Little Wing

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"Little Wing" is a song written and performed by Jimi Hendrix, from the 1967 album Axis: Bold as Love. Little Wing is a tribute to Hendrix's mother Lucille, who died when Hendrix was a child. According to some sources, Little Wing (as May This Be Love from the previous album) is the Indian name of Hendrix's god-angel. Another name for this song is "Little Ivey".

Little Wing is considered to be one of Hendrix's best songs. Artists who have offered renditions include, Henry "Hank" Marrion, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gov't Mule, Moe., Sting, The Corrs (with The Chieftains), Pearl Jam, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Gil Evans, Kingston Wall, Pantera, Concrete Blonde, Steve Vai, Skid Row, Monte Montgomery, Sepultura, John Mayer, and Derek and the Dominos. The song Tapparella performed by the Italian band Elio e le Storie Tese has a similar introduction, and it is possibly a tribute. In 2006, Australian act The Saturday Club created a chopped and screwed remix of Little Wing for the mp3 blog Screw Rock 'n' Roll. Also in 2006, the Brooklyn, NY hip-hop group Deaf In The Family released a remix of Little Wing on their album "For Those About To Rock". Widespread Panic performed a rendition of Little Wing during their performance at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA on December 30, 2006. Special guests for this rendition were Derek Trucks on Guitar, Derek's wife Susan Tedeschi on vocals, and Mike Mills of R.E.M. on keyboards.

Little Wing is played using the unique chord/melody guitar style that Hendrix developed during his early career stints in rhythm and blues bands. In this style, the guitar sounds as though it is playing two parts. This is done by simultaneously playing multiple complementary notes, often parts of chords, and then changing a note within the chord to create a melodic effect. Other songs played in this style include The Boy From Seattle by Steve Vai, Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam, and Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The unusual flanging sound of the lead guitar part is a result of the Doppler effect which is created using a rotating speaker cabinet, or Leslie speaker. The result does not sound like an organ because of distortion used at the same time.

Hendrix's studio version can be found on numerous compilation albums, including The Ultimate Experience (1993). He also performed the song in concert: The Jimi Hendrix Concerts (1982) contains a particularly poignant rendition.