Song Lyric Sunday — Hey Joe

Fandango

For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday prompt, Jim Adams is giving us the theme words of Bomb, Gun, Knife, and Weapon. The song I chose is “Hey Joe” from Jimi Hendrix.

“Hey Joe” was an American song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and has been performed in many musical styles by hundreds of different artists. Billy Roberts claimed authorship and performed “Hey Joe” regularly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, without copyrighting it. In 1962, Roberts registered “Hey Joe” for copyright in the U.S.

But I have only heard the Jimi Hendrix version, which he recorded in 1966. It became a hit in the United Kingdom, entering the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart in January 1967 and peaking at number 6. The single was released in the U.S. in May 1967, but failed to chart. Nevertheless, “Hey Joe” as recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience remains the best-known version of the song.

The song is structured as a conversation between two men, with “Joe” explaining to the other that he caught his woman cheating and plans to kill her. They talk again, and Joe explains that he did indeed shoot her, and is headed to Mexico.

Hendrix played the “Hey Joe” live for the first time at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. It was the first time the Jimi Hendrix Experience performed in America. It was also the last song Hendrix performed at the Woodstock festival in 1969 and as such, it was also the final song of the whole festival.

Here are the lyrics to “Hey Joe.”

Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand
Hey Joe, I said where you goin’ with that gun in your hand
I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin’ ’round with another man
Yeah, I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin’ ’round with another man

Huh! And that ain’t cool
Hey hoe, I heard you shot your mama down
You shot her down now
Hey Joe, I heard you shot your lady down
You shot her down in the ground yeah!
Yeah!

Yes, I did, I shot her
You know I caught her messin’ round messin’ round town
Huh, yes I did I shot her
You know I caught my old lady messin’ ’round town
And I gave her the gun
And I shot her
Alright
Shoot her one more time again baby!
Yeah!
Oh dig it
Oh alright

Hey Joe
Where you gonna run to now where you gonna go
Hey Joe, I said
Where you gonna run to now where you gonna go
I’m goin’ way down south
Way down to mexico way
Alright
I’m goin’ way down South
Way down where I can be free

Ain’t no one gonna find me
Ain’t no hangman gonna
He ain’t gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I gotta go now
Hey, Joe
You better run on down
Goodbye everybody
Hey, hey Joe

Here, for those of you who are interested, is the recording of the song by Billy Roberts.

20 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday — Hey Joe”

  2. coach4aday January 16, 2022 / 4:13 am

    Always thought that song was a Hendrix original. Thanks for the history lesson about Billy Roberts!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 16, 2022 / 2:52 pm

      And you can’t go wrong with Tom Jones!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 16, 2022 / 2:54 pm

      That was the only one I ever heard before responding to this prompt.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Christine Bolton, Poetry for Healing January 16, 2022 / 3:17 pm

        I used Hey Joe for an SLS prompt last June and I recall writing about it being written by Billy Roberts but I didn’t bother trying to find out if there was even a recording to listen to. You did good finding it!

        Liked by 1 person

        • Fandango January 16, 2022 / 3:52 pm

          Thanks, Christine.

          Like

  5. Marleen January 16, 2022 / 6:38 am

    “Boom!”

    I’ve been walking through your streets,
    Where all your money’s earning,
    Where all your building’s crying,
    And clueless neckties working,
    Revolving fake lawn houses,
    Housing all your fears,
    Desensitized by TV,
    Overbearing advertising,
    God of consumerism,
    And all your crooked pictures,
    Looking good, mirrorism,
    Filtering information,
    For the public eye,
    Designed for profiteering,
    Your neighboor,
    what a guy.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom,
    Every time you drop the bomb,
    You kill the god your child has born.
    Boom, boom, boom, boom.

    Modern globalization,
    Coupled with condemnations,
    Unnecessary death,
    Matador corporations,
    Puppeting your frustrations,
    With the blinded flag,
    Manufacturing consent
    Is the name of the game,
    The bottom line is money,
    Nobody gives a fuck.

    4000 hungry children leave us per hour from starvation, While billions are spent on bombs,
    Creating death showers.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom,
    Every time you drop the bomb,
    You kill the god your child has born.
    Boom, boom, boom, boom
    Boom, boom, boom, boom,
    boom, boom, boom

    Why must we kill our own kind?

    Boom, boom, boom, boom,
    Every time you drop the bomb,
    You kill the god your child has born.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom
    Boom, boom, boom, boom,
    boom, boom, boom, boom

    Every time you drop the bomb.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 16, 2022 / 3:54 pm

      Never heard this song before.

      Like

      • Marleen January 16, 2022 / 11:50 pm

        My sons and I listened to them starting from about when my sons ranged from maybe seven to seventeen. You might be able to imagine that, with five sons (and a very analytical mother), life is a bit intense.

        Liked by 1 person

    • Marleen February 6, 2022 / 11:39 am

      System of a Down — BYOB (acoustic cover)

      Liked by 1 person

  6. newepicauthor January 16, 2022 / 7:39 am

    Tim Rose changed a few lyrics and claimed that he wrote Hey Joe. This is the first time I heard the Billy Roberts version, but in my opinion, Hendrix owns this tune. Nice choice Fandango.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Marleen January 17, 2022 / 12:27 pm

    https://newspunch.com/jimi-hendrix-murdered-govt-operatives-roadie/https://truth11.com/2015/01/23/jimi-hendrix-was-murdered-fbi-cointelpro-is-one-suspect/

    The low blood alcohol content in comparison with the amount of wine found in Hendrix’s body meant that the ingestion of the wine was so quick that it didn’t even have time to enter his blood stream. This inconsistency suggests that excessive drinking was not the cause of death. The physical evidence suggests that the excessive amounts of wine in his stomach as well as lungs are more consistent with being water boarded.

    There were many people who were believed to benefit from Hendrix’s removal. The COINTELPRO or Counter Intelligence Program designed by the FBI was aimed at eliminating subversive behavior within the country. Hendrix appearance at “subversive” benefits resulted in the FBI opening a dossier on him, and his ability to motivate masses [was] seen […] as less than innocuous. [He said subversive things, too.]

    Hendrix[‘s/‘] connection to manager Mike Jeffery only furthered his surveillance by the FBI. [In other sources or commentaries, Mike Jeffery is considered part of the surveillance by the FBI and/or the Mob/Crime Syndicate and/or MI6. A manager who is FBI or in something related or tied to it… yeah, that would “further” your viewing by the FBI. Also, Jeffery’s management contract was set to expire; end of 1970.]

    Liked by 1 person

  8. leigha66 January 17, 2022 / 4:20 pm

    Hendrix had such a great sound. Wonderful choice Fandango!

    Liked by 1 person

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