cxviii. HENDRIX, Jimi: Angel

cxviii. HENDRIX, Jimi (1942-1970)

Angel (1970)
JH, lead vocal, guitar
Billy Cox, bass
Mitch Mitchell, drums
(4:14)

from Cry Of Love.

One of my main motivations for publishing this blog was to bring forth a collection of all the Non-Classical music that I've grown to love since my youth.

I didn't listen to any music other than Classical until I was 12 or 13 when the Beatles hit the airwaves. I remember being astonished at their songs, at the beautiful voices of Paul and John, at the production (although I didn't really know what that was back then!) ... and most of all -- the feeling of the music.

It was a few years later when I discovered Frank Zappa, but it wasn't until I went to IAA as a high school senior that I discovered cool bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.

It was even later when I got into Steely Dan. And finally, 1971, living in Paris, with friends who played stuff like this album!

Many years later, I went back and listened to Hendrix's earlier stuff -- which I like and appreciate -- but it this particular, posthumous album that I enjoyed the most.

Particularly, this (hard-to-find-on-YouTube) ballad, written by Jimi after a dream he had:

"My mother was bein' carried away on this camel. And there was a big caravan, she's sayin', 'Well, I'm gonna see you now,' and she's goin' under these trees, you could see the shade, you know. The leaf patterns across her face when was goin' under ... She's sayin' 'Well, I won't be seein' you too much anymore, you know. I'll see you.' And then about two years after that she dies, you know. And I said, 'Yeah, but where are you goin'?' and all that, you know. I remember that. I will always remember that. I never did forget ... there are some dreams you never forget."

The tune amps up at the end with Hendrix playing this lick: