Third Stone from the Sun

"Third Stone From the Sun"
Song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience from the album Are You Experienced
Released May 12, 1967 (UK)
Recorded Olympic Studios, London, April 4 & 10, 1967
Genre Rock
Length 6:52
Label Track (no. 612 001)
Writer Jimi Hendrix
Producer Chas Chandler
Are You Experienced track listing

"Third Stone from the Sun" is a song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was written by Jimi Hendrix and included on the 1967 Are You Experienced album. It is mostly an instrumental, but includes brief spoken passages by Hendrix over the music. Elements of jazz are heard in the Wes Montgomery-style octave guitar melody line and Mitch Mitchell's Elvin Jones-influenced drumming.[1] The title is a reference to Earth in its position as the third planet away from the sun in the Solar System.

Voice recordings of Hendrix and his manager Chas Chandler are heard at a slower speed.[1] At normal speed, the dialogue includes

Towards the end of the song, Hendrix's science-fiction character intones, "To you I shall put an end, then you'll never hear surf music again."[1] According to Dick Dale, the "King of the Surf Guitar", it was Hendrix's way of encouraging his recuperation when Dale was seriously ill.[2] Dale later recorded the piece as a tribute to Hendrix.

Renditions by other artists

Several musicians have recorded interpretations of "Third Stone from the Sun", including:


The guitar melody has been referenced by numerous artists:[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Unterberger, Richie. "Jimi Hendrix/The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Third Stone from the Sun – Song Review". AllMusic. Rovi Corp. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  2. ↑ Dick Dale, Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology (Rhino Records, 1997), liner notes to Disc 2, Track 12.