Fire (Jimi Hendrix song)
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| “Fire” | ||
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album cover (Track)
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| Song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience | ||
| Album | Are You Experienced | |
| Released | May 12, 1967 (UK) | |
| Genre | Psychedelic Rock | |
| Length | 2:47 | |
| Label | Track Records (UK) | |
| Writer | Jimi Hendrix | |
| Producer | Chas Chandler | |
| Are You Experienced track listing | ||
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Side 1
Side 2
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"Fire" is a song written and originally recorded by Jimi Hendrix and released on the 1967 Are You Experienced album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. One of Hendrix's most played efforts, the track has been included on a number of greatest hits collections, including Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Experience. 'The Experience' frequently opened live concerts with this song.
Despite its sexual overtones, the song had an innocuous origin, stemming from a cold New Years Eve in England after a gig, Noel Redding, bass player for The Jimi Hendrix Experience came up with the idea to have Jimi and Cathy as guests at his mother's house. Jimi asked her if he could stand next to her fireplace to warm himself, she agreed, but her Great Dane was in the way, hence the line, "Aw, move over, Rover, and let Jimi take over..." ("Electric Gypsy").[1]
Originally, the album version of the song contained a very short and simple solo, but through several live performances, Hendrix expanded it to become one of his best. The song also features dextrous drumset work by drummer Mitch Mitchell. "Fire" was later covered by many artists, ranging from Alice Cooper to The Hamsters. In 2007, it was used in a TV commercial for Verizon's V-Cast. It was also played in a commercial for the Pontiac Sunfire.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers also covered the song. They did so from their early beginnings, around March 1983, on a regular basis during their gigs. They recorded their version of Fire during the Freaky Styley sessions, but the song was left off of the album but released as a B-Side on a few of the band's singles. When the band's original guitarist Hillel Slovak died in 1988, the recording of "Fire" was added as a tribute to the late guitarist to the track list of Mother's Milk, released in 1989.
Also Kingston Wall, a Finnish psychedelic rock band, has covered "Fire" on their first album.
[edit] Trivia
- At 1:51 - 1:52, the bassist, Noel Redding, almost missed the riff, therefore, he only plays the last note of the riff.
- It was also featured in Wayne's World when Crucial Taunt play it at a gig.
- WWE superstar John Morrison uses a modified version of "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix to which lyrics were added on August 7, 2007
[edit] Notes
- ^ Record Collector issue 330 (2006) page 96

