Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile

At the end of April and beginning of May 1968 The Jimi Hendrix Experience were recording their third and last album Electric Ladyland. The work took place in Record Plant Studios In New York.

Usually after recording the musicians would go to some club for jam sessions. The 2nd of May was no exception. The bass player Noel Reading had an argument with Hendrix and went home, so Hendrix went to a club with the drummer Mitch Mitchell. In the club they met Steve Winwood from the band Traffic and Jack Casady, who played the bass in the group Jefferson Airplane. The four began a jam session. The jam turned into a 15-minute-long composition:

Voodoo Chile.

Hendrix applied so-called wah-wah-heavy guitar technique. His inspiration was the way Muddy Waters played the guitar in the song called 'Rollin` Stone' (a changed version of the famous 'Catfish Blues', which Hendrix recorded in his first album).

After the jam Hendrix invited everyone to a studio to record 'Voodoo Chile'. In this way the last composition of the album was recorded by a partly different crew than the rest.

The recording was finished in the morning, on the 3rd of May. To make it sound live around 20 people were invited into the studio and they created the desired background.

_{Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland}

Hendrix’s performance in Voodoo Chile took 11th position in Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos ranking.

Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Chile

This is what Joe Satriani said about this Hendrix’s solo, which was his favourite: “It’s just the greatest piece of guitar work ever recorded. In fact, the whole song could be considered the holy grail of guitar expression and technique. It is a beacon of humanity.”

Kenny Wayne Shepherd was also fascinated by Hendrix’s performance: “This is pretty much the guitar anthem of all time. From that amazing opening riff to the way he breaks it down in the middle and gets funky, the whole thing is incredible. There are things Jimi did on the guitar that humans just can’t do. You can try all day, even if you’re playing the right notes, it’s not the same. It definitely seems as if he was coming from a higher place when he played.”

Not many musicians ventured to perform this piece and measure up to Hendrix’s mastery.. There weren’t many guitarist who were capable enough. One of those, who had their own interpretation of Voodoo Chile was Stevie Ray Vaughan. It doesn’t surprise me. In my opinion SRV was almost as good a guitarist as Hendrix himself.

_{Vodoo Chile}

Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile, lyrics

Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I stand up next to a mountain,
Chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island,
Might even raise just a little sand.
cause Im a voodoo chile,
Lord knows Im a voodoo chile, baby.

I didnt mean to take up all your sweet time,
Ill give it right back to you one of these days.
I said I didnt mean to take up all your sweet time,
Ill give it right back one of these days.
And if I dont meet you no more in this world
Then ill, Ill meet you in the next one and dont be late, dont be late.
cause Im a voodoo chile, voodoo chile,
Lord knows Im a voodoo chile, hey hey hey.
Im a voodoo chile, baby.