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Rating: After the enormous success in sales achieved with the previous four "45s" (Hey Joe, Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary, and Burning Of Midnight Lamp), the Experience reached their peak of fame in May 1967 with the release of the album Are You Experienced?, which immediately entered the UK charts, reaching third place in October.
In Are You Experienced? Hendrix is discovering the infinite possibilities of the electric guitar, his genius is not yet worn out by the continuous performances demanded by the fans and the mystical aura that surrounded him, allowing him to freely express his emotions and simply be himself to compose the album that made rock history and with which he created a style imitated by all who followed. Are You Experienced? I don't think it’s fair to label it simply as a psychedelic rock album because it doesn't have a precise genre, but it can be defined as a concentrate of rock, pop blues, jazz, soul, and psychedelic experimentation. The songs are indeed very disconnected from each other, making the album a collection, the only common factors between the pieces being the emotions and the splendid solos Jimi gives us with his Strato.
The tracks are all generational anthems: the overwhelming hard rock of Purple Haze, in which Jimi tells of his dream where all this purple haze surrounds him, the innate soul of Fire, the psychedelic sensuality of Foxey Lady, the classic blues of Red House, the extraterrestrial jazz of Third Stone From The Sun (the pinnacle of sound exploration, especially from this piece you can understand how he was also a great composer besides being the guitarist we all know for his skills), the moving ballad The Wind Cries Mary, and obviously the legendary Hey Joe (a blues by Billy Roberts) and the title track Are You Experienced?, where afro rhythms and psychedelia intertwine to launch the “universal message” and break down the barriers of psychic and physical conformity.
But let's not forget the other masterpieces such as I Don’t Live Today, Manic Depression, Can You See Me, May This Be Love, Stone Free, 51st Anniversary, Highway Chile, Love Or Confusion. The only song that I personally find less convincing and consider a step below the others is Remember.
The album thus comes close to perfection, which, in addition to being a milestone, is together with Electric Ladyland one of the most influential albums in rock history.
Recommended to anyone who appreciates music in all its genres.
“If God exists, he is a hippie and plays the electric guitar”
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Foxy Lady (03:13)
Foxy
Foxy
You know youre a cute little heartbreaker
Foxy
You know youre a sweet little lovemaker
Foxy
I wanna take you home
I wont do you no harm, no
You've got to be all mine, all mine
Ooh, foxy lady
I see you, heh, on down on the scene
Foxy
You make me wanna get up and scream
Foxy
Ah, baby listen now
I've made up my mind
I'm tired of wasting all my precious time
You've got to be all mine, all mine
Foxy lady
Here I come
I'm gonna take you home
I wont do you no harm, no
You've got to be all mine, all mine
Here I come
I'm comin to get ya
Foxy lady
You look so good
Yeah, foxy
Yeah, give us some
Foxy
Yeah, get it, babe
You make me feel like
Feel like sayin foxy
Foxy
Foxy lady
Foxy lady
02 Manic Depression (03:33)
Manic Depression is touching my soul,
I know what I want,
but I just don't know how to go about getting it.
Feeling, sweet feeling
drops from my finger, fingers
Manic Depression's captured my soul.
Woman so willing the sweet cause in vain, vain
you make love,
you break love,
it all seems the same when it's...
when it's over.
Music sweet music,
I wish I could caress, all my tenderness, now
Manic Depression's a frustrating mess.
Well, I think I'll go turn myself off and maybe I'll go down.
Really ain't no use me hanging around.
Music, sweet music,
I wish I could caress and all my tenderness.
Manic Depression is a frustratin' mess.
Sweet music, sweet music, sweet music, sweet music
Well my woman, she's so willing
She's the cause of my pain, my pain
We make love,
we break love
But somehow it all seems to be the same
Well I've been down that slick road before
Yeah, you know, I never wanna do it again
So now, I really got to tell you how I feel
Oh oh, I feel oh
I feel oh
I feel
06 I Don't Live Today (03:53)
Will I live tomorrow?
Well, I just can't say
Will I live tomorrow?
Well, I just can't say
But I don't know for sure
I don't live today
No sun comin' through my window
Feel like I'm livin' at the bottom of a grave
No-ho sun comin' through my window
Feel like I'm livin' at the bottom of a grave
I wish you'd hurry up and rescue me
So I can be on my miserable way
Well, I don't
Live today
Maybe tomorrow, I just can't say
I don't
Live today
It's such a shame to waste your time away like this
Existing
Well, I don't
Live today
Maybe tomorrow, I just can't tell you baby
I don't
Live today
It's such a shame to spend the time
Away like this
10 Remember (02:48)
Oh remember the mocking bird my baby bard
he used to sing bout supperhe used to sing for dinner
babe
he used to sing so sweetly
but since my baby left me
he aint sang a tune all day
Oh remember the bluebirds and the honey bees
they used to sing for the sunshine
they used to sing for the honey baby
they used to sing so sweet
but since my baby left me
they aint sung a tune all dya
Hey pretty baby,
come on back to me
make everybody
happy as can be
So Baby
if you would please come on home to me
i would kiss you for your supper
You know Id kiss you for your dinner babe
if you dont come on back
you know I'll have to starve to death
cuz I aint had a kiss all day
Please remember
would you remember
the blue birds and the honey bees
singin sweetly for you and me
Oh the mockin bird my favorite bard
oh wont you come home with me
remember
11 Are You Experienced? (04:12)
If you can just get your,... mind together
then come on across to me
We'll hold hands an' then we'll watch the sun rise
.....from the bottom of the sea
But first
Are You Experienced?
Ah! Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have
I know, I know
you'll probably scream n' cry
That your little world won't let go!
But who in your measly little world are trying to prove that
You're made out of gold and -a can't be sold
So-uh, Are You Experienced?
Ah! Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have
Ah, let me prove it to you,..........
Trumpets and violins like up here in the distance
I think they're calling our names
Maybe now you can't hear them, but you will ha
if you just, take hold of my hand
oh! But Are You Experienced?
Have you ever been experienced?
Not necessarily stoned, but beautiful
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Other reviews
By granpaul
Giving a guitar to a child and inviting them to dance on the distortion pedal would yield a result very similar to what the long-haired Jimi achieves.
"Hey Joe", that is, how to violate something that already exists... as if it were a retard at karaoke!
By Deep-Frenk
Indescribable shapes and colors never seen before take shape for the first time in history.
Music that evokes visual forms, the purest form of synesthesia.
