Jimi Hendrix Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"Angel"
AngelGer71
Song Details
Album (track #) The Cry of Love (8)
Length 4:25
Writer(s) Jimi Hendrix
Recorded July 23, 1970
Studio(s) Electric Lady Studios
Single Details
Released March 1971
Publisher(s) UK: Track
GER: Polydor
B-side(s) UK: "Night Bird Flying"
GER: "Freedom"
Charts None
Jimi Hendrix Wiki rating
FullstarFullstarFullstarFullstarHalfstar

"Angel" (also known as "Sweet Angel") is a song by Jimi Hendrix, originally released on his 1971 posthumous album The Cry of Love. It was written by Hendrix and recorded at Electric Lady Studios on July 23rd 1970[1][2] with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy CoxThe Cry of Love.[3]

"Angel" was released as a posthumous single in the United Kingdom and Germany in March 1971, backed with "Night Bird Flying" and "Freedom" respectively. The song also featured as the B-side to the "Freedom" single, released in the United States and others on March 8th 1971.[3]

History[]

AngelLyrics

Jimi's handwritten lyrics for "Angel".

It can be assumed that Hendrix wrote the music for "Angel" as early as 1967, as it first appeared in the form of a demo for "Little Wing" recorded at Olympic Sound Studios on October 14.[4] The song became "Angel" not long after this, when the first recording under the name "Sweet Angel" took place just one month later.[4] Both said recordings appear on the 1997 compilation South Saturn Delta, under their respective titles.

The lyrics for "Angel" were written early in 1968,[3] being completed on January 14.[5] They were somewhat different from those used on the final version, though similar to the "Sweet Angel" recording of 1967. The title written by Hendrix for the lyrics was "My Angel Catherina (Return of Little Wing)", mp3juice suggesting that the metaphorical female subject of "Little Wing" is the same as that of "Angel".

The next version of "Angel" was recorded by Hendrix alone, on guitar and vocals, in a hotel room in early (possibly February)[2] 1968. This recording — which is often incorrectly labelled as 'not' bieng acoustic — was featured on many bootlegs and a few official recordings, including Acoustic Jams, Live & Unreleased and Jimi By Himself: The Home Recordings. The lyrics for this 'clean' version were more similar to the original ones written in 1968 than those used on the final version.

After apparently leaving the song for over two years, Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox (The Cry of Love) recorded the final version of "Angel" on July 23, 1970.[1][3][2] A few days after the session, Hendrix recited the song as a piece of poetry to friend Freddie Mae Gautier during a conversation about his mother Lucille. In an interview for Electric Gypsy, Mae described "Angel" as "very deep, it was what was in him."[6] "Angel" was mixed for Hendrix's First Rays of the New Rising Sun project over August 20 and 21, 1970,[7] which included the overdubbing of a second guitar part. When Hendrix passed away, Mae took it upon herself to read the poem — as well as Hendrix's liner notes to the Buddy Miles Express album Expressway to Your Skull — at the musician's funeral[8] on October 1, 1970.[9]

"Angel" was first featured as the eighth song on the first posthumous studio release The Cry of Love.[3] 26 years later it was included on First Rays of the New Rising Sun,[10] argued by many to be the most accurate approximation of Jimi's intended final project. As well as the aforementioned First Rays attempts, "Angel" also appeared on a number of popular compilation albums released between Hendrix's death and the present day, including Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection,[11] The Singles Album[12] and The Ultimate Experience.[13][14]

Analysis[]

Meaning[]

"Angel" was inspired by a dream Hendrix had about his mother Lucille.[15][16] A primary source of inspiration for Hendrix's songs, dreams often featured his mother, or a similar mother figure, and a similar dream he had two years before her death in 1958 essentially predicted her demise.[17] In a similar light to "Drifting", "Night Bird Flying" and "In From the Storm", "Angel" is proof of how important to Hendrix a mother figure was to save him from isolation and loneliness.[6]

Style[]

The song is a mellow blues composition which features classically elaborative chord work from Hendrix and purposely restrained drumming from the usually firey Mitchell. The guitars are clean and compliment the droning style of singing well, creating the poetic ballad that is "Angel".

Lyrics[]

Angel came down from heaven yesterday,
She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me.
And she told me a story yesterday,
About the sweet love between the moon and the deep blue sea.

And then she spread her wings high over me,
She said she's gonna come back tomorrow.

And I said "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky.
Fly on my sweet angel,
Tomorrow I'm gonna be by your side."

Sure enough, this morning came unto me,
Silver wings silhouette against the child's sunrise.
And my angel, she said unto me,
"Today is the day for you to rise.

Take my hand, you're gonna be my man, you're gonna rise."
And then she took me high over yonder, lord.

And I said "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky.
Fly on my sweet angel,
Forever I will be by your side."

'Clean' version

Angel come down from heaven yesterday,
She stayed with me just long enough for afternoon tea.
And she tell me a story yesterday,
About the love between the moon and the deep blue sea.

And when it was time for her to go she spread her wings high over me,
And she said "I shall return tomorrow".

And I said "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky.
Fly on my sweet angel,
Tomorrow I will feel you by my side."

And sure enough, this morning comes to me,
Well silver-wing silhouette against a glow of the child's sunrise.
And as the bluebirds and the sparrows envy me,
She says "I love you little boy, and today you shall fly."

She kissed me once, and the feeling so good she made me cry,
And now, we'll fly together.

And I said "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky.
Fly on my sweet angel,
Together we shall always be alive."

Appearances[]

Studio albums[]

Compilation albums[]

  • 1983: The Singles Album
  • 1990: Cornerstones: 1967-1970
  • 1993: The Ultimate Experience
  • 1995: Voodoo Soup
  • 1997: First Rays of the New Rising Sun
  • 1997: South Saturn Delta
    • As "Little Wing"; early instrumental version
    • As "Sweet Angel (Angel)"; early version
  • 1997: Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix

EPs[]

  • 1995: Jimi By Himself: The Home Recordings
    • Early solo version (wrongly labelled as acoustic)

Track listings[]

All songs were written by Jimi Hendrix.

United Kingdom
  1. "Angel" – 4:25
  2. "Night Bird Flying" – 3:50
Germany
  1. "Angel" – 4:25
  2. "Freedom" – 3:24

Credits[]


Release details[]

Country
Date
Format
Record label
Catalogue
number
Sources
GER Germany March 1971 7" vinyl Polydor 2121 040 [18][19]
UK United Kingdom March 1971 7" vinyl Track 2094-007 [20]


Gallery of artwork[]

Cover versions[]

Year Artist Release Type Ref.
1972 Rod Stewart Never a Dull Moment Studio [21]
1974 Faces Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners Live [22]
Gil Evans Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix Tribute [23]
1985 Stanley Jordan Magic Touch Studio [24]
1994 Pinguin Moschner and Joe Sachse If 69 Was 96 Tribute [25]
Blue Blot Yo Yo Man Studio [26]
1995 The Jeff Healy Band Cover to Cover Cover [27]
Roy Coyote Roy Coyote Studio [28]
Dee Carstensen Regarding the Soul Studio [29]
1996 The Hamsters The Jimi Hendrix Memorial Concerts: 1995 Live tribute [30]
1998 The Paolo Fresu Quartet Angel Studio [31]
2001 Roy Mette A New Experience: An Acoustic Tribute to Jimi Hendrix Tribute [32]
Craig Erickson Project Shine Studio [33]
Eric Bibb Painting Signs Studio [34]
2003 The Cruel Sea We Don't Work We Play Music Studio [35]
2007 Gary Moore Blues for Jimi (2012) Live tribute

1991 Richie Havens Now

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 July 23, 1970. The Jimi Hendrix Encyclopedia. JimiHendrix.com. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Foley, Randy. Jimi Hendrix Recording Chronology. Rockmine.com. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar [September 17th 1990] (August 15th 1995). "Appendix 1: Music, Sweet Music: The Discography", Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy, 2nd Edition, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 538. ISBN 978-0-312-13062-6.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Chrome Oxide (June 28th 2008). The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Music Collectors Pages. Chrome Oxide. Retrieved on June 28th 2008.
  5. Hendrix, Janie; McDermott, John (October 9th 2007). "Chapter 6: Electric Ladyland", Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience. Great Britain: Simon & Schuster, p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7432-9769-1.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar [September 17th 1990] (August 15th, 1995). "Chapter Thirteen: New Rising Sun", Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy, 2nd Edition, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 438. ISBN 978-0-312-13062-6.
  7. August 20-21, 1970. The Jimi Hendrix Encyclopedia. JimiHendrix.com. Retrieved on June 28th 2008.
  8. Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar [September 17th 1990] (August 15th, 1995). "Chapter Fourteen: Tomorrow, I'm Gonna Be by Your Side", Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy, 2nd Edition, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 474. ISBN 978-0-312-13062-6.
  9. Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar [September 17th, 1990] (August 15th 1995). "Appendix 3: Jimi Hendrix – A Life in Music: A Chronology", Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy, 2nd Edition, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 744. ISBN 978-0-312-13062-6.
  10. First Rays of the New Rising Sun. The Jimi Hendrix Catalog. JimiHendrix.com. Retrieved on June 28th 2008.
  11. Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection. The Jimi Hendrix Catalog. JimiHendrix.com. Retrieved on June 28th 2008.
  12. Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar [September 17th 1990] (August 15th 1995). "Appendix 1: Music, Sweet Music: The Discography", Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy, 2nd Edition, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p. 551. ISBN 978-0-312-13062-6.
  13. The Ultimate Experience: Jimi Hendrix Experience. Amazon. Retrieved on June 28th 2008.
  14. jimi_hendrix_the_ultimate_experience_1993_retail_cd-back (JPEG Image). AllCDCovers. Retrieved on July 1st 2008. The Ultimate Experience back cover.
  15. Jimi Hendrix: The Uncut Story - Episode 1: 1942-1961 [Documentary]. Google Video. Retrieved on June 4th 2008. Event occurs at 36:42. "The song that he wrote, 'Angel', about the angel, well that was a song he wrote for his mother. And that's what he felt; that's what he meant."
  16. Angel by Jimi Hendrix. Songfacts. Retrieved on May 28th 2008.
  17. Jimi Hendrix (Narrator). Jimi Hendrix: The Uncut Story - Episode 1: 1942-1961 [Documentary]. Google Video. Retrieved on June 4th 2008. Event occurs at 36:25. "My mother was being carried away on this camel, and she's going under these trees and you can see the shade, you know the leaf patterns across her face . . . And about two years after that she died, you know?"
  18. SET SALE SINGLES & EP'S. RAW/3rd Coast. Retrieved on June 1st 2008.
  19. Angel / Freedom (DEU) by Jimi Hendrix. Rate Your Music. Retrieved on June 1st 2008.
  20. Jimi Hendrix Angel UK 7" RECORD (242438). eil. Retrieved on May 26th 2008.
  21. Song: Angel - Rod Stewart. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  22. Song: Angel - Faces. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  23. Song: Angel - The Gil Evans Orchestra. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  24. Song: Angel - Stanley Jordan. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  25. Song: Angel - Pinguin Moschner - Joe Sachse. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  26. Song: Angel - Blue Blot. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  27. Song: Angel - The Jeff Healy Band. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  28. Song: Angel - Roy Coyote. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  29. Song: Angel - Dee Carstensen. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  30. Song: Angel - The Hamsters. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  31. Song: Angel - Paolo Fresu Angel Quartet. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  32. Song: Angel - Roy Mette. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  33. Song: Angel - Craig Erickson Project. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  34. Song: Angel - Eric Bibb. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.
  35. Song: Angel - The Cruel Sea. Second Hand Songs. Retrieved on June 24th 2008.

Links[]

Navigation[]

The Cry of Love

1. "Freedom" • 2. "Drifting" • 3. "Ezy Ryder" • 4. "Night Bird Flying" • 5. "My Friend" • 6. "Straight Ahead" • 7. "Astro Man" 8. "Angel" • 9. "In From the Storm" • 10. "Belly Button Window"

First Rays of the New Rising Sun

1. "Freedom" • 2. "Izabella" • 3. "Night Bird Flying" • 4. "Angel" • 5. "Room Full of Mirrors" • 6. "Dolly Dagger" • 7. "Ezy Ryder" 8. "Drifting" • 9. "Beginnings" • 10. "Stepping Stone" • 11. "My Friend" 12. "Straight Ahead" • 13. "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" 14. "Earth Blues" • 15. "Astro Man" • 16. "In From the Storm" • 17. "Belly Button Window"

Advertisement