Is this a Jimi Hendrix song, and if so, which one?

August 26, 2009 3:24 PM

Is this a Jimi Hendrix song, and if so, which one?

This audio file is a mp3 export of the module titled "Electric Church" (download link) by musician HitHansen.

This musician is known to sampling guitars from records, even tracking covers (such as "Experienced(x)" (dl), which covers Hendrix's "In From The Storm").

Thing is, while Electric Church obviously seems to be a cover (the synth "chorus" reminds me of...something), and a Hendrix one at that (the title being the clue here), I can't put my finger on which one. Listening to a hefty part of Jimi's discography on Deezer didn't help thus far.

Hive mind, will you?

Thank you.

posted by XiBe to media & arts (18 answers total)

I dunno if it is a sample, but the chorus is the same decsending fifths that you might recognize from Hey Joe.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 3:32 PM on August 26, 2009

Descending, that is.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 3:32 PM on August 26, 2009

The synth chorus is definitely taken from something else, although I don't think a Hendrix song. I'm pretty sure that in the thing it's taken from, it's not a synth part; it's a vocal part, the lyrics of which are "Na, na na na, na na na, na na na".
posted by Flunkie at 3:35 PM on August 26, 2009

Comment from my husband (I'm at work, can't play name that tune):

that's not hendrix - i think it's a song intro from the first chicago album. terry kath was playing guitar.

posted by kellyblah at 3:46 PM on August 26, 2009

Chicago - I'm A Man
posted by Benjy at 4:08 PM on August 26, 2009

The synth chorus is definitely taken from something else, although I don't think a Hendrix song. I'm pretty sure that in the thing it's taken from, it's not a synth part; it's a vocal part, the lyrics of which are "Na, na na na, na na na, na na na".

And it's a male voice. Baritone or baritonish, I think.

I want to say that it's some 60s or 70s band along the lines of Grand Funk Railroad, Three Dog Night, Blood Sweat & Tears, Little Feat, or something like that. But I don't really know any of those bands - there of the type that I would recognize several songs by them if I heard them, but I can't really put any of those bands with any particular song in my mind.

I'm pretty confident, though, that it's a vocal, by a male with a deepish but not too deep voice, and that he sings "Na, na na na, na na na, na na na".
posted by Flunkie at 4:09 PM on August 26, 2009

I don't think it's I'm a Man.
posted by Flunkie at 4:16 PM on August 26, 2009

I agree with Flunkie and I think the synth chorus is reminding us of Deep Purple's song Hush. Apologies in advance for cheesy video link.
posted by pasici at 4:45 PM on August 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

It reminds me a lot of the song "Hush", most famously performed by Deep Purple but originally by Joe South. The two Deep Purple versions were very different but the link above was the first hit on YouTube.
posted by nowonmai at 4:48 PM on August 26, 2009

Damn you.
posted by nowonmai at 4:48 PM on August 26, 2009

Yeah I think what's making you think Hendrix is the chord progression in the beginning is the same as the chord progression in Hey Joe, but the chorus part is very similar to the Nah nah nah bit of Deep Purple's Hush.
posted by jeb at 4:49 PM on August 26, 2009

Hush, by Deep Purple.

Which was apparently originally by Joe South: Hush.

At least, that's the origin of the synth chorus; it corresponds to "Na, na na na, na na na, na na na" in Hush.
posted by Flunkie at 4:51 PM on August 26, 2009

Augh! jeb beats me
posted by Flunkie at 4:51 PM on August 26, 2009

Augh! And nowonai beats jeb, and pasici beats nowonmai!
posted by Flunkie at 4:52 PM on August 26, 2009

Ah well, that's both Deep Purple versions covered - here's Joe. Also Kula Shaker, why the hell not?
posted by nowonmai at 4:57 PM on August 26, 2009

At least, that's the origin of the synth chorus; it corresponds to "Na, na na na, na na na, na na na" in Hush.

Which is also the "Ahh ahh ahh ahh . . ." part in A Day In The Life by The Beatles (after "somebody spoke and I went into a dream").
posted by The World Famous at 4:59 PM on August 26, 2009

Yeah, after listening is definitely not I'm a Man. Oops!
posted by Benjy at 5:04 PM on August 26, 2009

Aaaah, yes, the Chorus is definitly "Hush", thanks for that guys !

Also, I forgot to tell it, but at the very end, the synth is stealing the intro-synth from The Doors "Light My Fire".

But what about the guitar parts ? The intro wah-wah (you can hear the very same pattern on this video presenting the wah-wah effect), the pre-chorus chords, and the supplementary sample? It'd be nice to have the whole sampling picture :)

Sounds a bit like Rage's Bulls on Parade, but I guess that kind of pattern is very much seen in wah-wah using songs...
posted by XiBe at 1:14 AM on August 27, 2009