Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Encyclopedia
"Have You Ever Been" (often shortened to "Electric Ladyland") is a song by psychedelic rock
band The Jimi Hendrix Experience
, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland
. Written and produced by vocalist and guitarist Jimi Hendrix
(who also played bass on the song), "Electric Ladyland" is written as a tribute to the women in his life who inspired him – "electric ladie
s", as Hendrix chose to refer to them. The song is the title track of the album, and also shares its name with that of the recording studio designed by Hendrix in 1969 – Electric Lady Studios
. It was recorded in April 1968 at the newly opened Record Plant Studios
in New York City.
Compared structurally to the more well-known "Little Wing
", the song is described, by Denise Sullivan of allmusic, as a "soulful ballad" featuring "fluid and always excellent [guitar] playing" which produces a "dreamlike quality". "Have You Ever Been" has also been described as "in the spirit of 'Spanish Castle Magic
' and 'The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice
'"; the vocal performance in particular, "Jimi harmonising falsetto
with himself", has also been identified as a highlight of the song – a "magic carpet ride".
An alternate take of "Electric Ladyland", recorded on 14 June 1968, was released on the posthumous studio album Loose Ends
in 1974 under the title "Electric Lady Land"; a previously unreleased instrumental
demo of "Electric Ladyland" was featured on the 2000 compilation box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Additional personnel
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
, featured on their 1968 third studio album Electric Ladyland
Electric Ladyland
Electric Ladyland is the third and final album of new material by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, released in October 1968 on Reprise Records, catalogue 2RS 6307. It is the only Hendrix studio album professionally produced under his supervision. It topped the Billboard 200 album chart for two weeks in...
. Written and produced by vocalist and guitarist Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
(who also played bass on the song), "Electric Ladyland" is written as a tribute to the women in his life who inspired him – "electric ladie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
s", as Hendrix chose to refer to them. The song is the title track of the album, and also shares its name with that of the recording studio designed by Hendrix in 1969 – Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
. It was recorded in April 1968 at the newly opened Record Plant Studios
Record Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
in New York City.
Compared structurally to the more well-known "Little Wing
Little Wing
"Little Wing" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. It was first recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their 1967 album Axis: Bold as Love...
", the song is described, by Denise Sullivan of allmusic, as a "soulful ballad" featuring "fluid and always excellent [guitar] playing" which produces a "dreamlike quality". "Have You Ever Been" has also been described as "in the spirit of 'Spanish Castle Magic
Spanish Castle Magic
"Spanish Castle Magic" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Written by Jimi Hendrix and produced by Chas Chandler, it is the third track from their second studio album Axis: Bold as Love...
' and 'The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice
The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice
"The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice", also known as "STP with LSD" and various related abbreviations and shortenings, is a song by English-American psychedelic rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured as the B-side to their 1967 fourth single "Burning of the Midnight Lamp"...
'"; the vocal performance in particular, "Jimi harmonising falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
with himself", has also been identified as a highlight of the song – a "magic carpet ride".
An alternate take of "Electric Ladyland", recorded on 14 June 1968, was released on the posthumous studio album Loose Ends
Loose Ends (Jimi Hendrix album)
-Personnel:*Jimi Hendrix – guitars, lead vocals*Billy Cox – bass, backing vocals on track 6*Mitch Mitchell – drums on tracks 1, 3, 4 and 5*Buddy Miles – drums on tracks 2, 6, 7 and 8 , backing vocals on tracks 6 and 7...
in 1974 under the title "Electric Lady Land"; a previously unreleased instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
demo of "Electric Ladyland" was featured on the 2000 compilation box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Personnel
The Jimi Hendrix Experience- Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Mitch MitchellMitch MitchellJohn Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
Additional personnel
- Gary KellgrenGary KellgrenGary Kellgren was an American audio engineer and co-founder of The Record Plant recording studios, along with businessman Chris Stone.-Engineering:...
– engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...