Jimi Hendrix, world renowned for his guitar fireworks and exploding the blues into a psychedelic supernova, is often overlooked for his talent as a lyricist. Perhaps one of the saddest songs in all Song is Burning The Midnight Lamp, with the immortal line loneliness is such a drag, dragging you gently into the abyss. Images of alienation, love lost and loneliness abound on this superb song. The opening lyrics of ‘The morning is dead and the day is too’, you know you’re into some pretty deep waters and Hendrix doesn’t pull any punches, with simple, direct lyrics, full of concise images. Hendrix takes a strong melodic approach to embellish his poetic lyrics, harpsichords, angelic choirs, wahs wahs and a strange mandolin sound adding to the atmosphere of sad dislocation. Sadness has never sounded so good. Jonny Magus
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