| "Lover Man" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Jimi Hendrix | |
| Genre | Rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock, acid rock |
| Writer | Jimi Hendrix |
"Lover Man" (also known as "Here He Comes", "Here Comes Your Lover Man" and variations) is a song written and performed by American psychedelic rock musician and singer Jimi Hendrix. Although a studio version was never officially released until 2010 in Valleys of Neptune, the song was performed many times from as early as 1968, notably at Woodstock Festival in 1969, and Berkeley Community Theatre and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. The tune from "Lover Man" was also used when The Jimi Hendrix Experience covered B. B. King's "Rock Me Baby", which they did a number of times in 1967, most notably at Monterey Pop Festival. In the notes to "Valleys of Neptune' there is a reference to producer Chas Chandler giving Mitchell and Redding the "opportunity to add or replace" their original bass and drum parts for both "Crying Blue Rain" and "Lover Man". In "Lover Man" in particular, Mitchell's new drum track demonstrates his mastery at providing edgy counterpoint to Hendrix's free-flowing style.
A studio version of "Lover Man", entitled "Here He Comes (Lover Man)", appears on the compilation South Saturn Delta. This version contains some dialogue at the beginning between Hendrix and an unidentified person (possibly Chas Chandler or Eddie Kramer), before he begins the "long beginning". The song also features a long guitar solo after a couple of verses. "Lover Man" was also featured twice on the four-disc box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience – one an instrumental version just over three minutes in length, on disc one; the other an alternate recording just under three minutes in length, on disc four. The song was recorded many times throughout Hendrix's career, but he never achieved a take he was ultimately happy with.[1]