‘Cause I’m a voodoo child…

The Voodoo Child. For more of Jimi’s music, select the image…

An incredible live performance of Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by Jimi and his band in Stockholm, 1969.

“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” was developed from “Voodoo Chile”, recorded May 2, 1968, during a studio jam with Steve Winwood on organ and Jack Casady on bass.The next day, Hendrix returned to the studio with Redding and Mitchell for the filming on a short documentary by ABC television. Noel Redding explained, “We learned that song in the studio … They had the cameras rolling on us as we played it”. Hendrix added,

[S]omeone was filming when we started doing [Voodoo Child]. We did that about three times because they wanted to film us in the studio, to make us—’Make it look like you’re recording, boys’—one of them scenes, you know, so, ‘OK, let’s play this in E, a-one, a-two, a-three’, and then we went into ‘Voodoo Child’.

According to Hendrix biographer Steven Roby, eight takes of the song were recorded by Hendrix, Redding, and Mitchell, and the final one was chosen as the master, which appeared on Electric Ladyland.

I stand up next to a mountain . . .
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I stand up next to a mountain
I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island
Might even raise a little sand

‘Cause I’m a voodoo child
Voodoo child

I didn’t mean to take up all your sweet time
I’ll give it right back one of these days
I didn’t mean to take up all your sweet time
I’ll give it right back one of these days

If I’ll see you no more in this world
I’ll meet ya on the next one
Don’t be late
Don’t be late

Well, I’m a voodoo child
Lord knows I’m a voodoo child, baby
Voodoo Child, Voodoo child, Voodoo child