Blues (album)
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| Compilation album by Jimi Hendrix | |||||
| Released | 1994 | ||||
| Recorded | 1966–1970 | ||||
| Genre | Rock, Acid Rock, Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Funk Rock | ||||
| Length | 72:17 | ||||
| Label | MCA Records | ||||
| Producer | Alan Douglas | ||||
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| Jimi Hendrix chronology | |||||
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Blues is a compilation album by guitarist Jimi Hendrix, released on MCA Records in 1994.
The album contains eleven "blues" songs recorded by Hendrix between 1966 and 1970. Out of these eleven, six were previously unreleased. The tracks include seven of Hendrix's compositions along with covers of famous blues songs such as "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "Mannish Boy".
Most material are leftover studio tapes that Hendrix might have never intended to release. Also, many of the songs are actually instrumental jams rather than true efforts to make a cover version (this is not told for a record buyer in the back cover though). The album has received mixed reaction. On the other hand many Hendrix fans are glad that some of previously unreleased material was included on the album but many have complained that the resulting disc is highly inconsistent and that many tracks are unfinished takes or hastily made studio jams. Also post-editing (tracks 5 and 11) has received criticism. However, despite the album being Alan Douglas's creation, it was rereleased under a new label after Hendrix's family got control over Hendrix recordings in mid-1990s.
[edit] Songs
"Hear My Train a Comin'" (aka (by Hendrix) "Getting My Heart Back Together Again") is a Hendrix original that he often played live, without ever recording a definitive studio version. The song features Hendrix alone playing a 12 string acoustic right hand guitar, strung for left hand and singing in a delta blues manner. This live studio performance was filmed for, and included in the film See My Music Talking, later released as Jimi Hendrix. It was also later released on the soundtrack LP Jimi Hendrix.
"Born Under a Bad Sign" is an instrumental jam of the Albert King number (performed by Band of Gypsys).
"Red House" is the original (mono) version of the song from Hendrix's debut album, but minus the outro chat (previously unavailable in USA & Canada).[1] The later (different compilation from the rest of the world) 1969 USA Smash Hits LP featured a completely different stereo take, from a different session. On this version Redding plays electric guitar tuned down to resemble a bass.
"Catfish Blues" is from a Dutch TV show Hoepla. Hendrix uses the first two verses from Muddy Waters "Rollin’ Stone" (which is based on older versions usually with "Catfish" in the title) and the last verse is from Muddy's "Still a Fool" itself based on "Roll and Tumble Blues" by Hambone Willie etc.
"Voodoo Chile Blues" is the creation of Alan Douglas, from the sessions that produced the finished track "Voodoo Chile" on Electric Ladyland. This track is made of two different takes of the song that were edited and joined together in order to come up with one consistent track.
"Mannish Boy" is actually a hybrid of Muddy Waters's "Mannish Boy" and Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man", it is a similar edited studio creation that combines several takes.
"Once I Had a Woman" is a slightly longer edited version of Hendrix's slow blues song. The band starts to jam during the second half of the long song and then a fade out follows.
"Bleeding Heart" is a cover of the Elmore James number, performed here by Band of Gypsys.
"Jelly 292" is a re-titled alternative take of "Jam 292" (the name on the tape box). It is an uptempo jam based on Duke Ellington's "Dooji Wooji".[2]
"Electric Church Red House" is a jam from TTG studios in 1968 featuring a group introduction by Hendrix (lifted from another, different jam at TTG) and Lee Michaels on organ.[3]
The last track is the live version of "Hear My Train a Comin'" recorded in 1970 at Berkeley.
[edit] Track listing
- "Hear My Train A Comin'" (12 string acoustic) (Hendrix) – 3:05
- "Born Under a Bad Sign" (Bell, Jones) – 7:37
- "Red House" (Hendrix) – 3:41
- "Catfish Blues" (Petway) – 7:46
- "Voodoo Chile Blues" (Hendrix) – 8:47
- "Mannish Boy" (McDaniel, London, Morganfield) – 5:21
- "Once I Had a Woman" (Hendrix) – 7:49
- "Bleeding Heart" (Traditional) – 3:26
- "Jelly 292" (Hendrix) – 6:25
- "Electric Church Red House" (Hendrix) – 6:12
- "Hear My Train A Comin'" (electric) (Hendrix) – 12:08
