#42 Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

42

2011 Album Rank

38

Total Points

1296

Year Released

1968

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

2

RIAA Sales Certification

2,000,000 (Multi-Platinum)

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Electric Ladyland Album Details

Released on October 16, 1968, Electric Ladyland is the third and final studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and the only one produced entirely by Hendrix himself. A sprawling, genre-bending double LP, it pushed the limits of psychedelic rock, blues, funk, and studio experimentation. The album showcased Hendrix's vast range, from the kaleidoscopic textures of 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be) to the heavy funk of Rainy Day, Dream Away and the apocalyptic rock of Voodoo Child (Slight Return).

With its epic scope and sonic ambition, Electric Ladyland was both a culmination of Hendrix's studio explorations and a bold challenge to the conventions of rock albums. It featured some of his most iconic work, including his definitive cover of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, and remains one of the most celebrated double albums in rock history. Chaotic sessions, shifting lineups, and Hendrix's perfectionism led to a long, fragmented recording process, but the result was a deeply immersive, visionary masterpiece.

Other Jimi Henrix albums on the chart: Are You Experienced?

Interesting Facts about Electric Ladyland

• Hendrix often recorded into the early morning hours, inviting friends, groupies, and musicians into the studio, creating a party-like atmosphere that sometimes frustrated bandmates and engineers.
• The original UK release featured a controversial nude photo collage as the cover art, which Hendrix disapproved of. The U.S. version used a red-and-yellow photo of Hendrix's face, but he had intended for a different image of the band at Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.
• Voodoo Chile, the 15-minute slow blues jam, was recorded live in-studio with Steve Winwood on organ and Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane on bass. It was captured in a single take with minimal overdubs.
• Hendrix labored over Gypsy Eyes, recording more than 40 takes across several days. The song's final mix is a patchwork of different attempts, edited together by engineer Eddie Kramer.
• 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be) and its sequel Moon, Turn the Tides... were groundbreaking for their experimental sound design, featuring tape manipulation, reverse guitar, and underwater sonic effects, all done without synthesizers.
• Noel Redding's role on the album was diminished. Frustrated with the erratic sessions, he left mid-recording, and Hendrix played bass on many tracks, including All Along the Watchtower and Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland).
• Hendrix's version of All Along the Watchtower was admired by Bob Dylan himself, who later adopted Hendrix's arrangement in his own live performances. The track features Dave Mason on acoustic guitar and Brian Jones on percussion.
• Early takes of Long Hot Summer Night and House Burning Down reveal stripped-down arrangements with different vocal melodies. Some of these outtakes appeared on archival releases like South Saturn Delta.
• The song Come On (Part 1) is a cover of an Earl King track. Hendrix had previously jammed on it during his days in R&B clubs but reworked it with a tougher, more psychedelic edge.
• Burning of the Midnight Lamp was originally released as a single in 1967 and later remixed for the album. It features one of the earliest uses of the wah-wah pedal on record and layered harpsichord overdubs.
• Live performances of songs from the album often extended their improvisational nature. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) became a concert highlight, with Hendrix using it as a showcase for guitar pyrotechnics and on-the-fly lyrical changes.
• The 50th anniversary box set released in 2018 included early demos, studio jams, alternate mixes, and a full live performance from Hollywood Bowl 1968, offering a rare window into Hendrix's creative process during the making of the album.

Electric Ladyland Track List

1. ...And the Gods Made Love
2. Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
3. Crosstown Traffic
4. Voodoo Chile
5. Little Miss Strange
6. Long Hot Summer Night
7. Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)
8. Gypsy Eyes
9. Burning of the Midnight Lamp
10. Rainy Day, Dream Away
11. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
12. Moon, Turn the Tides...Gently Gently Away
13. Still Raining, Still Dreaming
14. House Burning Down
15. All Along the Watchtower - Reached #20 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
16. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

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