Electric Ladyland
Encyclopedia
Electric Ladyland is the third and final album of new material by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
, released in October 1968 on Reprise Records
, catalogue 2RS 6307. It is the only Hendrix studio album professionally produced under his supervision. It topped the Billboard 200
album chart for two weeks in November 1968. The original North American-only Reprise release album cover featured a "fiery" photo of Hendrix' head. The slightly later Track/Polydor International album release cover, controversially, was a photo of group of nude women, which was only replaced after Experience Hendrix took control of Hendrix' recordings. In most Francophone parts of Europe, Barclay Records used a cover showing a downward pointing arm at a very small photo of Hendrix' head.
, Electric Ladyland is a cross-section of Hendrix's wide range of musical talent. It includes examples of several genres and styles of music: the psychedelic "Burning of the Midnight Lamp", previously a U.K. single in the summer of 1967; the extended blues jam "Voodoo Chile
"; the New Orleans-style R&B
of Earl King
's "Come On
"; the epic studio production of "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
"; the social commentary of "House Burning Down"; and the Sixties-era Britpop
of Noel Redding's "Little Miss Strange". The album also features an avant-garde reworking of the Bob Dylan
classic "All Along the Watchtower
", which has been well-received by critics as well as by Dylan himself, as well as "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
", a staple of both radio and guitar repertoire.
in London, including part of "All Along the Watchtower" and the aforementioned 1967 single, production moved during the spring of 1968 to the newly opened Record Plant Studios
, situated close to Hendrix's favorite New York
clubs. Recording there was by Jimi's favorite engineers Eddie Kramer
and Gary Kellgren
. Despite a claim by Record Plant engineer Chris Stone
that Kellgren engineered "90%" of Ladyland, the studio records show that most of the work was done by Kramer, only three tracks including the one by Redding having Kellgren as engineer.
During the recording of the album, Hendrix fell out with producer Bryan "Chas" Chandler
and bassist
Noel Redding
. Pressured by a hectic tour schedule, Hendrix still wanted to have a life, so he combined work with pleasure by inviting his friends and acquaintances to the studio. Chas Chandler hated spending so much time in the studio and partly blamed it on these guests, but Jimi was determined to have his way. Chandler complained that Hendrix's insistence on doing multiple takes of every song, combined with what he saw as Hendrix's drugged incoherence, led him to sell his share of the management company to his partner Michael Jeffery. Chandler quit in May 1968, leaving Hendrix sole producer on the project.
Hendrix' studio perfectionism was legendary – he and Mitchell recorded well over 50 takes of "Gypsy Eyes
" over three sessions, Hendrix generally insecure about his voice and often recording his vocals hidden behind studio screens. Hendrix sings all the backing vocals himself on the title track and on "Long Hot Summer Night". He was said to be very happy with the vocal results on "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland."
Many of the album tracks show Hendrix's vision expanding far beyond the scope of the original trio and saw him collaborating with a range of outside musicians including Dave Mason
, Chris Wood
and Steve Winwood
from Traffic
; future Band of Gypsys
drummer Buddy Miles
; Jefferson Airplane
bassist Jack Casady
; former Dylan organist Al Kooper
; and members of 'the Serfs': Mike Finnegan on organ, Freddie Smith on saxophone, and Larry Faucette on congas. Cooperation between Hendrix and bassist Noel Redding, who was of the same opinion about time spent in the studio as Chandler, was strained during production. Hendrix plays bass on many tracks, including the bass solo on "1983". At times Hendrix recorded bass tracks simply to make things proceed faster. Redding plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals with Mitchell on his own track, "Little Miss Strange."
, but it was mostly ignored. He expressly asked for a color photo by Linda Eastman
of the group sitting with children on a sculpture from Alice in Wonderland in Central Park, NY, even drawing a picture of it for reference. The company instead used a blurred red and yellow photo of his head, taken by Karl Ferris
. Track Records had its own art department, which produced a cover depicting 19 nude women lounging in front of a black background taken by photographer David Montgomery, who also shot the inside cover portrait of Hendrix. Later reissues for compact disc
in 1997 and 2010 feature the Ferris cover worldwide, and the Hendrix family has indicated that they will no longer use the nudes cover since Hendrix himself expressed his opinion against nude-cover saying that it was rather an opposite to what he had wanted.
In 2005 Q magazine
readers voted Electric Ladyland the 38th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1
placed it at number 72. In 2003, Rolling Stone declared it the 54th greatest album of all time. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
. Also, The Source
magazine ranked it #40 on their Critics Top 100 Black Music Albums of All Time list in 2006.
except where noted.
First CD remaster by Lee Herschberg (Reprise 6307-2)
Second CD remaster by Alan Douglas – Remastering by Joe Gastwirt, Liner notes by Michael Fairchild
Third CD remaster by Experience Hendrix – Remastering by Eddie Kramer and George Marino, Art direction by Vartan, Liner notes by Jeff Leve, Essay by Derek Taylor
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
, released in October 1968 on Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, catalogue 2RS 6307. It is the only Hendrix studio album professionally produced under his supervision. It topped the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart for two weeks in November 1968. The original North American-only Reprise release album cover featured a "fiery" photo of Hendrix' head. The slightly later Track/Polydor International album release cover, controversially, was a photo of group of nude women, which was only replaced after Experience Hendrix took control of Hendrix' recordings. In most Francophone parts of Europe, Barclay Records used a cover showing a downward pointing arm at a very small photo of Hendrix' head.
Content
Released as a double albumDouble album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, Electric Ladyland is a cross-section of Hendrix's wide range of musical talent. It includes examples of several genres and styles of music: the psychedelic "Burning of the Midnight Lamp", previously a U.K. single in the summer of 1967; the extended blues jam "Voodoo Chile
Voodoo Chile
"Voodoo Chile" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1968, closing Side 1 of The Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. The song is Hendrix's longest studio recording and features additional musicians in what has been described as a "studio jam"...
"; the New Orleans-style R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
of Earl King
Earl King
This article is about the musical artist. For the Earl King convicted of murdering a ship's officer, see Earl King, Ernest Ramsay, and Frank Conner...
's "Come On
Come On (Earl King song)
"Come On", also known as "Let the Good Times Roll" is a song written and first performed by New Orleans R&B artist Earl King. Jimi Hendrix introduced it to wider audience by his cover in 1968.-Original version:...
"; the epic studio production of "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
"1983... " is a song by English/American psychedelic rock The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland...
"; the social commentary of "House Burning Down"; and the Sixties-era Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
of Noel Redding's "Little Miss Strange". The album also features an avant-garde reworking of the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
classic "All Along the Watchtower
All Along the Watchtower
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
", which has been well-received by critics as well as by Dylan himself, as well as "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
"Voodoo Child " is the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song is known for its wah-wah-heavy guitar work. It is #101 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs of all time....
", a staple of both radio and guitar repertoire.
Recording and production
Following the first tranche of recordings to be included in the album from Olympic StudiosOlympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
in London, including part of "All Along the Watchtower" and the aforementioned 1967 single, production moved during the spring of 1968 to the newly opened Record Plant Studios
Record Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
, situated close to Hendrix's favorite New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
clubs. Recording there was by Jimi's favorite engineers Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
and Gary Kellgren
Gary Kellgren
Gary Kellgren was an American audio engineer and co-founder of The Record Plant recording studios, along with businessman Chris Stone.-Engineering:...
. Despite a claim by Record Plant engineer Chris Stone
Chris Stone (entrepreneur)
Chris Stone is an American music industry businessman and writer, the co-founder with Gary Kellgren of the Record Plant recording studios. Stone founded Filmsonix in 1987, sold the Record Plant in 1989, and is the founder and CEO of World Studio Group...
that Kellgren engineered "90%" of Ladyland, the studio records show that most of the work was done by Kramer, only three tracks including the one by Redding having Kellgren as engineer.
During the recording of the album, Hendrix fell out with producer Bryan "Chas" Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
and bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Noel Redding
Noel Redding
Noel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
. Pressured by a hectic tour schedule, Hendrix still wanted to have a life, so he combined work with pleasure by inviting his friends and acquaintances to the studio. Chas Chandler hated spending so much time in the studio and partly blamed it on these guests, but Jimi was determined to have his way. Chandler complained that Hendrix's insistence on doing multiple takes of every song, combined with what he saw as Hendrix's drugged incoherence, led him to sell his share of the management company to his partner Michael Jeffery. Chandler quit in May 1968, leaving Hendrix sole producer on the project.
Hendrix' studio perfectionism was legendary – he and Mitchell recorded well over 50 takes of "Gypsy Eyes
Gypsy Eyes
"Gypsy Eyes" is a song by Jimi Hendrix, performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their 1968 album Electric Ladyland, and based on the field holler. When released as a double-A-sided single with "Remember", it reached no...
" over three sessions, Hendrix generally insecure about his voice and often recording his vocals hidden behind studio screens. Hendrix sings all the backing vocals himself on the title track and on "Long Hot Summer Night". He was said to be very happy with the vocal results on "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland."
Many of the album tracks show Hendrix's vision expanding far beyond the scope of the original trio and saw him collaborating with a range of outside musicians including Dave Mason
Dave Mason
David Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
, Chris Wood
Chris Wood (rock musician)
Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
and Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
from Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
; future Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
drummer Buddy Miles
Buddy Miles
George Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
; Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
bassist Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
; former Dylan organist Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
; and members of 'the Serfs': Mike Finnegan on organ, Freddie Smith on saxophone, and Larry Faucette on congas. Cooperation between Hendrix and bassist Noel Redding, who was of the same opinion about time spent in the studio as Chandler, was strained during production. Hendrix plays bass on many tracks, including the bass solo on "1983". At times Hendrix recorded bass tracks simply to make things proceed faster. Redding plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals with Mitchell on his own track, "Little Miss Strange."
Release and reception
The UK edition reached #6 on its release amid considerable controversy. A letter Hendrix wrote to Reprise described exactly what he wanted for the cover artCover art
Cover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
, but it was mostly ignored. He expressly asked for a color photo by Linda Eastman
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
of the group sitting with children on a sculpture from Alice in Wonderland in Central Park, NY, even drawing a picture of it for reference. The company instead used a blurred red and yellow photo of his head, taken by Karl Ferris
Karl Ferris
Karl Ferris is an English photographer/designer, best known as one of the principal innovators of "psychedelic" photography. A photographer to the “British Rock Elite” - Eric Clapton, Cream, Donovan, The Hollies and Jimi Hendrix - Ferris was invited - as a style consultant and their personal...
. Track Records had its own art department, which produced a cover depicting 19 nude women lounging in front of a black background taken by photographer David Montgomery, who also shot the inside cover portrait of Hendrix. Later reissues for compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1997 and 2010 feature the Ferris cover worldwide, and the Hendrix family has indicated that they will no longer use the nudes cover since Hendrix himself expressed his opinion against nude-cover saying that it was rather an opposite to what he had wanted.
In 2005 Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
readers voted Electric Ladyland the 38th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
placed it at number 72. In 2003, Rolling Stone declared it the 54th greatest album of all time. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
. Also, The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
magazine ranked it #40 on their Critics Top 100 Black Music Albums of All Time list in 2006.
US cover release
All songs written by Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
except where noted.
UK cover release
Personnel
Credits taken from the 1993 MCA compact disc booklet.- Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
– vocals, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, percussion, comb and paper kazooKazooThe kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
, electric harpsichord, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)"Have You Ever Been " is a song by psychedelic rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland...
", "Long Hot Summer Night", "Gypsy EyesGypsy Eyes"Gypsy Eyes" is a song by Jimi Hendrix, performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their 1968 album Electric Ladyland, and based on the field holler. When released as a double-A-sided single with "Remember", it reached no...
", "19831983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)"1983... " is a song by English/American psychedelic rock The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland...
", "House Burning Down", and "All Along the WatchtowerAll Along the Watchtower"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
" - Noel ReddingNoel ReddingNoel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
– backing vocals, bass on "Crosstown TrafficCrosstown Traffic (song)"Crosstown Traffic" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. It was the second single released from the album Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience...
", "Little Miss Strange", "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)Come On (Earl King song)"Come On", also known as "Let the Good Times Roll" is a song written and first performed by New Orleans R&B artist Earl King. Jimi Hendrix introduced it to wider audience by his cover in 1968.-Original version:...
", "Burning of the Midnight LampBurning of the Midnight Lamp"Burning of the Midnight Lamp" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, first released as a mono single b/w "The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" in the United Kingdom on August 19, 1967 . It later appeared on the band's final studio album, Electric Ladyland...
", "Rainy Day Dream Away", "Still Raining Still Dreaming", and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"Voodoo Child " is the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song is known for its wah-wah-heavy guitar work. It is #101 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs of all time....
", acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
and lead vocals on "Little Miss Strange" - Mitch MitchellMitch MitchellJohn Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
– backing vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
except as below, percussion, lead vocals on "Little Miss Strange"
Additional personnel
- Jack CasadyJack CasadyJack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
– bass on "Voodoo ChileVoodoo Chile"Voodoo Chile" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1968, closing Side 1 of The Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. The song is Hendrix's longest studio recording and features additional musicians in what has been described as a "studio jam"...
" - Larry Faucette – congas on "Rainy Day Dream Away" and "Still Raining Still Dreaming"
- Mike FinniganMike FinniganMike Finnigan is an American keyboard player and vocalist, his specialty being the Hammond Organ.-Career:Finnigan has toured and sessioned for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Etta James, Sam Moore, Crosby Stills and Nash, Dave Mason, Buddy Guy, Manhattan Transfer, Taj Mahal, Michael...
– organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on "Rainy Day Dream Away" and "Still Raining Still Dreaming" - Brian JonesBrian JonesLewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
– percussion on "All Along the WatchtowerAll Along the Watchtower"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
" - Al KooperAl KooperAl Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
– piano on "Long Hot Summer Night"and organ on all tracks - Dave MasonDave MasonDavid Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
– twelve string guitarTwelve string guitarThe twelve-string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with 12 strings in 6 courses, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar...
on "All Along the WatchtowerAll Along the Watchtower"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
", backing vocals on "Crosstown TrafficCrosstown Traffic (song)"Crosstown Traffic" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. It was the second single released from the album Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience...
" - Buddy MilesBuddy MilesGeorge Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
– drums on "Rainy Day Dream Away" and "Still Raining Still Dreaming" - Freddie Smith – tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
on "Rainy Day Dream Away" and "Still Raining Still Dreaming" - The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals on "Burning of the Midnight LampBurning of the Midnight Lamp"Burning of the Midnight Lamp" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, first released as a mono single b/w "The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" in the United Kingdom on August 19, 1967 . It later appeared on the band's final studio album, Electric Ladyland...
" - Steve WinwoodSteve WinwoodStephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
– organ on "Voodoo ChileVoodoo Chile"Voodoo Chile" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1968, closing Side 1 of The Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. The song is Hendrix's longest studio recording and features additional musicians in what has been described as a "studio jam"...
" - Chris WoodChris Wood (rock musician)Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
– fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
on "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)"1983... " is a song by English/American psychedelic rock The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland...
"
Production
- Producer – Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
- Engineers – Eddie KramerEddie KramerEdwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
and Gary KellgrenGary KellgrenGary Kellgren was an American audio engineer and co-founder of The Record Plant recording studios, along with businessman Chris Stone.-Engineering:... - Mixed by – Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Kramer, and Gary Kellgren
- Arranged by Jimi Hendrix
- US cover liner note by Jimi Hendrix
- US cover design – Karl Ferris
- US cover inside photos – Linda EastmanLinda McCartneyLinda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
and David Sygall - US art direction – Ed Thrasher
- UK cover design – David King, Rob O'Connor
- UK cover inside photos – David Montgomery
First CD remaster by Lee Herschberg (Reprise 6307-2)
Second CD remaster by Alan Douglas – Remastering by Joe Gastwirt, Liner notes by Michael Fairchild
Third CD remaster by Experience Hendrix – Remastering by Eddie Kramer and George Marino, Art direction by Vartan, Liner notes by Jeff Leve, Essay by Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor was an English journalist, writer and publicist, best known for his work as press officer for The Beatles...
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Top 200 Albums |
1 |
| 1968 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
6 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Burning of the Midnight Lamp Burning of the Midnight Lamp "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, first released as a mono single b/w "The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" in the United Kingdom on August 19, 1967 . It later appeared on the band's final studio album, Electric Ladyland... " |
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
18 |
| 1968 | "All Along the Watchtower" | Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
20 |
| UK Singles Chart | 5 | ||
| "Crosstown Traffic Crosstown Traffic (song) "Crosstown Traffic" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. It was the second single released from the album Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience... " |
Billboard Hot 100 | 52 | |
| 1969 | "Crosstown Traffic" | UK Singles Chart | 37 |
| 1970 | "Voodoo Child (Slight Return) Voodoo Child (Slight Return) "Voodoo Child " is the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song is known for its wah-wah-heavy guitar work. It is #101 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs of all time.... " |
UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| 1971 | "Gypsy Eyes Gypsy Eyes "Gypsy Eyes" is a song by Jimi Hendrix, performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their 1968 album Electric Ladyland, and based on the field holler. When released as a double-A-sided single with "Remember", it reached no... /Remember" |
UK Singles Chart | 35 |
| 1990 | "All Along the Watchtower EP (with "Hey Joe Hey Joe "Hey Joe" is an American popular song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and as such, has been performed in a multitude of musical styles by hundreds of different artists since it was first written. "Hey Joe" tells the story of a man who is on the run and planning to head to Mexico... " & "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)") |
UK Singles Chart | 52 |
| 1990 | "Crosstown Traffic" | UK Singles Chart | 61 |
See also
- Classic AlbumsClassic AlbumsClassic Albums is a documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.-Format:...
- The 500 Greatest Albums of All TimeThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
- Electric ChurchElectric ChurchElectric Church was a quasi-spiritual belief that electric music brings out emotions, feelings, and creative ideas in people, and encourages spiritual maturity...
- ElectriclarrylandElectriclarrylandElectriclarryland is the seventh studio album by the American alternative rock band Butthole Surfers, released in April 1996 . This album brought the Butthole Surfers their first Top 40 hit with "Pepper". The album was certified gold by the RIAA on August 20, 1996.The title of this album is a...