Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

About The Song

This was recorded after Jimi Hendrix finished the long, slow blues of “Voodoo Chile,” a 15-minute jam that appears earlier on the Electric Ladyland album. An ABC film crew came into the studio to do a piece on The Experience and told them to “make like you’re playing, boys.” Jimi said, “Okay, let’s do this in E.” The TV footage was lost, but their impromptu jam gave them the song “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).”

This was one of several standout wah-wah popularized songs, alongside Cream’s “White Room” and Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from ‘Shaft’.” Hendrix was considered a master of the wah-wah pedal, and this track earned him the #1 spot on Guitar World‘s greatest wah solos of all time list in 2015.

“Voodoo Child” was the last song Hendrix performed live. On September 6, 1970, which was 12 days before his death, he played it at a concert in Germany.

In 1970, this was released as a single in the UK a week after Hendrix died. It became his only #1 hit.