on the UK release of the album is different than the American release? Also UK Red House was a mono version although I later found a stereo version, I think on a compilation. I prefer the UK version.
Wind Cries Mary - yes, yes, yes,
@@Russ_Keith I did not know that. Looks like I've got some listening to do.
@@Russ_Keith and for the live version: San Diego Sports Arena '69 .... man, oh man ...
Jimi was an absolute force of creativity and talent. The things he was able to create in the studio were absolutely groundbreaking - especially considering many of the recording studios at the time were using 4 and 8 track tape. Many of his live performances are worth checking out, but I'd say the Band of Gypsys was his best - especially "Machine Gun", which is a 12 minute masterpiece that will give you chills and goosebumps.
I love Band of Gypsys, but man, Buddy Miles's vocal adlibs (especially during "Who Knows") are so freakin' annoying!
@@DinsdalePiranha67 Ditto! And I really think Mitch (R.I.P.) was a far more better fit for Jimi's guitar playing ...
@@DinsdalePiranha67 Yeah - I admit he was a bit over the top at times on that album.
The ""Hawaiian"" part is one of the first recordings to popularize use of the Wah Wah pedal. Also Jimi and his Sound engineer Eddie Kramer developed that "panning" sound you hear. Its called Stereophonic Phasing and on his albums Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland were the first ever recordings to use this technique. It was done at Electric Ladyland Studios in New York in 1967 and 1968. No computers, they rewound the tapes by hand and overlayed them with slight delay to create the sound of the music going from one side of the speakers to the other
I dearly love Hendrix, and I have to correct this writers' mistakes in his technical descriptions. I am a professional musician, and producer, and engineer. I have been to school and know the physics of recording etc. that said ......the " hawaiian part" was done with Jimi's ring used as a SLIDE guitar, not a wah-wah pedal that comes in in the 3rd section of the Jimmy and Eddie did develop the wider use of panning...which I'll explain as I address his final error.... what this is NOT is stereo phasing...phase shifting is a totally different. Phasing is what we call a modulation effect because it is the result of a time delay ...panning is not that .......The song Axis bold as Love does feature the 1st use of stereo phasing when the main solo ends and that drum solo enters and to the end of the song. The way you make the sound go from "side to side" is very simple and has nothing to do with messing with the tape. simplest way to explain is ...remember your old stereo??? it had a knob along with the volume knob that said balance ...and you always set it in the middle, so you heard the record in proper stereo .... that is called a pan pot pan stands for "panorama" it moves the sound on that channel "clockwise" left to right or vise-versa. That is how it's done also when you make records ......where this fellow got his info is, well incorrect. And since Jimi and Eddie were so amazingly innovative, I feel it was necessary to explain what they really did properly instead, of nonsense. They were too good to deserve less.
@@terryutain9897 I've always heard he played the slide part with a lighter. Do you happen to have a citation that it was his ring? Great breakdown on the recording techniques.
That very liquid, upfront and 'present' sound Jimi is getting on his lead guitar is definitely an Echoplex! He's got it dialed in with only a slight bit of echo, but in doing that it really makes every nuance of the lead guitar 'speak' and gives it an extremely fluid effect. And it's the bigger than life tone of the Echoplex preamp as much as it is the echo effect that makes this great sound! Echoplex was a "Magic Box" in so many ways...out of this world!
yes, and the wah parts were kind of re amped in the studio by the legendary Eddie Kramer, that's what gives them that extra oomf. Van Halen used an echoplex as well its famously how the long dive bomb at the end of Eruption is played by slowing the speed as the note is sounding it drops the pitch.
And the wah wah pedal.
Not sure the Echoplex existed in the 60's. We had fuzz box and wah wah pedals, lipstick case for doing slides, and the tremolo bar on strats. But my mind was in a purple haze back then, so there's that. Now there are distortion pedals for blues harps (which I played back then), which is incredible. Listen to the Jimmy Page solo on You Shook Me (Zep's 1st album) if you want to hear masterful guitar distortion.
All Along the Watchtower is on the Watchmen movie soundtrack. And it’s the most perfect timing for a song. When Jimi sings “”2 riders were approaching and the wind began to howl” two characters are riding across the Antarctic ice to approach the bad guy’s fortress. Just perfect.
Wait? He was the bad guy? He was just a firm believer in Darwinism.
That was straight out of the comic. The end of every issue of Watchmen quoted a poem, song, or what-not. All Along the Watchtower quoted at the end of of issue 11, which ended with Rorschach and Nite Owl approaching Adrian Veidt's fortress.
@@DoleoSeorsum Who are you talking about?
@@rottensquid I am not convinced Adrian was a villain. He just believed in Darwinism.
@@DoleoSeorsum I don't really care what he believed. What he did was irredeemable, fundamental evil.
He came up in a time when musical instruction and orthodoxy was super stodgy so all of this was new and revolutionary. People will never stop digging this. I love it!
This woman is amazing and an encourage,ent. An encouragement that some one intelligent is listening, comprehending and appreciating what is being offered. This woman is a treasure.
Jimi sang very much like he spoke. He had that ultra-cool, smooth hipster delivery, and seemed to luxuriate on particular words and thoughts. He would also roll off the ends of words and phrases just the way he does here, where the pitch slides down at the end.
Jimi’s whole persona/vibe along w his music was the ultimate !! He was so cool !! The coolest cat around !!
Jimi created music with his voice and guitar that will last for centuries. I thought it was great when elizabeth said something about motzart or beethoven. Jimis guitar music was symphonious
Jimi Hendrix is like the big bang of the rock guitar. I can’t wait until you get to see him do his thing live too. Speaking of the “big bang”, his performance of Wild Thing at Monterrey Pops festival was his welcome back home gig that Paul McCartney helped bring about when the Beatles couldn’t make it. Talk about an amazing suggestion. It’s the type of performance that solidified the guitar god archetype.
You know, we spend so much time marveling over Hendrix's guitar (rightfully so), it is great to spend time appreciating the charisma of his voice. This really is such a great example of how wonderful his vocal performance was. ❤❤
This song is perfect from start to finish. A+ Material. This one is engrained in my memory to where I hear it nearly anytime I have it triggered.
I'm happy that you recognize the value of this. Thank you for giving respect.
Love to listen to his vocals on things like "Wind Cries Mary", "Fly on My Sweet Angel", etc. Crosstown traffic is another great one; they're all great😁
Wind Cries Mary and Little Wing were always my favourites. Extraordinarily expressive
Yes, Wind Cries Mary
Wind Cries Mary is heartbreaking.
ammmmmmaaaaazing songs
I was thinking the same thing!
One of the greatest rhythm sections in rock and rol history. Took me a very long time to really appreciate Hendrix, I was all about the precise and clean players and didn't realise just how much there was to be appreciated in players who let rip and let the idea run loose.
Phenomenal song and talent. This song always feels mystical to me, like it's coming through from another dimension. It worked so perfectly in Battlestar Galactica for that reason.
Not bad for a power trio that was put together in less than a month. Thank you Chas Chandler.
So say we all!
@@andrewm78 so say we all...
His great voice goes with the great voice and great band wow
The song on Electric Ladyland that gives me goose bumps is 1983 ( A Mermaid I Should Turn To Be ). It's a long song but a minute or so in he plays this tasty powerful riff and builds off it. Then throws this frazzled lead over it. Absolutely genius. He lays you back then wakes you up and shakes you.
This song is in my top 3 of all time Hendrix songs
1983 was the first song on my "Dive" playlist for my underwater MP3 player... Amazing to listen to when dropping onto the Sea Tiger off the south shore of Oahu...
1983 has his signature haunting melody line, as does 3rd stone from the sun.
Thats what other guitarist lack even when they master his technique , they don't have his imagination because they're too focused on the method.
Agree. 1983 has at least three of the best cords played ever on a guitar.
One of my favorite songs of his. He accentuates what he says with his guitar. It’s like an affirmation, too cool!
You gotta hear a live performance of Hendrix to truly get his genius. Specifically the song "Machine Gun" from the Band of Gypsy's live album. It's also about Vietnam and the guitar work on it puts you right in the middle of a warzone. It's incredible. Brings tears to the eyes.
Machine Gun...my absolute all time favorite guitar performance.
Absolutely spot on. The song is a combination of guitar playing genius and emotion. The sounds Jimi made are incredible given that there were no digital effects in those days.
I think ‘Machine Gun” is the best live guitar ever committed to record. Just amazing.
I've been listening to Jimi since the minute the album first hit the store... watching you FEEL the nuances of his voice and guitar brought tears to me eyes. I love what you do here. You're brilliant. Keep it up. Thank you! 🙏
Thanks too! Glad too hear that! ❤️
The thing with that last guitar note is that he has restrained going to the high octave root note for the whole song, so it is really satisfying / emotional / powerful when he finally uses it.
Your analogy of a chef adding different flavors was spot on. This album was recorded with one of the first multi-track reel to reel recorders, so you are actually hearing Jimi adding overdubs. Before this, an overdub went over the original tape and if it didn't work, you had to scrap the whole thing and start over. The part you liked before the Wah Wah you said 'I think that was made with guitar... and some kind of cool harmony...' , was Jimi overdubbing a slide guitar part on several strings of a 12-string electric guitar, creating a slide effect with harmony. I think he used a double A battery for the slide on this one.
This song was the lead-in to the big showdown in The Watchmen, and was the melody that activated the sleeper-Cylons in Battlestar Galactica.
Coming in from the solo, his vocal entrance note is the resolution. Simply Brilliant. You will love Voodoo Chile
Apparently some guy in America was telling someone in London the title of Jimmy's new song Voodoo Child, but he misheard and wrote Voodoo Chile. That title remained in the UK.
@@richardbrown9760 Voodoo Chile is a slow blues 15 minutes long. It was too long for the album so Hendrix made it shorter (and a bit faster) 6 minutes long that fit the album. The shorter version is called Voodoo Child (Slight Return).
But yes, I have also seen some people call the short version Voodoo Chile.
@@richardbrown9760I mean “chile “ pronounced like “child” without the “D” at the end is a common way to pronounce child in American black culture
I once read that he hated his own voice and was embarrassed by it…I love it and think it’s as beautiful as his guitar playing
His vocals on The Wind Cries Mary are superb.
the story I heard was that Jimi did not like his own voice and avoided singing until her heard Bob Dylan sing.
@@fumitakahayashi exactly! very inspired by Dylan. And of course Jimi's version of "All Along the Watchtower", I think, is THE version.
@@Kendrix_76 It's been said that Dylan himself said that Jimi's was the best version.
TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU HE HAD A SPECTACULAR VOICE FOR HIS GUITAR PLAYING !!!!
the little wall-e comment and mimicking the sound of it just made me even more of a fan of you. love the work. you do such a great job in explaining/analyzing. :) keep up the great work!
I literally was listening to Jimi last night and was thinking Elizabeth should do a Jimi video! There's the guitar god aspect, of course, but Jimi's vocals are CRIMINALLY underrated.
I don’t know why but this song chokes me up so much! Jimi has been my biggest influence since I was 5 when I started playing, there’s tears in my eyes just listening to his short solos. He might not be the greatest singer ever, but man he could play with soul, something that music neglects these days
The perfect starting point for Jimi. Every solo is inspired and unique. There’s so much other songs of his that are equally enjoyable.
Great analysis. I've listened to this song countless times since my teen years in the 70's and you pointed out things I'd never noticed on a first listen.
That lead in the middle sounds like four different guitarist. What is even more impressive is that the base tone of the amp does not seem to be significantly altered. Mr. Hendrix used a slide for one section and the wah-wah pedal for another section.
I love the insight you bring to all of these performances. Comparing Hendrix to a chef, but one who is manipulating words and sounds rather than food, is brilliant and makes me appreciate the masterpiece even more. Thank you.
If your diving further into Jimi, Voodoo Child is my favorite and simply cannot be played loud enough. I always thought Crosstown Traffic was very underrated as well - awesome that he used a homemade kazoo (comb and cellophane) to double the guitar and get the sound he wanted.
Yeah, Crosstown Traffic is one of my favorites and Mitch Mitchell is killing it on drums in that song. Very fun song.
Voodoo Chile 😊
I love Crosstown Traffic, too.
Yeah, cross town traffic, manic depression, and love or confusion..... 3 criminally underrated songs
@@wanderer0617 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo_Chile#Confusion_over_title
Word. On both of those songs.
Jimi is playing the bass on that track too. That's my favorite song. So nice to see you reacting to this masterpiece.
since i was a child i love that song, somehow... never watched someone analyzing it, i feared it would lose its magic to me...but you did manage to make it not lose it...instead you helped me to find out things i never ever heard in 40 something years....
Wow! Starting the week off with two short list all-time classics. Elizabeth is on a roll!
Excellent analysis! This is one of my fav's from back in the day and it still gives me the same chills now as it did then The guitar cuts through you like a knife. What an absolute master he was. Thank you!
Shannon Hoon is the most underrated vocalists out of the 90's and it feels almost criminal that I've not heard you cover him. His voice was so good and was sang with such soul, he'll move you with it. And the way he was able to hide such depressing lyrics in such beautiful music made him a chameleon and able to do it all these years later still makes him relevant. Please, give Blind Melon Mother or change a listen and let him blow your mind.
Yeah, man. Shannon was it..😞
No rain was my fav.
So good to listen to this masterpiece by Jimi. His stated artistic goal was to communicate ideas and emotions clearly and explicitly with sound. He came as close as anyone ever has, probably closer than anyone else I've ever heard. And not just because he could talk with his guitar (Once he made it say "Thank you!" after a song in Winterland, I started listening for more; and I do believe I heard more speech from it). Besides this song, I feel he got there with songs like Little Wing, May This Be Love, Are You Experienced?, and many others. IMHO, the under-appreciated musical journey from the shore out to the deep sea in 1983: A Merman I Shall Turn To Be ranks with Beethoven's Pastoral 6th symphony, for conveying a sense of place. Just riding the sensations this music stirs up in your body is probably as rewarding a way to spend some time today as anything else a person could do. Thanks, Elizabeth, and all y'all.
Great post. 1983 is possibly my favorite song ever. The emotion, imagination, and haunting melody. I find it impossible to explain the affect I feel when listening to it. An awesome song. It is underrated and not understood by people. Thank you.
@@briandunn4166 Izabella from Woodstock is mine.
This may have been one of the best reviews you have ever done! Simply fantastic!
I still remember the first time I heard this on the radio. I was sitting in the back seat of my mates vw at Cabramatta railway station. We were stunned and sat there in amazement. The dj had also played it for the first time and immediately played it again. Amazing track.
You know, I've listened to this song countless times and never get tired of it, and yet when Elizabeth is reacting and analyzing what she is hearing, as always, I end up hearing something new. Her description of how Jimi is hitting a pitch and then moving off of it rather quickly made me think that Jimi was channeling his inner Bob Dylan at times in his vocal delivery. Am I crazy, or was Jimi making a deliberate choice there?
You are not crazy.
Every time I hear this song, all I can hear is Jimi using Dylan's vocal style. It's hard to tell until you listen to a lot of Bob Dylan and then go back to it. Then it's all you can hear.
No you’re not crazy,Jimi sang in his sloppy Bob Dylan voice on purpose.
Fire beyond the shit
@@christianhebditchthe
Your breakdown of this classic was superb. You helped me hear this song for the first time despite me having heard it about 10,000 times already.
Your analysis of Hendrix was just simply outstanding. I just can’t put words to it. Thank you so much. So much so I had to subscribe.
Saw him live in concert in Kansas City. Played one part of a song with his teeth (yes his teeth), and another behind his back. The whole concert remains a vivid joyous vision of exquisite performance and emotion. Long may he wave...
It's a gimmick , he's actually doing hammer ons and pull offs with his hand while pretending he's playing with his teeth. That would be REALLY REALLY uncomfortable to do with one's teeth and you'd need to have incredibly buck, protruding teeth to even do that😊
I had tickets to see him in St. Louis in 1970, but we were 1 of 3 cities that got canceled 'due to illness'...Fuck!
Do you remember where in KC? The first Hendrix I ever remember being exposed to was my parents records, Rare Hendrix and Jimi Hendrix In The West. I think those were bootlegs. It was '71...and I was 6yrs. old. My dad says he saw him but I don't remember where. I wonder if it was at the old Municipal Stadium where the KC Athletics played before they moved to Oakland. Memorial Hall maybe? What do you remember about that concert?
@@allenlocke1935 It was October 30th 1969 at sold out Municipal Auditorium.
@@FENicholson Thanks for responding:)
I've seen a few shows there, but nothing that epic!
This version is one of my first memories of life because my dad would (and still does blare it). I would always be so utterly mesmerized when I was little. Hearing it still takes me back to that pleasant time of life. Seeing your entire thought process about this masterpiece is a delight.
The point about how a singer's style often reflects their instrument is fascinating; I had never noticed that. Jimi's voice is unique and special but often overshadowed by his innovative and expressive guitar playing. The dominant 7#9 chord on guitar is now universally known as the "Hendrix chord". His approach to the guitar creates a distinct and powerful atmosphere that can influence your mentality, and his voice compliments it. Thank you for appreciating him.
Love your enthusiasm for Hendrix's version of this song. Jimi's expressive voice is often overlooked due to his brilliant guitar playing, but they are so harnomious together.
I love the way Jimi could make a guitar sing, he gave the instrument a voice. There are a lot of amazing guitarists in our history on up to present, but there will never be another Jimi.
This is how I tried explaining Jimi’s playing to my grandfather in 1970
Great reaction and it's definitely a great introduction to Jimi Hendrix since it has so much of Hendrix's arranging and composition expression, both in his voice and guitar. His different tonalities and flavors of the sounds he can make with his guitar, with his voice and both combined.
Amazing reaction and analysis as always, thank you so much!!!
I enjoy watching someone get excited about the music I've loved for years. With your education, training, and your natural childlike charm your commentary gave me a new insight on this song. It is one of those songs that got played so much that it has become a faded old masterpiece. Thank you for an enjoyable post.
It's a delight to see her react and comment on the artists we grew up listening to. It was a special time indeed.
I've just found your Channel and am enjoying it. I won't comment much but on Jimi Hendrix I do have to say a couple of things. Jimi Hendrix was groundbreaking in his guitar playing and ushered in the Psychedelic era of rock music. A person born today, hearing all the new songs and then hearing Jimi Hendrix probably would not be impressed because after Jimi we were all given part of his DNA. In every musician who came after that carried a little bit of Jimi's DNA with them into their music. But for those who understand how radical his playing was back in the day they understand the groundbreaking chances he took in his music. If you really want to enjoy Jimi you should watch his live performances. Hearing his music and watching him at the same time is incredible. After this song you should listen to Purple Haze and then when you're ready watch his performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock. You will never be the same.
Thinking of the loss the world suffered when Jimi died still makes me cry today. He could have changed the world.
he did change the world
How do you know he didn't self extinguish like Kurt Cobain? You write of the world suffering which seems to be excessive exaggeration in my opinion. Wasn't his so called music underground criminal junky music? So there may have been a lot of people in The World who did not want some one as sick as he was being any form of role model for their children. So some may have thought. 'Another one bites the dust. And another one gone'. He sang also the song of the notorius heroin user Bob Dylan and sang lyrics such as 'There are some among us who think life is but a joke'. More gabbage lyrics by a drug abuser who redily destroys his with illegal drugs his normal sense or reality. So if that was what he thought was reality then in reality why would some or every one think or imagine his death was a tragic loss? More junkies die than the norm. Just a fact of life and fact of drug abuse. Same with alcohol. The facts are known before the person becomes a drunkard druggy alcoholic. So whilst it is a tragedy when they die or if found dead. Why grive as that was basically what they wanted. Some exit licence from reality.
@@MikeGreenwood51 Boy, are you going to get flamed on here for that baseless hatred .......
He did change the world. Problem is he was an alcoholic and drug addict. Living longer would have just been him suffering going in and out of spirals until he eventually died.
@@Pix2GoStudios So far he's been ignored. I actually feel bad for him. I would hate to have such ugly thoughts come so readily to my mind, ya know? And then be the type of person to post it thinking I'm the righteous one... wow.
Your analysis and breakdown of Hendrix’s guitar playing is superb!!! I don’t think anyone could’ve done it better!!! 💚💚
Just as good today as it was 50+ years ago. This was his only song that made it to the top 10, but, his catalog is full of wonderful, innovative guitar. Always loved his voice.
That 'pleading' single string lead at the end, that takes us out, is simply amazing.
Exactly. No noodling solo nor wasted notes. Remember what the Archduke said to Mozart, "Too many notes, Mozart. Cut a few and it'll be perfect!"
I NEVER tire of this song.
One of my absolute favorites.
To The Charismatic Voice, thank you for this examination of such a magnificent song!!!
I am so glad I found this channel. You are amazing at bringing out the nuances of the music. Can I recommend exploring Linda Ronstadt. To me, she had one of the most beautiful and versatile voices ever. I would love to hear your analysis
Younger people probably don't realize that there were only three people on stage in his concerts and that the electronics of the day consisted of a fuzztone, a Swiss Echo (don't think Jimi used one), the reverb springs in amps, and most amps had an electronic tremolo. What you were hearing was Jimi on guitar, Noel on base and Mitch on drums - that's it. Jimi played a normal guitar left-handed. Seeing them live was absolutely amazing. You should do Purple Haze next!
SRV
He used pedals and whammy. But perfectly to the song he plays.
"Pedals didn't exist, fuzztones had one button, and when I saw him in person, there was nothing else. It was an interesting subject for my because I made the electronics and speaker systems for my band. I don't remember seeing one, but he might have used a WahWah pedal as they existed by then. His fingers were his whammy - he broke strings a lot and kept playing. The lead guitar in my band traveled with him a tuner on summer and they would hand him a new guitar when too many strings broke - usually between songs.
OMG! You just nailed it on that last sustained guitar note - its like hes asking for someone to hear him... if you go through his catalogue - you''ll find a lot of those moments - he had this way of sounding both triumphant and utterly defeated. He didint have an easy life - he was one of those folks that felt like an alien - alone in a crowd - and when folks heard him play - and folks started making money from his passion - too much too soon. He was only 27 when he died. Look at all the music that cat made - not to mention the studio he built in NYC thats still in use today - all before the age of 27. He was in talks with Miles Davis about doing a project together... can you imagine??
Bold as love is one of my favorite jimi songs where he uses colors to describe emotions it's incredible
Bold as Love is one of my all time favorite songs. The guitar at the end is beyond amazing.
Thanks for the reminder.
Elizabeth, you are making your way through the guitarists that make their guitars "sing", pitch bends and all. You've done David Gilmore (Pink Floyd), Randy Rhoads (Ozzy), Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), now Jimi Hendrix, a pioneering guitarist that was left handed and played the guitar upside down, but stringing was NOT upside down for left hand play. Keep going, more artists that make their guitar "sing"
I vote for Mark Knopfler, J. J. Cale or Rory Gallagher next!
@@user-pv8xk6yd2q Thanks, I will update my comment to reflect your added info.
Don't forget Jeff Beck - Elizabeth has covered him (slightly)
I vote for Gary Moore, one of the best guitar players ever.
@@AdmiralDonkey Rory, either Shadow Play or Bullfrog Blues!
What made this song awesome was in the third solo you’ve got the first solo with his normal solo tone,then the clean slide with heavy compression, wah wah and then the rythym solo just amazing!
Jimi's brilliance with the guitar and with crafting a soundscape are indisputable, but his voice really gets me too. It feels warm and friendly to me, like sitting by a campfire as a dear friend relates an incredible story. He conveys so much emotion, which to me is the whole point of music.