The Cry of Love

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The Cry Of Love
Studio album by Jimi Hendrix
Released	1971
Recorded	1968–1970
Genre	Psychedelic rock, hard rock, acid rock
Length	39:48
Label	Reprise (USA & Canada), Track Records (UK), Barclay Records (France) & Polydor (Rest)
Producer	Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Eddie Kramer
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (A) link Rolling Stone (favorable) link
Jimi Hendrix chronology
Band of Gypsys (1970) The Cry of Love (1971) Rainbow Bridge (1971)

The Cry of Love is an album by American guitarist Jimi Hendrix. It was the first posthumous Hendrix album release. Hendrix' chief engineer Eddie Kramer & his drummer Mitch Mitchell were the team that selected songs from studio session tapes recorded before Hendrix' death in September 1970 and created Jimi Hendrix' final mainstream studio album. This LP when teamed up with the Rainbow Bridge "soundtrack" LP (released separately, seven months later, for contractual reasons) would comprise the bulk of the most complete tracks, that Hendrix was intending to release on his latest (double) LP. All songs on the album were written by Hendrix and were all new material, although "My Friend" was from 1968 and an unlikely choice. Mitchell and Kramer's involvement gave the album credibility, and it was well received by fans and critics alike. The album shot to number three on Billboard's album chart (USA), number two (UK) and is regarded as the best of the posthumous Hendrix albums released. The song "Freedom" (backed with "Angel") was released in USA as a single, but only reached number 59 in 1971. In the UK Angel was the single backed with Night Bird Flying, but it didn't dent the charts. All of the songs from The Cry of Love are featured on the 1997 compilation First Rays of the New Rising Sun.

The song "My Friend" was recorded during the early stages of the Electric Ladyland sessions in 1968. It combines a humorously delivered, but ultimately serious song about loneliness. It features a dubbed background of Hendrix & friends creating a bar or nightclub atmosphere. This dubbed audience idea ended up being used for the coda to "Voodoo Chile" on Electric Ladyland. This dubbed-on live audience idea wasn't new to Hendrix, having already been used on his recordings with 'Curtis Knight and the Squires'/'Love Lights' in late 1965/early 1966. Gers plays blues harp on 'My Friend'.

Other similar songs from this era with a similar atmosphere include: "America Drinks and Goes Home" by the Mothers of Invention from the LP Absolutely Free (1967). "On with the Show" by The Rolling Stones from the LP Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967), "Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35" by Bob Dylan (1966) and "You Know My Name (Look up the Number)" by The Beatles (1968, released in 1970).

The last track, "Belly Button Window," (previously called "Mr. & Miss Carriage") was Jimi's last studio recording with vocals. It was recorded at Electric Lady Studios on August 22, 1970.^[1]

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Jimi Hendrix.

[edit] Side one

1. "Freedom" – 3:24
2. "Drifting" – 3:46
3. "Ezy Ryder" – 4:09
4. "Night Bird Flying" – 3:50
5. "My Friend" – 4:40

[edit] Side two

1. "Straight Ahead" – 4:42
2. "Astro Man" – 3:37
3. "Angel" – 4:25
4. "In from the Storm" – 3:42
5. "Belly Button Window" – 3:34

[edit] Personnel

• Jimi Hendrix (vocals, electric guitar, electric bass)
• Gers (harmonica)
• Billy Cox (electric bass, background vocals)
• Mitch Mitchell (drums)
• Juma Sultan (percussion)
• The Ghetto Fighters (background vocals)
• Emeretta Marks (background vocals) 'In from The Storm'
• Buddy Miles (drums, background vocals) 'Ezy Rider'
• Steve Winwood (background vocals) 'Ezy Rider'
• Chris Wood (background vocals) 'Ezy Rider'
• Buzzy Linhart (vibraphone)'Drifting'
• Kenny Pine (12 string acoustic guitar) 'My Friend'
• Stephen Stills (piano) 'My Friend'
• Jimmy Mayes (drums) 'My Friend'

[edit] See also

• List of best-selling music artists
• Jimi Hendrix discography

[edit] References