Jimi Hendrix' "Up From The Skies" on Hammond organ
When I got my Hammond M3 working, the first song I attempted to arrange for a solo Hammond performance was "Up From The Skies" by Jimi Hendrix. I have fond memories of initially showing the song to Donita on the organ while it sat out in our little garage on Sunny Manor Way. I've always liked the lyric story of this song, it has a nice bluesy/jazzy flavor to it, and is a nice groove to jam over. Since then, I've performed it many times on Hammond, to a generally warm response.
A recent posting in the Hammond Technology (HAMTECH) mailing list led me to this performance by gospel Hammond player Lucky Peterson on YouTube. I was expecting a gospel song, and instead was treated to an (almost) solo performance of "Up From The Skies" by him. And Lucky has great chops! AT the end of the song, he breaks into the expected gospel tune "Truly A Friend", but what impresses me the most is the mood he sets with his vocals, reharmonization and leads he plays in the Hendrix tune.
I hope you enjoy it.
posted by Jim at 1:11 PM
4 Comments:
Damn, nice version.
What do the lyrics mean to you?
Let's jam.
Hey WF,
Yeah, Lucky's a dang good Hammond player; I think his lead is pretty tasty (maybe too many fast licks, but I like it). And his singing is just great; I'm going to try to sing that song more like he does.
I could be wrong about this, but I think that the lyrics are about an extraterrestrial who comes back to earth after having last visited before the ice age, and commenting on how things have changed, how we're messing up the environment and not treating each other very well. I love good sci-fi songs and Jimi wrote some of the best.
As you probably recall, this is the second track on Axis: Bold As Love, right after EXP, which is a spoken piece about a radio interview with an alien.
Here are the lyrics of both:
EXP - Jimi Hendrix
[Announcer: ] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
Welcome to radio station EXP.
Tonight we are featuring an interview with a very peculiar looking gentleman
who goes by the name of Mr. Paul Caruso on the dodgy subject of are
there or are there not flying saucers or UFOs? Please Mr. Caruso, please
could you give us your regarded opinion on this nonsense about
spaceships and even space people?
[Mr. Caruso: ] Thank you. As you well know you just can't believe everything you
see and hear, can you? Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way.
[Announcer:] Bu...but,but...glub...I,I,don't believe it!
[Mr. Corusoe:]Pffffttt!!...Pop!!...Bang!!...massive Echoplex guitar FX flying around
Up From The Skies - Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix - Up From The Skies Lyrics
I just want to talk to you. I won't uh, do you no harm,
I just want to know about your different lives, on this here people farm.
I heard some of you got your families, living in cages tall & cold,
And some just stay there and dust away, past the age of old.
Is this true? Please let me talk to you.
I just wanna know about, the rooms behind your minds,
Do I see a vacuum there, or am I going blind?
Or is it just remains from vibrations and echoes long ago,
Things like 'Love the World' and 'Let your fancy flow',
Is this true? Please let me talk to you. Let me talk to you.
I have lived here before the days of ice,
and of course this is why I'm so concerned,
And I come back to find the stars misplaced
and the smell of a world that has burned.
The smell of a world that has burned.
Well, maybee, maybe it's just a change of climate.
I can dig it, I can dig it baby, I just want to see.
So where do I purchase my ticket,
I would just like to have a ringside seat,
I want to know about the new Mother Earth,
I want to hear and see everything,
I want to hear and see everything,
I want to hear and see everything.
Aw, shucks, if my daddy could see me now.
=====
I'd love to jam! Where do I plug in? ;->
I always liked "1983: A Merman I Should Be."
Yep, Babor, "1983" is one of my faves too. I learned it in 1982 with the hope of playing it with someone, but didn't find any takers at the time. I can do it solo, but it loses a bit. ;->
Now with global warming, and North Korea thing, it threatens to become differently relevant again...
The machine that we built would never save us, that's what they said...
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