Voodoo Child Original Song

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"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1968 that appears as the final track on the groups's third studio album, Electric Ladyland, released that year. It contains improvised guitar and a vocal from Hendrix, backed by Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. The song is one of Hendrix's best known; it was a feature of his concert performances throughout his career, and several live renditions were recorded and released on later albums.

After his death in 1970, Track Records released the song as a single in the United Kingdom using the title "Voodoo Chile" (see confusion over title). It became Hendrix's only number one single on the UK Singles Chart, reaching the top position during the week of November 15, 1970.[5] Several artists have performed or recorded versions of the song. Rolling Stone magazine included it at number 101 on their original 2004 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" was developed from "Voodoo Chile", which had been recorded May 2, 1968, during a studio jam with Steve Winwood on organ and Jack Casady on bass.[6] The next day, Hendrix returned to the studio with Redding and Mitchell for the filming of a short documentary by ABC television.[6] Noel Redding explained, "We learned that song in the studio ... They had the cameras rolling on us as we played it".[6] Hendrix added,

According to Hendrix biographer Steven Roby, eight takes of the song were recorded by Hendrix, Redding, and Mitchell, and the final one was chosen as the master, which appeared on Electric Ladyland.[8]

Well I stand up next to a mountain, and I chop it down with the edge of my hand (2)
Well I pick up all the pieces and make an island, might even raise just a little sand
'Cause I'm a voodoo child, Lord knows I'm a voodoo child[10]

During a January 1, 1970, performance with the Band of Gypsys, Hendrix introduced the song as the "Black Panthers' national anthem" (included on the album Live at the Fillmore East). At the time, he was being pressured to make a statement about racial issues in the U.S.[11]

"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" became a staple of Hendrix's concert performances, varying in length from seven to 18 minutes.[12] Recordings from the Winterland Ballroom, Royal Albert Hall, Woodstock, and the Fillmore East were later released on The Jimi Hendrix Concerts, Hendrix in the West, Woodstock, and Live at the Fillmore East. Many more recordings have also been issued[12] (see List of songs recorded by Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child (Slight Return)).

An AllMusic reviewer described the song as "a perfect example of how Hendrix took the Delta blues form and not only psychedelicized it, but cast an even more powerful spell by delivering the lyric in the voice of a voodoo priest".[1] Also noted is Hendrix's guitar work: "Opening with a simple riff on the wah-wah pedal, the song explodes into full sonic force, the guitarist hitting the crunching chords and taking the astral-inspired leads for which he became infamous. The real guitar explorations happen midway through the song, while the basic, thundering riff is unrelenting".[1]

Joe Satriani said of the song: "It's just the greatest piece of electric guitar work ever recorded. In fact, the whole song could be considered the holy grail of guitar expression and technique. It is a beacon of humanity."[13] Rolling Stone magazine included the song at number 102 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[4] Many musicians have covered "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" both on record and in live performances, sometimes with the title changed to "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" or shortened to "Voodoo Child".[14]

Wrestler Hulk Hogan used a portion of the song as his theme music during his time as leader of the heel faction group, the new World order (nWo) while wrestling in WCW, and then during his comeback run in WWE (previously the World Wrestling Federation). According to a 2020 interview with wrestling impresario Eric Bischoff, he acquired a license for Hogan to use the song from Hendrix's stepsister and manager of his recording legacy, Janie Hendrix.[25] Bischoff claimed that the agreement allowed him to use up to three minutes of the song in various contexts in 1997 for $100,000: "People thought I was insane, [they] thought I was burning Ted Turner's money [in 1997, but] if someone were to try to cut that deal right now [in 2020] it'd be in the millions".[25] The song was also featured in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down.

"Voodoo Chile" (/tʃaɪl/ CHAIL) is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1968 for the third Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. It is based on the Muddy Waters blues song "Rollin' Stone", but with original lyrics and music. At 15 minutes, it is Hendrix's longest studio recording and features additional musicians in what has been described as a studio jam.

"Voodoo Chile" was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, after a late night jam session with Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, organist Steve Winwood, and bassist Jack Casady. The song became the basis for "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", recorded by the Experience the next day and one of Hendrix's best-known songs.

"Chile" is a phonetic approximation of "child" without the "d". In the UK, "Voodoo Chile" was also used as the title of the 1970 single release of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", which has caused confusion regarding the two songs.

"Voodoo Chile" evolved from "Catfish Blues", a song that 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'".[5][b] In April 1968, Hendrix recorded a number of solo demos in a New York hotel, including an early "Voodoo Chile",[c] which he had been developing for some time.[8] It used elements of "Catfish Blues" with new lyrics by Hendrix and included a vocal and guitar unison line.

Music critic Charles Shaar Murray describes "Voodoo Chile" as "virtually a chronological guided tour of blues styles" ranging from early Delta blues, through the electric blues of Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, to the more sophisticated style of B.B. King, and the "cosmic blurt" of John Coltrane.[9] Lyrically, he adds, the song is "part of a long, long line of supernatural brag songs".[10] Hendrix's song opens with:

During the Electric Ladyland recording sessions at the Record Plant, Hendrix and the band often jammed with other performers at New York City clubs.[2] After one such jam at the nearby Scene club on May 2, 1968,[2][1] Hendrix brought a group of about 20 people to the studio. This practice of inviting large groups to the studio led Noel Redding to storm out of the Record Plant earlier that evening and he was not present during the recording of "Voodoo Chile".[1] Organist Steve Winwood from Traffic, bassist Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane, and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell were among those present. Although Coryell was invited to play, he declined and Hendrix proceeded to record "Voodoo Chile" with Mitchell, Winwood, and Casady.[2] The remainder were on hand to provide the ambient crowd noise.

Winwood recalled, "There were no chord sheets, no nothing. He [Hendrix] just started playing. It was a one-take job, with him singing and playing at the same time. He just had such mastery of the instrument and he knew what he was and knew his abilities".[13] Despite the appearance of spontaneity, engineer Eddie Kramer said that such sessions were not informal. "Jimi plotted and planned out nearly all of them. He'd reason that if he had his songs together, if he really wanted to pull out what he heard in his head, he needed the right people ... and that's what he did".[13] During the recording session, Hendrix is heard advising Winwood on his organ part.[14]

Recording began about 7:30 am and three takes were recorded, according to biographer John McDermott and Kramer.[2] During the first take, Hendrix showed the others the song while the recording equipment was adjusted.[2] During the second take, Hendrix broke a string (these two takes were later edited together and released as "Voodoo Chile Blues" on the posthumous Hendrix compilation album Blues).[2] The third take provided the master that was used on Electric Ladyland. Music writer John Perry claims there were at least six takes recorded, but several were incomplete.[15]

"Voodoo Chile" opens with a series of hammer-on notes, similar to Albert Collins' intro to his "Collins Shuffle".[16] Hendrix played through a Fender Bassman top, providing a "very warm" amp sound[2] with his guitar tuned down a whole tone.[17] Although Hendrix's vocal and guitar are featured, the other musicians make contributions, taking it beyond the blues. McDermott describes Winwood's mid-song organ part as "a very English, hornpipe-like dance that was very Traffic-like".[2] However, Perry calls it a "modal, raga-like phrase", which Hendrix responds to by "improvising a mixed blues/eastern scale".[18] Mitchell anticipates changes in direction[11] and Casady provides a pulsing, solid foundation.[19] At fifteen minutes, it is Hendrix's longest studio recording.

Hendrix wanted to create the atmosphere of an informal club jam, but the recording did not capture sufficient background noise.[2] So the onlookers provided additional crowd sounds, which were recorded from 9:00 am to 9:45 am. Hendrix and Eddie Kramer later mixed the track, adding tape delay and other treatments.

Although many live recordings of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" have been issued, only the three takes of the original studio jam, "Voodoo Chile", are known to exist. A composite of the first two takes is included on the 1994 Blues album.[2]

The day after recording "Voodoo Chile", Hendrix with Mitchell and Noel Redding returned to the studio for the filming of a short documentary. Rather than repeat what had been recorded the day before, they improvised on "Voodoo Chile", using some of the imagery and guitar lines. As Redding recalled: "We learned that song in the studio ... They had the cameras rolling on us as we played it".[20] The song became "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", one of Hendrix's signature songs, and has been covered by numerous artists. Both songs were released on the Electric Ladyland album.

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