Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Purple Haze
2. Hey Joe
3. The Wind Cries Mary
4. Fire
5. Highway Chile (Alt. Recording)
6. Are You Experienced?
7. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp
8. Little Wing
9. All Along The Watchtower (Alt. Recording)
10. Crosstown Traffic
11. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
12. Spanish Castle Magic (Alt. Recording)
13. Stone Free (Alt. Recording)
14. Izabella (Band of Gypsys Single Version)
15. Stepping Stone (Band of Gypsys Single Version)
16. Angel
17. Dolly Dagger
18. Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)
19. Third Stone From The Sun

Disc 2:

1. Fire (Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 1968)
2. Hey Joe (Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 1968)
3. I Don't Live Today (Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, CA, 1969)
4. Hear My Train A Comin' (Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 1970)
5. Foxey Lady (Maui, Hawaii, 1970)
6. Machine Gun (Fillmore East, New York, 1970)
7. Johnny B Goode (Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 1970)
8. Red House (New York Pop Festival, Rendalls Island, New York, 1970)
9. Freedom (Isle Of Wight Festival, England, 1970)
10. Purple Haze (San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA, 1969)
11. Star Spangled Banner (Woodstock Festival, Bethel, New York, 1969)
12. Wild Thing (Monterey Pop Festival, Monterey, CA, 1967)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #713 in Music
• Released on: 2003-02-24
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Running time: 152 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Another decade, another repackaged Hendrix compilation; but like the Beatles and the Doors, his music has a timeless quality perfect for younger generations to rediscover time and time again. Voodoo Child covers the best of his studio work and live performances recorded over the four years in the run-up to his untimely death in 1970.

As with many of the previous "best of" collections, CD 1 (the studio side) is packed heavily with the instant pop hits of his debut Are You Experienced with only a handful of hits from his subsequent two "proper" albums. All the usual big names are here, "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", "Crosstown Traffic", "Voodoo Child" etc... but tacked on the end are some of his finer low-key moments, such as the soulful funk of "Izabella", the epic theme to his Rainbow Bridge film, "Hey Baby" and the sublime space-rocking car ad "Third Stone from the Sun". CD 2 is collected from his numerous live albums and includes some defining moments in the guitarists brief history such as the passionate political thriller "Machine Gun" with his Band of Gypsies; mammoth blues romp "Hear My Train a Comin'"; the now legendary version of him tearing through "Wild Thing" at Monterey and of course his signature tune, the "Star Spangled Banner" Live at Woodstock.

Being such a prolific writer, performer and recording artist it will always be difficult to cram his best work into two discs but Voodoo Child serves as a more than adequate introduction to one of the greatest rock icons in history, with no glaring omissions (apart from the bold decision not to include the studio "Foxey Lady") or unworthy inclusions to upset his many disciples.--David Trueman

CD Description
This 2CD Set selection of famous recordings by the Seattle-born guitar hero was released to coincide with Audi's TV commercial which includes the 1967 track, 'Third Stone From The Sun'. Jimi was actually born Johnny Hendrix, but his father changed his name to Jimi when he was three years old. 'Voodoo Child' includes three UK top 10 singles, and the title track which was his only UK no.1.

Customer Reviews

Voodoo Child
I wish I could start by giving this album more stars. As far as a Jimi Hendrix 'best of' goes, you can't do much better than this. One disc of his best known tracks and another of live and rarer music. The two sides to Jimi's music, the polished, yet still powerfully raw studio work and the soaring, imaginative and soul lifting live work. Hendrix was innovative and unique in his time and listening to his music you are struck again and again by the fact that he is still unsurpassed. His sound has been emulated (often poorly) but never bettered. 'All along the watchtower' and 'Voodoo Chile' start with full force and slap you in the face, where tracks like 'Angel' and 'Little Wing' lull you into his psychedelic, magical patchwork. His guitar sound and wonderful lyrics have the power to move you like nothing else. Yes, I am biased, I love Jimi Hendrix, but you really can't be without him in your music collection and if you don't want the whole catalogue (although after listening to this you soon will) then this album is as good a place to start as any. Give it a go, but be warned, you'll become addicted.

A classic 'greatest hits' album
This is the latest Jimi Hendrix greatest hits album and is by far one of the best. It is split into 2 CD's- 1 studio, the other live. This a great idea and it shows two sides of his music. His perfectionism in the studio, and his wild improvisation on stage. It also contains 1 previously unreleased track (live) and several previously unavailable tracks (live). Some of the songs on the studio side are alternative versions of the ones on the previous greatest hits album, which is good. All in all,this is great for people new to Jimi, and also lifelong fans. But you can't not envy the people new to Jimi when they get their first Jimi Hendrix Experience.

A Mixed Bag
This is clearly an album trying to throw togeather a compilation of the musical high points in Hendrix's career. But as most musical enthusiast well know, the most popular songs by artists don't always represent the best show of musical brilliance.
I'm in accordance with pretty much everybody else alive in saying that Jimi Hendrix was a god of the Rock scene, charting an unparalelled ability and success. This album doesn't showcase that as well as it should have done. But lets start with the positives.
The album sleeve itself is pretty well presented, with a nice colour booklet inside that might make for fun reading if you're a fan of the man. Sound quality is - like everything else surrounding this compilation - mixed.
The pre-recorded CD One is on the whole of truly abysmal nature. The sound is harsh and pushed, with absolutely no bass presence. If you have a descent revealing Hi-Fi system you'll find it difficult to turn the volume on your amp up loud without grimessing at the sparse quality of what you're hearing.
By bizzare nature, the second disc is of truly excellent presentation. With near perfect musical ambience and brilliant stereo mixing of the live tracks.
The track selection itself is - again - mixed. The music from the Audi TT advert - which is irritatingly billed all over the cover - is the last track on the first disc, and adds a fair dose of musical character and flavour to the compilation and brilliantly showcases Hendrix at his prime. A few familiar faces such as title track 'Voodoo Chile' and 'Purple haze' make their usual appearences, and aside from that the tracks on disc one seem to be just filling up disc space. You'd be forgiven for being a new listener to Hendrix and - after one spin of this disc - losing all interest.
The second 'Live' disc makes up for this in part. With some admirable performances of classics 'Fire' and 'Hey Joe', and a truly amazing rendition of 'Johnny B Goode' and 'Purple Haze', but again, aside from that it does seem at times that the rest is to just fill up disc space.
I can't write a review and overlook the fact that Hendrix is one of the true gods of music. And when the recording's good on this disc he really does shine as well as ever. But as an introduction to such an affirmated stature this is really a disappointement. That places it firmly in the 'Only Buy If You Must' category.