Top 5 Songs Covered by Jimi Hendrix - Updated

Few people would argue that Jimi Hendrix revolutionized the way we think about and play the guitar.

From psychedelic rock classics like Purple Haze and Are You Experienced to electrifying the blues on songs like Red House and Here My Train A Comin’, Hendrix pushed boundaries and stretched out minds.

But in many ways, doing great things with the songs that you write yourself is expected. None of us write to our weaknesses. We write to our strengths.

So when a musician comes along that does a version of someone else’s song so well that people forget the original….well that’s a special achievement.

Jimi Hendrix was widely admired by his pears for playing their songs live in concert or in some other performance setting. In fact, two of the five selected covers only appear in their live form.

It was not as easy to narrow this list down to just five songs, and if you feel I missed anything, please let me know in the comments area below.

Let’s start with the song that got it all started.

Number 5 - Hey Joe - Billy Roberts

Hey Joe was originally written by American songwriter Billy Roberts who struggled with copyright issues related to the song from the very outset.

This was released as a single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on December 16, 1966 with a Hendrix original Stone Free as the B Side.

Chas Chandler, Hendrix’s manager and producer seems to have been the one who presented the idea of Hey Joe to the guitarist and his new band.

Chandler had seen folk singer Tim Rose, who long claimed that Hey Joe was a traditional song, performed the song and thought it was a good fit for Hendrix.

The song peaked at #6 in the UK, and was later added to the North America version of the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album “Are You Experienced.”

Just a note. Many people still argue over the ownership of Hey Joe, but it appears that Roberts filed a copyright claim for the song in 1962 which means he owns it.

Updated video of The Jimi Hendrix Experience performing Hey Joe live in 1967.

Number 4 - Hound Dog (Acoustic) - Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

This song has a long and sorted history as well. Many people mistakenly believe that Big Mama Thornton wrote this song and that Elvis Presley stole it from her.

In fact, it was written by song writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller who wrote several big hits from the 50’s and early 60’s.

Big Mama had a major hit with Hound Dog three years before Elvis recorded it.

This acoustic version by Hendrix was never on an official album release. Hendrix recorded a version with the Experience for the BBC, but frankly, it’s trash, ruined by barking noise and other such sounds.

This version shows that Hendrix could hold his own on an acoustic guitar, without a band and without feedback or effects.

It shows his talent in its rawest form.

Number 3 - Star Spangeld Banner - John Stafford Smith

By some counts, there are around 50 bootlegs of Hendrix playing the American national anthem, most before Woodstock.

But it’s the iconic image of Jimi’s jaw dropping, feedback filled performance from the Woodstock Music Festival that is burned into most people’s minds.

The version from the Woodstock film was actually an edit from a 30 plus minute jam by Hendrix and his temporary band.

Some people argue that there are better versions of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner. Maybe. But there are none nearly as iconic.

Number 2 - All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan

Hendrix’s version of Bob Dylan’s classic song has become so identified with the guitarist that I’ve heard people argue that he was the author of the song.

Bob Dylan himself has written that it’s “Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it’s a tribute to him in some kind of way. I liked Hendrix’s record, and ever since he died, I’ve been doing it that way.”

Can’t get a better compliment than that.

Number 1 - Wild Thing - Chip Taylor

I put this at number one as it really was the song that put Hendrix on the map. Not just the song, but the performance of it at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

The visuals of Hendrix burning his guitar at the end of what was already a show stopping set is more iconic rock imagery featuring Hendrix, but the squeals of feedback that came from the guitar as it was burning and being sacrificed by Jimi makes this the number 1 cover version of Hendrix’s short, but game changing career.

Unfortunately, there is no footage of this show available online. Even over at Hendrix's YouTube VEVO channel, most of the footage showing him playing has once again been turned off.

But you can listen to this great version of a career making performance by clicking the link below....for now.

So did I miss something? Was there a cover by Hendrix that you think should have been here instead? Let me know in the comments box below.

Mitch Ross

Guitar player | Multi-Instrumentalist | Songwriter | Producer