Jimi Hendrix + Stevie Ray Vaughan

Jimi was always one of Bob Dylan’s greatest admirers. His mates used to take him the piss for looking up to a white folk singer. Here’s the result: simply brilliant! Bob must have got fascinated with the result; it didn’t take him long to go electric himself, despite all the booing and rejection…

«There must be some kind of way out of here,» ↑ Said the joker to the thief,

«There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.

Businessman they drink my wine, Plowman dig my earth

None will level on the line, nobody offered his word, hey»

«No reason to get excited,» The thief, he kindly spoke

«There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke

But you and I, we’ve been through that And this is not our fate

So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late»

All along the watchtower – Princes kept the view

While all the women came and went – Barefoot servants, too

Outside in the cold distance – A wildcat did growl

Two riders were approaching – And the wind began to howl

Business man there, drink my wine, Come and take my herb

∇ ‘Valleys Of Neptune’ ⇓

Yeah! Lord, I feel the ocean swaying me – Washing away all my pains.
See where I used to be wounded – Remember the scar?
Now you can’t see a thing – And I feel no pain – oh no Hey!

Singing about the Valley of Sunsets
Green and blue canyons too
Singing about Atlantis love songs.
Valleys of Neptune is rising, rising, rising

Mercury liquid – Emerald’s shining
Telling me where I came from –
Honey Sun – Pourquise Bed he
Lays in – on the Burning Edge Horizon.

I’m sailing on the Bluebird’s mission
Bubble and curls and tiptoes in the foam
See the wind make love to all the ocean
Joy spread and the message got home –

Singing about the Valley of Sunsets
Purple and gold – the Armies of the Lord
Before ancient Egypt, there were moon trips
The Valleys of Neptune is rising …

Look out East coast, but you’re gonna have a neighbor,
A rebirth land – The praying Burning Sands.

We know there were worlds so much older
And they shall rise, and tell us much more the truth of man

I see visions of sleeping peaks erupting
Releasing all hell that will shake the Earth from end to end
And this ain’t bad news, good news, or any news… it’s just the truth,
Better save your souls while you can

Singing about the New Valleys of the Sunrise… Rainbow clean,
The world is gonna be singing about getting ready for the new tide…
The Valleys of Neptune is rising.

◊ ‘Castles Made of Sand’ ↓

∇ ‘Wind cries Mary’ ⇓

After all the jacks are in their boxes
And the clowns have all gone to bed
You can hear happiness staggering on down the street footprints dressed in red
And the wind whispers Mary

A broom is drearily sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterdays life
Somewhere a queen is weeping
Somewhere a king has no wife
And the wind, it cries Mary

The traffic lights, they turn, uh, blue tomorrow
And shine their emptiness down on my bed
The tiny island sags down stream
Cause the life that lived is, is dead
And the wind screams Mary

Uh-will the wind ever remember the names it has blow in the past?
And with this crutch, its old age
And its wisdom it whispers, «No, this will be the last»
And the wind cries Mary

¤ ‘Hey Joe’ ⇓

… When I’m sad, she comes to me with a thousand smiles, she gives to me free
It’s alright she says it’s alright – Take anything you want from me … Anything.

♦ 12-string Blues ↓ ‘Hear My Train A Comin’ [Jimi Hendrix_1973 – clip]

Well I’m waiting on a train station, waiting for the train . . .

Take me from this lonesome place

Well now a whole lotta people put me down a lot ‘a changes
My girl called me a disgrace

But this learning is burning me way down in my heart

But you know it’s too bad … too bad we have to part

Gonna leave this town – Got to leave this town

Got to make a lot of money – Gonna be big, yeah . . .

I’m gonna buy this town . . .
an’ put it all in my shoe (might even give a piece to you)
That’s what I’m gonna do, what I’m gonna do . . .

(Do you think I’ll do that?)

You know you are a cute little heart breaker
And you know you are a sweet little lover maker
I wanna take you home, yeah – I won’t do you no harm
You’ve got to be all mine, all mine – ooh Foxy Lady

I see you come down on the scene
You make me wanna get up and-a scream
Foxy, oh baby listen now . . .
You’ve got to be all mine, all mine – ooh, Foxy Lady

◊ ‘Purple Haze’ ⇓

Purple Haze was in my brain, lately things don’t seem the same,
actin’ funny but I don’t know why – ‘scuse me while I kiss the sky.

Purple Haze all around, don’t know if I’m coming up or down.
Am I happy or in misery? Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me.
Tell me baby . . .
Purple Haze was in my eyes, don’t know if it’s day or night,
you’ve got me blowing, blowing my mind – is it tomorrow or just the end of time?

∇ ‘Lover Man’ ⇓

Here he comes, baby, here comes your lover man
Here he comes, here comes your lover man
I see him out your window, baby
Leap out as fast as I can
Reach up, baby those are my runnin’ shoes
Reach up, baby, and let me get my runnin’ shoes
See your man coming, I’ve got no time to lose

I wanna love you…

¤ The Life & Career of Jimi Hendrix ⇐

• Childhood & Early Guitar Playing

James Marshall Hendrix was born on November 27th, 1942 in Seattle, Washington. His unstable childhood was mired by poverty and family problems, and he lost his mother when he was a teenager. However, it was around this time he received his first acoustic guitar. In 1959, he finally made the switch to electric and began playing with local bands.

• Forming a Band

Hendrix enlisted in the army in 1961 to avoid prison time after being caught riding in stolen cars. During his year as a soldier, he met bassist Billy Cox, and they began to play with other musicians as a band. It was during this period that he also learned to play guitar with his teeth. Soon after, the band relocated to Nashville.

• Touring the South with Different Bands

He then traveled with a few bands throughout the South to perform for mostly black audiences. By 1964, he had moved to New York City and was eventually asked to play guitar with The Isley Brothers. During the 1960s, Hendrix also performed and recorded with several acts, most notably King Curtis and Little Richard. In addition, he played around the city under the name Jimmy James with another band called The Blue Flame.

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience

In 1966, the former bassist of The Animals Chas Chandler became Hendrix’s manager. Chandler helped him form The Jimi Hendrix Experience with two English musicians: bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell.

• Television Appearances & Record Deal

After several European live performances, Hendrix began making a name for himself with appearances on the top UK music shows. He soon signed with the label Track Records, and with them he released three top ten UK singles.

• Debut

The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album was 1967’s ‘Are You Experienced’. The critically and commercially successful record reached the second position on the UK charts and turned Hendrix into a worldwide star.

• Psychedelic Rock

Thanks to his distortion and feedback-heavy electric guitar playing, the psychedelic rock LP is often considered one of the best rock albums in history.

• Touring

Following some European tour dates, The Experience played at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival in California. This memorable performance ended with Hendrix burning and demolishing his guitar.

• Second Record

Later that year, the band released the sophomore album ‘Axis: Bold as Love’. The psychedelic rock record charted within the top five of the UK and U.S. charts. It was on this LP that Hendrix began tuning down his guitar by a half-step and using the wah-wah pedal.

• Third Album

The Experience’s third and last LP was 1968’s ‘Electric Ladyland’. The double album topped the Billboard 200 chart and had Hendrix experimenting with electronic effects and genres such as blues, R&B and Britpop.

• Departures & New Line-Up

Frustrations between band members were at an all-time high during the subsequent tour and recording sessions. After Redding’s departure in 1969, Hendrix continued recording and playing with Mitchell. He also added several musicians to the new line-up, including his old friend Cox. Under the name Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, the band performed at the Woodstock music festival. The group disbanded after a few more shows and some studio recordings.

• Band of Gypsys

Next, Hendrix, Cox and Buddy Miles formed Band of Gypsys, and the group released a self-titled live record in 1970. Later, Hendrix was accompanied by Mitchell and Cox for “The Cry of Love Tour”. He also spent some time recording at his Electric Lady Studios that same year.

• Death

Hendrix then played his last shows following a performance at the Isle of Wight Festival. On September 18th, 1970, Jimi Hendrix died in London, England. Like many stars of his generation, Hendrix was known for his drug use and his death was likely due to drug-related complications.

• Posthumous Popularity

Despite his passing, the popularity of his music grew and several posthumous compilations were released. These included 1971’s The Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge, 1997’s First Rays of the New Rising Sun and 2010’s Valleys of Neptune.

• Lasting Influence

With his avant-garde musical ideas and incomparable guitar skills, Jimi Hendrix became one of the most influential artists in history.

÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷

¤ Stevie Ray Vaughan [1954-1990]

♦→ Pride And Joy ⇐

Well you’ve heard about love givin’ sight to the blind
My baby’s lovin’ cause the sun to shine
She’s my sweet little thang… She’s my pride and joy
She’s my sweet little baby… I’m her little lover boy

Yeah I love my baby… Heart and soul
Love like ours won’t never grow old
She’s my sweet little thang… She’s my pride and joy
She’s my sweet little baby… I’m her little lover boy

Yeah I love my lady… She’s long and lean
You mess with her… You’ll see a man get mean
She’s my sweet little thang… She’s my pride and joy
She’s my sweet little baby… I’m her little lover boy

Well I love my baby… Like the finest wine
Stick with her until the end of time
She’s my sweet little thang… She’s my pride and joy
She’s my sweet little baby… I’m her little lover boy

Yeah I love my baby… Heart and soul
Love like ours won’t never grow old
She’s my sweet little thang… She’s my pride and joy
She’s my sweet little baby… I’m her little lover boy

∞ S R V with Johnny Copeland _ – Montreux – 1988

♦ Cold Shot ↓

Once was a sweet thang baby, do anything I say
Now I see […?] so well, twon’t you make the time of day
And that’s a cold shot baby, yeah that’s a drag.
That’s a cold shot baby, I let our love go bad

Remember the way that you loved me, do anything I say
Now I see you out somewhere, talks don’t mean a thing
And that’s a cold shot baby, yeah that’s a drag
‘cause that’s a cold shot baby, we let our love go bad

I really meant I was sorry, for ever causin’ you pain
You showed your appreciation, by walkin’ out anyway
And that’s a cold shot baby, yeah that’s a drag
That’s a cold shot baby, we let our love go bad

♦ ‘Tin Pan Alley’ ↓

Went down to Tin Pan Alley – See what was going on
Things was too hot down there – Couldn’t stay very long
Hey hey hey hey, Alley’s the roughest place I’ve ever been
All the people down there livin’ for their whisky, wine, and gin

Get up in the morning, before the break of day

Before she can wash her face and hands

You know she really go away, yeah

Because, what kind of place can this Alley be?

Well now, every woman I get – every woman I get to know is [ . . . ?] for me

I heard a pistol shoot – Yeah and it was a .44
Somebody killed a crap shooter cause he didn’t shake, rattle, and roll
Hey hey hey hey, what kind of place can Alley be?
All those people down there – Lord, they’re livin’ for their whisky, wine, and gin

I heard a woman scream – I peeped through the door
Some cat was workin’ on Annie with a – Lord with a two-by-four
Hey hey hey hey, Alley’s the roughest place I’ve ever been
All the people down there – Lord, they’re killin’ for their whisky, wine, and gin

I saw a cop standing there with his hand on his gun
He said «this is a raid, boy» – Lord! Lord, Nobody run»
Hey hey hey hey, Alley’s the roughest place I’ve ever been
Yeah they took me away from Alley
Lord they took me right back to the pen

∇ ‘Life By The Drop’ ⇓ [«The Sky’s Crying'»_1991]

Hello there, my old friend
Not so long ago it was ‘til the end
We played outside in the pouring rain
On our way up the road we started over again

You’re living a dream….as though you’re on top
My mind is aching….Lord it won’t stop
That’s how it happens….Living life by the drop

Up and down that road in our worn out shoes
Talking’ ‘bout good things and singing’ the blues
You went your way and I stayed behind
We both knew it was just a matter of time

You’re living a dream….as though you’re on top
My mind is aching….Lord it won’t stop
That’s how it happens….Living’ life by the drop

No waste of time….We’re alive today
Turning’ up the past….There’s no easier way
Time’s been between us….A means to an end
God it’s good to be here walking together my friend

You’re living a dream….
My mind starts thinking….
That’s how it happens….Living life by the drop . . .