51st Anniversary

Album: Are You Experienced? (1967)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the first song where Jimi Hendrix used overdubs. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 12

  • Fiona Fritzriddle from TexasLittle heavy ...
  • Dan from Florence, ScI found myself dissappointed hearing this song for the first time Memorial Day Weekend, 1994. I was in a funk that time anyway. Hearing this didn't give me any comfort. I guess with a title like "51st Anniversary" I expected something more than what I heard.

    Relationships and lack thereof hit me extremely hard at that time, and now in 2021 I ask myself: "Just What Is A Relationship Anymore?"
  • Sean from Portland, OrThe good side is just that. The ideal marriage. The bad side was his reality of marriage. That was his parent's marriage.
  • Carp from Kabul, AfghanistanI have to agree that this is a stereotypical young guy trying to convince a girl that she shouldn't want to rush into marriage with him.

    There are a couple of things that merrit note. There is a line not on the lyric sheet "So if your done talking, let me get back into my groove" which seems to imply he is not just trying to discourage marriage, but isn't taking her seriously at all. Afterall, one lyric does say "now you are 17".

    There is also the "you must be losing your (sucking sound obviously meant to imply he is smoking pot as he says this) sweet little mind" which reinforces both discouragement and not taking her seriously.

    So I think it really portrays a guy in what he views as a nonserious relationship with a young girl, who has become attached.
  • Ingrid from Compton, Cathis song is about his parents relationship.
  • Tom from Tampa, InI think you guys are over thinking the lyrics. It seems to me that this song is about the stereotypical young couple. The woman is speaking in the first verse telling her partner how she percieves marriage. She gives examples of perfect scenearios and what she THINKS would happen. While in the second verse the young man tries to give her a reality check telling her a possible (likely) outcome. A funny little story.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScTo me, there still seem to be some lines that suggest that the guy doesn't want to commit. I've listened the song a few more times since my first post.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScUpon further reflection, Jimi's character seems to be discouraging the person he's talking to from getting married.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI guess this song should be used as a cautionary tail then?
  • Dan from Detroit, MiThis song is not about a guy whom is not willing to commit, it is about several different marriages taht have different results. One is about a couple who has lived a long life and has enjoyed their life. Another is about a young couple who rushed into marraige and it turned out to be a destruction.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScBtw, there are some pretty cool jazzy parts in this song.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScIn this song this guy doesn't seem ready to commit. He also seems to talk about how many marriages don't go so well, and he doesn't seem to want to get married to his girlfriend. That's what I get from this song anyway.
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