Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides information about Jimi Hendrik's recording "Voodoo Chile".
This is part of a series of posts on songs that are connected to the song "Catfish Blues". Two other pancocojams posts in this series are http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-rolling-stones-band-rolling-stones.html "How The Rolling Stones Band & Rolling Stones Magazine Got Their Names" [which showcases Muddy Waters' song "Rollin Stone"], and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/robert-petway-catfish-blues-example.html Robert Petway - "Catfish Blues".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/jimi-hendrix-voodoo-child-slight-return.html for the pancocojams post on Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile (Slight Return).
Also, click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix for information about musician, singer and songwriterJimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970).
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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INFORMATION ABOUT VOODOO CHILE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo_Chile
Voodoo Chile
Not to be confused with Voodoo Child (Slight Return)*
“ "Voodoo Chile"[1] is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1968 for the Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. The song is Hendrix's longest studio recording and features additional musicians in what has been described as a "studio jam".[2] "Voodoo Chile" is based on earlier blues songs and became the basis for Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", "one of Jimi Hendrix's best-known and influential songs".[3]
Background
"Voodoo Chile" evolved from "Catfish Blues", a song which 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'".[4] In April 1968, Hendrix recorded a number of solo demos in a New York hotel,[5] including an early "Voodoo Chile", which "he'd been refining privately for some months".[6] It used elements of "Catfish Blues" with new lyrics by Hendrix and included a vocal and guitar unison line.
"Voodoo Chile" has been called "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.[7] Lyrically, the song is "part of a long, long line of supernatural brag songs.”...
*This information written in italic is found in the original article.
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child - Atlanta 70´s
faustossj3, Uploaded on Mar 20, 2010
Jimi hendrix master of guitar ear 1969 vodoo child
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LYRICS: VOODOO CHILE
(Jimi Hendrix)
Well, I'm a voodoo chile
Lord I'm a voodoo chile
Well, the night I was born
Lord I swear the moon turned a fire red
The night I was born
I swear the moon turned a fire red
Well my poor mother cried out "lord, the gypsy was right!"
And I seen her, fell down right dead
(Have mercy)
Well, mountain lions found me there waitin'
And set me on a eagles back
Well, mountain lions found me there,
And set me on a eagles wing
(Its' the eagles wing, baby, what did I say)
He took me past to the outskirts of infinity,
And when he brought me back,
He gave me a venus witch's ring
Hey!
And he said "Fly on, fly on"
Because I'm a voodoo chile, yeah, voodoo chile
Hey!
Well, I make love to you,
And lord knows you'll feel no pain
Say, I make love to you in your sleep,
And lord knows you felt no pain
(Have mercy)
'Cause I'm a million miles away
And at the same time I'm right here in your picture frame
(Yeah! What did I say now)
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows, I'm a voodoo chile
(yeah!)
Well my arrows are made of desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur mines
Say my arrows are made of desire, desire
From far away as Jupiter's sulphur mines
(Way down by the Methane Sea, yeah)
I have a humming bird and it hums so loud,
You think you were losing your mind, hmmm...
Well I float in liquid gardens
And Arizona new red sand
(Yeah)
I float in liquid gardens
Way down in Arizona red sand
Well, I taste the honey from a flower named Blue,
Way down in California
And the in New York drowns as we hold hands
'Cause I'm a voodoo chile
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jimihendrix/voodoochile.html
****
Thanks to Jimi Hendrix for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this video and thanks to all who are quoted in this post.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Voodoo Chile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Voodoo Chile. Show all posts
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Robert Petway - Catfish Blues (example, information & lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post is part of a series of posts on songs that are connected to the song "Catfish Blues". Two pancocojams posts in this series are Tommy McClennan - "Deep Blue Sea", http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/tommy-mcclennan-deep-blue-sea-example.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-rolling-stones-band-rolling-stones.html "How The Rolling Stones Band & Rolling Stones Magazine Got Their Names" [which showcases Muddy Waters' song "Rollin Stone"]. Posts about Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" & Jimi Henrix's "Voodoo Chile" (slight return) are also included in this series.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ROBERT PETWAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Petway
"Robert Petway was an African-American blues singer and guitarist.
Very little is known about Robert Petway. His birthplace is usually speculated to have been at or near J.F. Sligh Farm near Yazoo City, Mississippi, birthplace of his close friend and fellow bluesman Tommy McClennan, although some recent research suggests that Petway may have been born at Gee's Bend, Alabama.[1] His birth date is guessed at 1908, and the date and even the occurrence of his death is unknown. There is only one known picture of Petway, a publicity photo from 1941. He only recorded 16 songs, but he is said to have been an influence on many notable blues and rock musicians, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix...
"Catfish Blues"
One of Petway's most influential songs is "Catfish Blues", which he recorded in 1941. Amongst many other reworked versions, Muddy Waters used the arrangement and lyrics of "Catfish Blues" for his single "Rollin' Stone", the song from which the rock group The Rolling Stones chose their band name. The composition credit given to Petway is based entirely on the recording date of his version of the song; however it would be impossible to evidence that song as the conclusive and original source. There is speculation that Tommy McClennan had actually written the song, as he himself recorded it as "Deep Blues Sea". When David "Honeyboy" Edwards, a follower of Petway, was asked if Petway wrote the song, he replied, "He just made that song up and used to play it at them old country dances. He just made it up and kept it in his head."[2] In his autobiography David Honeyboy Edwards also remembers a delta blues guitarist he met called Tom Toy, who came from Leland, Mississippi. Apparently Toy was well-known locally for his version of Catfish Blues. Sadly, though, Toy was never recorded and he is forgotten today. Nothing is known about him and it is also uncertain when exactly Tom Toy was active.
Second verse of "Catfish Blues"
What if I were a catfish, mama
I said swimmin’ deep down in, deep blue sea
Have these gals now, sweet mama, settin’ out,
Settin’ out hooks for me, settin’ out hook for me
Settin’ out hook for me, settin’ out hook for me
Settin’ out hook for me, settin’ out hook for me[3]
First verse of "Rollin' Stone"
Well, I wish I was a catfish,
swimmin in a oh, deep, blue sea
I would have all you good lookin women,
fishin, fishin after me
Sure 'nough, a-after me
Sure 'nough, a-after me
Oh 'nough, oh 'nough, sure 'nough [4]
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE WITH LYRICS
Robert Petway Catfish Blues (1941)
cojwat, Uploaded on Jun 11, 2010
Very little is known about Robert Petway. He recorded only sixteen songs between 1941-1942 and there is only one photo available of him.
But this song, "Catfish Blues" is an important part of blues history !
For example Muddy Water based his "Rollin' Stone" hit on this recording and you can hear it.
I hope owners of the rights want to see this as an honor to this artist who plays with just wonderful blues-feeling!
And same goes to these random photos of other blues artists, which I have found from net.
My hope is that everyone can just listen to this fine musician. Enjoy!
It's so nice, that you can still buy these recordings on CD, mine is an old vinyl album!
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
ByrdWhiteMovie, 2012
"If I hadn't known, I would never guess upon hearing this that it's the same tune that would eventually become "Voodoo Child." But that's just how influence works, from generation to generation! Love this old ditty, it's like my "go-to" riff every time I pick up a guitar!"
****
Thanks to Robert Petway for his musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thanks to all who are quoted in this post.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post is part of a series of posts on songs that are connected to the song "Catfish Blues". Two pancocojams posts in this series are Tommy McClennan - "Deep Blue Sea", http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/tommy-mcclennan-deep-blue-sea-example.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-rolling-stones-band-rolling-stones.html "How The Rolling Stones Band & Rolling Stones Magazine Got Their Names" [which showcases Muddy Waters' song "Rollin Stone"]. Posts about Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" & Jimi Henrix's "Voodoo Chile" (slight return) are also included in this series.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ROBERT PETWAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Petway
"Robert Petway was an African-American blues singer and guitarist.
Very little is known about Robert Petway. His birthplace is usually speculated to have been at or near J.F. Sligh Farm near Yazoo City, Mississippi, birthplace of his close friend and fellow bluesman Tommy McClennan, although some recent research suggests that Petway may have been born at Gee's Bend, Alabama.[1] His birth date is guessed at 1908, and the date and even the occurrence of his death is unknown. There is only one known picture of Petway, a publicity photo from 1941. He only recorded 16 songs, but he is said to have been an influence on many notable blues and rock musicians, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix...
"Catfish Blues"
One of Petway's most influential songs is "Catfish Blues", which he recorded in 1941. Amongst many other reworked versions, Muddy Waters used the arrangement and lyrics of "Catfish Blues" for his single "Rollin' Stone", the song from which the rock group The Rolling Stones chose their band name. The composition credit given to Petway is based entirely on the recording date of his version of the song; however it would be impossible to evidence that song as the conclusive and original source. There is speculation that Tommy McClennan had actually written the song, as he himself recorded it as "Deep Blues Sea". When David "Honeyboy" Edwards, a follower of Petway, was asked if Petway wrote the song, he replied, "He just made that song up and used to play it at them old country dances. He just made it up and kept it in his head."[2] In his autobiography David Honeyboy Edwards also remembers a delta blues guitarist he met called Tom Toy, who came from Leland, Mississippi. Apparently Toy was well-known locally for his version of Catfish Blues. Sadly, though, Toy was never recorded and he is forgotten today. Nothing is known about him and it is also uncertain when exactly Tom Toy was active.
Second verse of "Catfish Blues"
What if I were a catfish, mama
I said swimmin’ deep down in, deep blue sea
Have these gals now, sweet mama, settin’ out,
Settin’ out hooks for me, settin’ out hook for me
Settin’ out hook for me, settin’ out hook for me
Settin’ out hook for me, settin’ out hook for me[3]
First verse of "Rollin' Stone"
Well, I wish I was a catfish,
swimmin in a oh, deep, blue sea
I would have all you good lookin women,
fishin, fishin after me
Sure 'nough, a-after me
Sure 'nough, a-after me
Oh 'nough, oh 'nough, sure 'nough [4]
****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLE WITH LYRICS
Robert Petway Catfish Blues (1941)
cojwat, Uploaded on Jun 11, 2010
Very little is known about Robert Petway. He recorded only sixteen songs between 1941-1942 and there is only one photo available of him.
But this song, "Catfish Blues" is an important part of blues history !
For example Muddy Water based his "Rollin' Stone" hit on this recording and you can hear it.
I hope owners of the rights want to see this as an honor to this artist who plays with just wonderful blues-feeling!
And same goes to these random photos of other blues artists, which I have found from net.
My hope is that everyone can just listen to this fine musician. Enjoy!
It's so nice, that you can still buy these recordings on CD, mine is an old vinyl album!
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
ByrdWhiteMovie, 2012
"If I hadn't known, I would never guess upon hearing this that it's the same tune that would eventually become "Voodoo Child." But that's just how influence works, from generation to generation! Love this old ditty, it's like my "go-to" riff every time I pick up a guitar!"
****
Thanks to Robert Petway for his musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thanks to all who are quoted in this post.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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