Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile (Electric Ladyland [Steve Winwood organ, Jack Casady bass, Mitch Mitchell drums [and here featuring Linda McCartney’s picture of the band playing in New York’s Central Park and would have been Jimi’s choice for the cover as he didn’t think the nude models were respectful enough]
and then the world began!
Well it IS Friday!
"Voodoo Chile" evolved from "Catfish Blues", a song that Jimi Hendrix performed regularly during 1967 and early 1968. "Catfish Blues" was a homage to Muddy Waters, made up of a medley of verses based on Waters' songs, including "Rollin' Stone", "Still a Fool", and "Rollin' and Tumblin'".
“Voodoo Chile” was first released as the fourth track on Hendrix’s 1968 album, Electric Ladyland. If you thought “Free Bird” and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” were extensively long, “Voodoo Chile” runs just one second short of 15 minutes. The lyrical sections are broken up by long instrumentals, putting Hendrix’s electric guitar skills on full display. It is the longest song Hendrix ever recorded.Since “Voodoo Chile” ran so long, the last song on Electric Ladyland is a shortened version, titled “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” They cut the song down by ten minutes, leaving it at just over five minutes long.Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady played bass on the original 15-minute studio jam of "Voodoo Chile". He recalled to Uncut magazine: "It wasn't as simple as a jam, there was a full structure to the song, so it was an extended song that you able to improvise in. We took directions through the language of playing. Jimi was able to experiment with his ability and with effects in order to create an atmosphere. 'Voodoo Chile' has a really eerie sound that kind of places you in a different world."
