Jimi Hendrix - Foxy Lady: meaning and history of the song, muse

Jimi Hendrix didn't like writing songs - or rather lyrics to them: according to him, "usually he just doesn't feel happy when he's writing songs". He was guitar virtuoso to the marrow of his bones, and what really played a part for him as an artist was the ferocious sound he extracted from his instrument. However, the famous "Foxy Lady." was an exception in his career: as Hendrix himself admitted, it was a "the only happy one." his composition - simply because he wrote it "easily" and with genuine enthusiasm, apparently under great inspiration. But who was the source of this inspiration is a good question, the answer to which fans of the guitar icon are unable to find to this day....

"Sly Lady," "Pretty Lady," "Vixen." - there's no other way to translate the title of this song. But any variation hints that the guitarist finds his muse extremely attractive, and at the same time a cunning person. So who is it about, and why, calling it his "most joyful song", Jimi claimed that a live performance of "Foxy Lady" would one day will drive him crazy? Let's get to the bottom of this...

Warm lyrical meaning

So, first of all, I'd like to address lyricsThe Jimi Hendrix Experience is an album inspired by blues and powerful guitar chords that evoke an obscene sensuality. At first glance it might seem that the opening track of The Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut album is about something extremely racy and sultry... But that's not quite the case. Yes, share of passion (and a lot of it) is indeed present here - but the hero rather declares that he aims at a full-fledged serious relationship with his muse than at one "one-night stand".

"Oh, pretty girl...
I see you.
(Beautiful...)
And I involuntarily shriek
(Beautiful...)
Oh, baby, listen:
I've made a decision -
I'm sick of wasting time:
I want you to be mine - and only mine."

As one wrote intelligently British critic:

"It seems that 'Foxy Lady' has been completely misconstrued as nothing more than a dirty joke, a bedroom brag designed to support the exotic, bombastic, super-cool image attached to Hendrix. A close reading of the lyrics reveals that "Foxy Lady" is not just a song about desire, but also about the pursuit of fidelity. Several lines clearly reflect his frustration at her refusal to submit to him completely..."

Given how tenderly yet exuberantly Hendrix performed this composition, it's not surprising that it won the raving popularity among the beautiful half of his fan-base and became the reason for the most unimaginable theories and rumours... So, if you believe one of the hypotheses - the source of inspiration and the most reverent feelings of the guitarist was... Roger Daltrey's wife!

Countless candidates for the title of musician.

To whom only did not attribute the connection with this song - to be fair, it should be noted that the candidates for the title of muse themselves were not particularly against such fame, in every possible way pouring oil on the fire and claiming that who if not them, after all? However, the biographer of the guitarist, Harry ShapiroI have decided to reduce this endless list to just two divas: one of them being Heather DaltreyThe British model and London socialite had been close to Hendrix for some time before marrying him. The British model and London socialite was close to Hendrix for some time before she married him. Considering the line "I want you to be mine and mine alone."we can assume that Jimi did feel some jealousy towards his muse.

The second likely muse of the Foxy Lady - Kathy Etchinghamone of Jimi's closest girlfriends in the '60s. In an interview, she confidently stated:

"If not entirely, then partially, I inspired this song..."

But there is a third candidate - and that is. Lithofein "Faye" Pridgon.In the '60s, she and Jimi were very close, and "Faye" later claimed that there was no doubt about it: the song was about her. Well, considering how great this song has become over the years, it's not surprising that now each of Hendrix's girlfriends wants to take over and make rock history, even if only in this way.

Jimi's revelations

Hendrix recorded it on 13 December 1966, and over time "Foxy Lady" became a classic of its time and genre: Rolling Stone magazine included the song in its list of "The 500 Greatest in History."and fans treat it as nothing less than a jewel in the legendary virtuoso's catalogue... Many famous rockers have performed their own interpretations of it "Sly Lady."but what's amazing is that Jimi Hendrix himself hated performing "Foxy Lady" live. And this after he called it his "only happy one"?

When Hendrix was already rocking the stage, Alice Cooper was a youngster, as they say. However, he often hung out with rock stars backstage, including the famed virtuoso. Many years later, Cooper would recall one particularly heartwarming and at the same time shocking conversation with his idol:

"We were chatting in the dressing room when suddenly Jimi said: "Man, I can't stomach this track anymore! If I have to play 'Foxy Lady' one more time, I'm gonna go crazy." I was sitting there thinking, "If I was in the audience and he didn't play 'Foxy Lady,' I'd really feel cheated"

What was that, a defence of something especially personalor elementary fatigue from an overly popular number? Perhaps, fans are left to guess only....