‘Purple Haze’ is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as the second single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967.
A key feature of the song is his inventive guitar playing, using the signature Hendrix chord and a mix of blues and Eastern modalities, helped by novel sound processing techniques. Many fans have interpreted the song as referring to a psychedelic experience, although Hendrix described it as a love song.
‘Purple Haze’ is one of Hendrix's best-known songs and appears on many Hendrix compilation albums. The song 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. It also appeared at number 17 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2004, with the comment that "it launched not one but two revolutions: late-Sixties psychedelia and the unprecedented genius of Jimi Hendrix".
In interviews, Hendrix usually gave different answers about the development of the song's lyrics. Biographer Harry Shapiro points out that "Purple Haze" is most likely "a pot-pourri of ideas" which Hendrix developed over time. As a fan of science fiction, he frequently incorporated its imagery in his songwriting.
Label - Track (UK), Reprise (US)
Songwriter – Jimi Hendrix
Producer – Chas Chandler
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things, they don't seem the same
Acting funny, but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky
[Verse 2]
Purple haze all around
Don't know if I'm coming up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me
Help me! Help me!
Ah no, no
[Instrumental – Guitar solo]
[Verse 3]
Yeah! Purple haze all in my eyes
Don't know if it's day or night
You got me blowing, blowing my mind
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?
[Outro]
No, help me
No, yeah purple haze
Oh no, no
Oh, help me
Tell me, tell me
Can't go on like this
You make me blow my mind
No, no, no
No, no, purple haze