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Produced by Eddy Kramer and John Jansen and remixed at Electric Lady Studios (Hendrix's personal recording studio), In The West, released in 1972, is a collection that contains some of the best live performances by the Experience '69 - '70.
An album devoid of famous chart hits but more focused on the musical aspect, improvisation, and the Blues.
"Johnny B. Goode" (Chuck Berry) violated and devastated by the Hendrix treatment, the wild "Lover Man" and the spectacular "Blue Suede Shoes" (Carl Perkins) immediately make us understand that it is in the live dimension where the Experience fully expresses its wild power. Jimi's guitar blasted at improbable volumes, in the throes of feedback crises, becomes a fierce animal to tame, control, domesticate...
If Lucifer himself asked me what sound I would want for my guitar, I have no doubt: I would sign up for this.
The explosive "Voodoo Chile", dark and fiery, where Hendrix asserts his African American roots, shows how Jimi was 20 light years ahead of the blues revival in vogue at the end of the '60s. The band is now well-rehearsed, with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding - Billy Cox on bass.
In a trio, you can't bluff: if you can't play, you're screwed...
"The Queen (British National Anthem)" and a tribute to the psychedelic Beatles ("Sergeant Pepper's"), leading to the masterful version of "Little Wing" (rarely performed live) that gently accompanies us to the album's masterpiece.
Dedicated to Linda Keith (a stunning babe and Keith Richards' girlfriend), recorded at the San Diego Sports Arena, we have no choice but to sink into our favorite couch, fasten our seatbelts, crank the volume to 10, and start the stellar "Red House": a full 13:06 for a journey with no return into the cosmic blues.
"In The West" stands at the top of Hendrix's posthumous discography and is recommended to all lovers of wild rock'n'roll.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Little Wing (00:00)
Well, she's walking through the clouds
With a circus mind,
That's running wild.
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairytales,
That's all she ever thinks about ...
Riding with the wind.
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.
Fly on, little wing.
05 Johnny B. Goode (00:00)
Way down Louisiana close to New Orleans,
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
Livin' in a cottage made of earth and wood,
Lived a country boy name of Johnny B. Goode
He never ever learned to read or write so well,
But he could play the guitar just like ringing a bell.
Go, go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Johnny B. Goode
He use to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
And sit beneath the trees by the railroad track.
Oh, strummin' his guitar in the gentle shade,
Playing to the music that the drivers made.
People passing by they'd stop and say
Oh my that little country boy could play
Go, go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Johnny B. Goode
His mama told him "someday you will be a man,
"And you will be the leader of a big old band.
"All kinds a people coming from miles around
"To hear ya play ya guitar 'till the sun go down
"Maybe someday your name will be in lights
"Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight."
Go, go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Johnny B. Goode
06 Lover Man (00:00)
Here he comes, I say
Here comes your lover now
Here he comes
Here comes your lover man
Aah I gotta get my head from this pillow
I gotta get outta your
No heart fellin's
Reach down baby and get my runnin' shoes
Oh yeah
Reach down baby and get my runnin' shoes
I gotta get outta here and I got no time to lose
Hey
Here he comes
Here comes your lover now
Here he comes
Here comes your lover man
I gotta get my suitcase
And get the hell outta just as fast as I can
Here he comes baby
Here he comes baby
Here he comes baby
Here he comes baby
Doo Doo....
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