A weekly analysis of new hip-hop, influential blues, and noteworthy underground artists.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Jimi Hendrix: Blues (Track 1 of 11)

Eventually, I will try to post all 11 tracks of Hendrix's album Blues.  Unfortunately, I can no longer post free downloads, so we'll see.  I'm only letting 1 slip at a time because this album is one to savor.
In 1994, MCA Records produced a posthumous compilation album of Hendrix's blues recordings from the late 1960s. Six of the eleven tracks had never been released. Why, I do not know. It reached #4 on the top blues albums in 1995, but in my humble opinion, it is one of the best ever. Hendrix, the greatest guitarist ever, takes blues to another level. He includes covers of Muddy Waters and Albert King, plus some of his own stuff. As a kid he was influenced mainly by B.B. King and Muddy Waters, but the cover the album Blues depicts Robert Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins, and many more.
The first track I'm going to post is my personal favorite, Bleeding Heart. It is a 3 minute, 27 second gem, littered with many of my favorite licks, and incredible, classic Hendrix vocals. His voice holds up well enough on its own, but he often complements his lyrics with heavy licks that seem to say almost the same thing he is; it's incredible how his guitar sings. This tune is played in B-flat and it goes like this:

Peoples, peoples, peoples,
You know what it means to be left alone.
Nobody today, Lord not even called on my telephone.
Understand it, Lord a little love is all in the world I need.
A little love and understandin' baby, is all in the world I need.
Yes a misunderstandin' and a no good woman,
Lord they both have caused my heart to bleed.
Every mornin', the willows weep and moan for me,
The birds sing the love song, and my baby
Has caused my heart to bleed.

Stay posted for the next track off Blues!

Listen to Bleeding Heart.

Buy this album on Amazon.com: Blues

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