So Long Jimmy by James Blunt

Album: Back to Bedlam (2005)

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This is a tribute to legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who died in 1970. The verse is about sitting around doing guitar licks, and the "Voodoo Magic" is a reference to Jimi's song "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and to drugs (which Jimi openly used while recording). The line, "We're glad for The Experience, we'll miss you now it's gone" is a reference to The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Jimi's massively influential band. The line, "Does everyone have a different take" refers to Jimi again, as he never played a song the same twice - every take was different. The line "Does everyone get hypnotized by your fire" is a reference to Jimi again, as Hendrix is famous for lighting his guitar on fire on stage and everyone was 'mesmerized" by his fire. "We all wish we wrote this song" because astonishingly there has been few tribute songs for Jimi. And "Life goes on" because every guitarist in the world today is influenced by Hendrix in some way despite his death. >>
Suggestion credit:
GuitarGod - Melbourne, Australia

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Comments: 5

Jo from Strong City, AlgeriaJImi Hendrix Played what he feeled now days its just a show off who screws it up.
Smitty from Calgary, CanadaAt the end of this song there is, in my opinion, a tribute to the Doors song 'Riders on the Storm'. The organ playing at the end is almost note for note to the Doors song. I think this song isnt so much just about Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison. maybe its about both of them and the influence they had on late 1960's rock.
Mark from Phx, AzI agree with Bunty Rene. mesmerized by your Fire " would be referring to" the song Fire by Jimi. More references that support hendrix and not morrison. " or did the voodoo magic help ", " we're glad for the experience", all the references to guitar playing ( morrison played no instrument... at least never that i saw.. so was just the pretty frontman ) also... there are ALOT more experience songs with great guitar solos and almost no doors songs with great solos. And possibly the " we wish we wrote this song " could refer to the multitude of bands or artists that have covered hendrix songs/hendrix covers(that most ignorant people wouid actually attribute to hendrix anyway).
Bunty from Auckland, New ZealandSorry to burst your bubble, Rene. I thought that, too, and asked him about the Jim Morrison riffs when I interviewed him on my radio show. He confirmed "Jimmy" is Hendrix. Good Guy, very short, used to drive tanks in Kosovo.
Rene from Shoreview, MnThe Jimi Hendrix connection is a good one, but I think James is actually singing about Jim Morrisson of the Doors. The last part of teh song actually is a riff from a doors song. And "mesmerized by your fire" would be referring to "Come on Baby Light My Fire".

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