Purple Haze

"Purple Haze"
West German single picture sleeve
Single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
B-side
Released
  • March 17, 1967 (1967-03-17) (UK)[a]
  • June 19, 1967 (US)
Recorded
  • January 11, 1967
  • February 3–8, 1967
Studio
Genre
Length2:46[7]
Label
Songwriter(s)Jimi Hendrix
Producer(s)Chas Chandler
Experience UK singles chronology
"Hey Joe"
(1966)
"Purple Haze"
(1967)
"The Wind Cries Mary"
(1967)
Experience US singles chronology
"Hey Joe"
(1967)
"Purple Haze"
(1967)
"Foxey Lady"
(1967)

"Purple Haze" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as the second single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967, in the United Kingdom. The song features his inventive guitar playing, which uses the signature Hendrix chord and a mix of blues and Eastern modalities, shaped by novel sound processing techniques. Because of ambiguities in the lyrics, listeners often interpret the song as referring to a psychedelic experience, although Hendrix described it as a love song. It was included as the opening track in the North American edition of the Experience's debut album, Are You Experienced (1967).

"Purple Haze" is one of Hendrix's best-known songs and appears on many Hendrix compilation albums. The song featured regularly in concerts and each of Hendrix's group configurations issued live recordings. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and is included on lists of the greatest guitar songs, including at number two by Rolling Stone and number one by Q magazine. In 2004 and 2010, the former ranked it at number 17 on its “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ” list, re-ranking it to number 250 in the 2021 edition.

  1. ^ Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, p. 526.
  2. ^ Roby 2002, p. 67.
  3. ^ Experience Hendrix 2012, Entry for March 17th, 1967.
  4. ^ McDermott, Kramer & Cox 2009, p. 40.
  5. ^ Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, p. 148.
  6. ^ Tawa 2005, p. 193.
  7. ^ From original US Reprise Records single (UK Track Records did not list running times)


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