Burning of the Midnight Lamp

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"Burning of the Midnight Lamp"

Single by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
from the album Electric Ladyland
B-side(s)	"The Stars that Play with Laughing Sam's Dice"
Released	August 1967
Format	7" 45rpm
Recorded	July 1967
Genre	Psychedelic Rock
Length	3:39
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Jimi Hendrix
Producer(s)	Jimi Hendrix
Chart positions
Peaked at 18 on UK singles chart
The Jimi Hendrix Experience singles chronology
"The Wind Cries Mary"	"Burning of the Midnight Lamp"	"All Along the Watchtower"

Burning of the Midnight Lamp is a song by Jimi Hendrix, first released as a single in the UK in August 1967. It later appeared in September 1968 on Electric Ladyland. The single's b-side is "The Stars that Play with Laughing Sam's Dice." The single features more sophisticated instrumentation and production than his earlier 1967 releases, and would anticipate the richness and detail of Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland. Both songs feature the use of wah-wah guitar effect, a first for Hendrix.

[edit] Burning of the Midnight Lamp

Recorded in July 1967 at Mayfair Studios with the Experience, the song features complex instrumentation and studio production. The song opens with a delicate melody played on harpischord and wah-wah guitar that is soon joined by Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell's bass guitar and drums. During the verses, the rhythm section playing is tough, in contrast to the angelic background vocals and harpischordesque that provide a crescendo to each verse. According to Eddie Kramer, the vocals are by Cissy Houston and The Sweet Inspirations, Aretha Franklin's backup group. The mandolin effect is produced by recording two or more guitars playing the same part slow, then speeding it up so that it plays at double speed on the record, effecting a unique timbre. The building instrumentation is repeated for each verse.

The song's lyrics are about loss of relationship. Scenes of loneliness are described with attention to detail, including seeing an earring left behind and how it reminds him of his current loneliness. Whether due to the personal lyrics or unique instrumentation and sound, Hendrix was particularly proud of this song. His attachment is evidenced by the decision to include it on Electric Ladyland over a year after first releasing it.

[edit] The Stars that Play with Laughing Sam's Dice

"The Stars that Play with Laughing Sam's Dice" is less contemplative and more jovial. The lyrics and title poke fun at the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and the accusations in the media they faced that the song concerns LSD use. After one verse, the song descends into a loose jam with two guitar parts in addition to Redding and Mitchell's bass and drums. The song's first appearance on LP was, like "Burning of the Midnight Lamp," on the UK edition of Smash Hits. The song was only available in mono until it was remixed in the compilation album South Saturn Delta.